Not sure if we can talk about other makers, but I can say these guys have the heat treatment down right, as far as the best for small? That depends on what your gonna do most of, which makes it why a lot buy most all the models, being that a knife if suppose to be a cutting tool, I'm going to vote against the "tougher" steels and take the ones that hold their edge longer, the busse kin has done a fantastic job with the 154 steel in my opinion, I'm in love with the sr101 however, for me id be happy with either of those 2