Wicked looking knives Blacktail. True artist.

Awesome looking knives, and I've been looking into the higher quality knives lately but it seems I'm venturing down into the abyss trying to decifer between the different kinds of steel.  It might be helpful to get insight from a maker such as yourself.

     All I know so far is investing in a good knife is well worth the money.  I've tried the throwaway knives like the havalon and outdoor edge razorblaze.  Complete junk imho.  The steel is so soft that within five strokes on hide you've gone from a Razor sharp knife to something that isn't really sharp but not completely dull.  My thinking is the steel gets chunked out so bad in spots at a microscopic level that it will cut but it won't be consistent whatsoever.