this is an oversimplification, but tough essentially means soft, which means dents. i dented the edge on my battle mistress pretty bad the first time i used it. better than the chips that come from hard edges (S30V, 154CM, D2). ideal steels are high hardness with medium carbon, meaning you get the hardness of crystalline structures, without the fracturing risk of large carbides.

Sharp, steel it on a chrome wrench then strop it. sharpen if there's any damage left.