> And He claims that it has properties almost as that of >ATS34 knifesteel<br><br>D-2 is an excellent choice for a cutlery steel. I'd say your friend is under-selling D-2. D-2 will outperform ATS-34 in every performance category -- ability to take an edge, edge holding, toughness, strength. The only thing ATS-34 will do better than D-2 is resist rust. And D-2 is fairly rust-resistant for a tool steel; it has enough chromium to make it kind of semi-stainless.<br><br>In short, if you're looking for maximum performance, and you're willing to give the knife a bit of extra maintenance, then D-2 is the no-brainer choice. If you want more rust resistance, ATS-34 works better. <br>