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I guess this is more related to knives but there isnt a workshop sub in the knife forum. But why does 440b have a bad rep. Everywhere i read about steel properties in concerns to knifemaking say that anysteel below 440c is crap but i think theres some people at randall made and a few other knife makers that would say otherwise.
I,m not sure but if Randall will use it, then it's good, they don't make junk knives. Tc
Lots of knives are made from 440b - especially economy cutlery. Personally I get better edges out of 440a than 440b, but that could just be me. I, like many hobbyist, don't have the equipment to properly work with 440c.
I suspect it has to do with knife people often being steel snobs. Granted the rockwell hardness comes out lower than for razors so it will not be the ultimate in sharpness. But for general purpose knives it should be plenty good enough
A number of knifemakers will tell you that 440B and 440C are good stainless steels when heat treated properly. In the world of production knives, that has sure been a BIG if over the years. Some will also tell you that 440B is probably better suited for 'hard use" knives and that may be why Randall chose it years ago, whereas 440C is better for "slicing" knives and such.