I’m not sure which steel it has, but I have a Buck Pro Line with the gut hook that has been about the best knife I’ve ever owned. My dad give it to me several years ago when I didn’t pay much attention to this steel or that but I have bought several other knives since that haven’t replaced it yet. It was a dog to train to sharpen but now I can touch it up in no time to when it needs it which is actually every 8-10 deer or so.