I hand forge my blades from many types of steel. 420HC Stainless steel contain .40% carbon content.  This steel grade is widely used to make high end razor blades, surgical scalpels etc. It obtains about 55-57 HRC after suitable heat treatment. 420HC Stainless for example  offers great balance between corrosion resistance and hardness. I also use  01 and SAE52100 High Carbon steel. In case you are wondering why carbon steel vs stainless steel for your knife, SAE 52100 is a bearing steel, and is capable of attaining a high hardness of Rockwell C60 (in comparison to 55-57 for most stainless steels) and has excellent wear resistance at this hardness. This steel is used in applications where it must withstand wear, grinding, and high tensile loads. With 2% of chromium it still provides a good amount of resistance to corrosion if kept dry and oiled.  Similarly, O1 steel is even harder (C67)  than SAE52100 or any stainless steels  such as 154CM or ATS-34 and as a result holds its edge much better. Advantages of High Carbon Steel are superior hardness, 60-67 on Rockwell hardness scale (Rc) at room temperature. High carbon steel operates continually at temperatures up to 120°C.  It is used to produce precision ball bearings and roller bearings. It is cost-effective and has Long working life if properly maintained. For product support contact me at Yakut-Knives777@hotmail.com