I don’t mind the Vic steel. It’s a bit soft, but it sharpens quite readily. The edge will often roll instead of chipping. The edge rolls are easily fixed with a sharpening steel, or the bottom of a coffee cup.I have found the steel on my Wenger Standard Issues to be a bit better in edge retention, but maybe also a bit less stainless. It’s all a matter of trade-offs.
I tend to gravitate to steels with higher hardnesses and longer edge retention, the fancy stuff. However, I also tend to strop or sharpen a blade on a regular basis, so my Vic's or Wengers are rarely dull. From that perspective, Vic and Wenger's steel is more than adequate for me and the way I use it.
I think it’s also important to note that Vic and Wenger have both ground their blades thinner than most tactical folders, and even many traditional knives. So they still cut well after they’ve started to lose their edge. I find that my SAK edges usually roll long before they actually dull. I can “steel the edge” on a seemingly dull knife, with no loss of actual steel to the blade, and be right back in the game. I’d argue that a sharpening steel is probably the more important pocket carry for a SAK than a sharpening stone.
I once cut the flap off of a box of printer parts that had come from China. The knife was A2 steel hardened to about 60 HRC and was screaming sharp to begin with. After about 10 inches of that cardboard it was completely dull. I could draw the edge across my palm using considerable force without cutting myself
I’ve had knives dull quickly too. Occasionally I’ll get the edge to thin for the hardness and it will roll the steel. That’s why I normally sharpen SAKs at 20° per side. The edge seems to last longer that way. Just my option though. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk