Because of its difficulty in sharpening and machining, it’s very rarely used and comes with a high price premium. The S30V sample I tested was austenitized at 2000°F and tempered at 500°F. This means consumers should be able to maintain these quality knives at home. Instead, Vargo titanium uses a unique material called sintered titanium-ceramic alloy. It seems like s45vn is going to be a really good fixed blade steel(5-6 inch)….IF heat treated correctly….. The high hardness makes it all but impossible to sharpen and machine. Made by US based Crucible, CPM S30V (often simply referred to as S30V) steel has excellent edge retention and resists rust effortlessly. Both D2 tool steel and S30V are top quality metals that are normally found in the more high-end blades out on the market. So what they did in the development of S90V was reduce the chromium content by 3% and add a corresponding amount of vanadium while maintaining a similar carbon content. Great article Larrin! Note: Don’t bother with anything less than 8Cr in this series. [4] Chilton’s iron age 226, no. The resulting design of S30V provided an improvement over BG42 for the desired properties: The goal in terms of making a steel “easy to heat treat” was accomplished primarily by ensuring the steel could by austenitized (hardened) by heating to a temperature no higher than 2000°F. https://knifesteelnerds.com/2018/11/19/steel-edge-retention/, But read a few of the edge retention articles… there is a huge context. It’s a very hard steel and is exceptionally difficult to sharpen. 1 comment. This is a virtually stain-proof steel suitable for all sorts of aquatic environments. It’s actually quite good, low-cost steel that performs like midprice steel. Generally seen as a slight upgrade to the 440C/VG-10/ATS-34 caliber of steel, it’s a decent all-around steel with good corrosion resistance, decent toughness, and only modest hardness. In use, it’s very similar to 440C and VG-10. Based on composition, SPY27 should have a slightly lower carbide volume than s30v. S60V (CPM T440V) / S90V (CPM T420V) High vanadium content allows these two steel grades to be outstanding at holding … As a result, there are no production knives with REX 121 steel, though Ferrum Forge used the steel early on in its custom knives and a Kickstarter knife from the Creely Brothers. But it doesn’t have great wear resistance and thus doesn’t hold an edge particularly well. Re: CPM REX 45 | Edge … … Its PlainEdge blade is full-flat ground from CPM-SPY27 stainless steel and supported by a streamlined version of Spyderco's patented Compression Lock. A hunting knife has a single purpose: processing meat after a kill. Even 154 CM, which was once thought of as a high grade steel, is now looked at by some as almost crap steel (at least that's the impression that I get). In this section, we’re going to compare our steel with other steels, and for this, I use four criteria; ... CPM 20CV VS S30V. The steel was developed by Maria Sawford as a modification of S30V by reducing the vanadium content, adding 0.5% niobium, and removing the nitrogen addition (incidental nitrogen is still present). Posted on December 13, 2013 February 2, 2016 by outdoorsandnature. Powder metallurgy allowed higher alloy steels and finer microstructures because of the rapid solidification process. Specifications: Overall Length: 8.75 (222.25mm) Blade Length: 3.75" (95.25mm) VG-1 is a non-powder steel made by Japanese specialty steelmaker Takefu. And given the recipe, it has a low number of carbides, the extra-hard microcrystals in steel that provide the hardness necessary for a stable and sharp edge. It was designed in the US and is typically used for the high-end premium pocket knives and expensive kitchen cutlery. That’s a little too far, but you get the point.). It won’t hang long with high-end powder metal steels (a method of making steel using ultra-pure micrograins of steel that are heated and pressed together). BD1 isn’t terribly hard but sharpens easily. 154CM was designed for bearings, and was essentially a modification of 440C by reducing the chromium (Cr) by ~3% and adding 4% molybdenum (Mo). In particular, I have found the ESEE/Rowen 1095 to be less likely to chip and better at holding an edge than the Ka-Bar version — even in knives with the same role, thickness, and blade length. 420hc steel vs s30v. You can read more about how powder metallurgy works and its history in this article. Say hello to the latest distributor exclusive Endura knife showing off its limited edition Teal FRN handle and a full-flat ground S30V stainless steel blade that is satin finished with a plain cutting edge. Hammering through hickory, digging at roots in sandy soil, and cutting around bone did nothing to chip, dent, or roll the edge of my 3V knives. Five years ago, S30V had a premium price. In thick forms, like a fixed blade, 1095 is a tough, low-cost steel. This is a product by MGE Wholesale made in Spyderco Japan! Molybdenum improves corrosion resistance, as mentioned earlier in connection with 154CM. This does not bode well as edge retention is a top, if not the top, priority for knife fanatics. It’s used for combat knives, bushcrafting knives, and other applications where having a supertough blade trumps the need for edge retention and corrosion resistance. Dollar for dollar, this is generally regarded … The greatest living knifemaker and one of the greatest knifemakers of all time, Michael Walker, calls AEB-L one of his favorite steels. D2 is a tool steel used in industrial settings. That should make 420HC more wear resistant and technically a "better" steel in terms of realistic use. The increase in Mo from 1% in S90V up to 2% in S30V provided an increase in corrosion resistance with the relatively low 14% Cr. But if you want to know what the coolest blade material is, for my money, SM100 is it. Chromium and vanadium both compete to form carbides. S30V continues to be the benchmark other stainless knife steels are compared to. However, this steel has high hardness and corrosion resistance which can mean excess retained austenite which sometimes leads to inflated toughness values. This steel (SPY27) is produced by Crucible exclusively for Spyderco. Support us! Like S90V, it’s a high-hardness steel, but it’s more balanced than S90V. A proprietary steel and heat treat developed by Busse Knives, INFI is an excellent performer and one of the best steels for big choppers on the market. CPM-S35VN. It was also somewhat finer than the previously available S60V and S90V. And molybdenum and nitrogen additions were used to balance the corrosion resistance along with edge retention and toughness. Custom maker Brian Trudeau uses Nitro V, and Massdrop’s Perpetua design is the first production knife to sport it. This is a powder steel produced by American steel company Carpenter. Specifications: Overall Length: 8.75 (222.25mm) Blade Length: 3.75" (95.25mm) I will ship out Thursday. A2 knives need care taken to avoid rust and are often coated to inhibit corrosion. Scales are perfect. It’s very similar chemically to RWL 34 and ATS-34. But in use, I’ve found nothing that withstands the abuse that 3V can take. The old rule in steels used to be “corrosion resistance, toughness, or hardness — choose two.” But SM100 (the trade name for Nitinol 60) threw that out the window when introduced to the cutlery world. Report Save. This SPY27 is also capable of higher hardness. I wrote about the history of 154CM in this article. Crucible intends SPY27 to be good all-around knife steel. S90V, patent filed in 1995 [5], managed to improve on wear resistance, toughness, and corrosion resistance of S60V but its high wear resistance, and therefore poor grindability, means that it has never been a mainstream knife steel. With a high level of edge retention, corrosion resistance, and toughness, it does most everything quite well. The benefit of this, of course, is that the steel holds an edge for a very, very long time. The toughness measured was good, though could possibly be improved through more optimized heat treatments than what I used. Maxamet’s hardness results in incredible edge retention and a nightmarish sharpening and machining experience. Native 5, PM2, Para 3, Manix 2) 2. share. The Para 3 Lightweight and Manix 2 Lightweight will be the first two models to feature CPM SPY27 blade steel. Everything else will depend on how Spyderco heat treats the steel, and to what HRC. Softer chromium carbides do not contribute as much to wear resistance but they detract just as much (or more) from toughness as vanadium carbides do. The Cr was reduced for a different reason, however. CPM 20CV VS S35VN. But unlike most high-end steels, SPY27 is an easily user-serviceable powder steel. Flashlights run the gamut of price and quality. Also known as Z-Finit, Zapp produces this steel in America. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 1. share. S60V (CPM T440V) / S90V (CPM T420V) (Some crazy folks clean their Swiss Army knives in a dishwasher. With a low Cr (5%) steel like 10V, basically all of the vanadium forms the very hard vanadium carbides (VC) which contribute to wear resistance and edge retention. There has been some internet controversy over the grinding and heat treat of this steel. Thanks to Atlas Knife & Tool and Mervin Thomson for become Knife Steel Nerds Patreon supporters! Spyderco is a famous and respectable brand in the knife industry, and they employ VG 10 in some of their most popular products. The edge retention of S30V is still pretty good relative to other knife steels, better than steels like XHP, Elmax, 154CM, 440C, etc. The brand designed it as a carbide replacement. 1 year ago. S30V gained wide usage in a relatively short period of time. Furthermore, because of its ultrahigh hardness, Maxamet is very prone to corrosion, probably worse than 1095. S35VN, which is the mainstream steel, … S90V VS S110V. A lot of custom makers also like S110V, including the great RJ Martin. [5] Pinnow, Kenneth, William Stasko, and John Hauser. Spyderco announced a collaboration with Crucible to produce an exclusive powder metal steel, SPY27. A high chromium content stainless (14 percent) that contains molybdenum and vanadium, which enhances the toughness, corrosion resistance, and edge holding ability. It’s an update of its 12C27 and 13C26 steels, which were developed for use in shaving razors. Rowen’s heat treat on ESEE knives that use 1095 is exceptional; Ka-Bar’s is less so. Composition S35VN, which was introduced in 2009 uses the modified formula of S30V, which is made with 1.45% carbon, 4% vanadium, and 10.5% chromium carbide with the addition of niobium to the vanadium and chromium carbide forming elements. Kelty CBD Pain-Reliever Review: How Much Help, How Much Hype? It has enough water-fighting properties that it can be used in marine environments. The unique process used to make LC 200N results in a fine-grain structure. It is a bit below steels like ZDP-189, S90V, and 20CV/M390. The early versions of the steel were first tested by Chris Reeve Knives making that company very significant to what the final product became. This comparison conveys the largest gap in edge retention, as private reviewers were unhappy with how quickly the S30V blade became blunt for general cutting on typical items like rugs. Vanadium carbides are some of the most prized carbides for knives. It seems to me to be equal or even a downgrade. And thanks to Dick Barber for talking to me about the development of S30V. Posted on December 13, 2013 February 2, 2016 by outdoorsandnature. Top. If we had the steel available for a Micrograph we would see finer Carbides than CPM154, Sg2 and S35VN. CPM SPY27 Steel. Below is a table summarizing the resulting properties including the amount of chromium carbide (M7C3), vanadium carbide (MC), measured toughness (higher is better) wear resistance in a crossed-cylinder wear test (higher is better), and corrosion measured in a 10% boiling acetic acid solution (lower is better): So with all of those lessons learned, it was known that a lower chromium content would allow vanadium to go further in terms of its contribution to wear resistance. CPM 20CV S30V; EDGE RETENTION: 8/10: 5/10: EASE OF SHARPNESS: 5/10: 5/10: CORROSION RESISTANCE: 8/10: 7/10: TOUGHNESS: 6/10: 6/10 : S30V offers the same performance with lower edge retention compared to the CPM 20CV. This is an old high-carbon (non-stainless) steel. You can read more about carbide types and how elements interact to lead to different amounts in this article on carbides. Read more…. With my own CATRA experiments the relative position of S30V is approximately the same, but I will be talking about those experiments in a future article. Grade A- due to carrying once. Here, we break down how to choose a flashlight, including best flashlight LEDs, batteries, designs, and more. The brand Bark River uses A2 in many models. Read our full Sobata 398 review here. This makes for a great slicing knife and a perfect steel, in my opinion, for a regular-use, everyday-carry folder. $154.70 Spyderco Native 5 Signature Folder Knife with 2.95" CPM S30V Steel Blade and Black G-10 Handle - PlainEdge - C41GP5. I fail to see how 12C27 is "a lot" better than 420HC. I’ve found S35VN less chippy even at the same hardness. The S35VN or CPM S35V is a high-end martensitic stainless steel made by @Crucible, high in Carbon, Vanadium, and chromium designed to offer a great balance between toughness, hardness and corrosion resistance.It’s used in long-wearing Specialty cutlery, Plastic Injection and Extrusion Feed Screws and Dies, Wear Components for Food and Chemical Processing, and of course in the Knife Industry. NordicTrack wants to give you $7,500 toward your dream adventure. Personally, excitement over the release of S30V in 2001 was part of what led me to become a metallurgist and to eventually research and write for this website. Spyderco has worked with other steel companies such as Carpenter in the past and we are very excited to see the real world results of this collaboration with Crucible Industries. What it does look like is SG2/S35VN but we have a lot of Niobium in there. Crucible developed several powder metallurgy steels including 10V, S60V (formerly 440V) and S90V (formerly 420V), but none of them really gained wide use in knives. This is a non-powder steel produced by American steel company Carpenter. A new steel from Crucible, SPY27 launched in 2020 in the Spyderco Native 5 and Para 3. Spyderco has produced several production knives with Maxamet, and the steel debuted on the ZT0888. ... SPY27. To complement the blade's finish, the screws and reversible deep-pocket carry clip on its injection-molded, fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handle also sport a satin finish. Both D2 tool steel and S30V are top quality metals that are normally found in the more high-end blades out on the market. Enter before February 8th for your chance to win. So we can understand more the Steel, let’s see its chemical composition. But it’s very cheap, and, when ground appropriately, it can be a real winner from a value standpoint. It boasts an incredible ability to continue cutting long after it seems “dull.” And it’s not made of steel. Jul 28, 2011. On harder steels the burr tends to break off easier. We now have initial edge retention results from 32 steels on Patreon, so if you want an early look at that come join us on Patreon. S30V also needed to be easily heat treated with common knife heat treating equipment which was why Paul Bos was consulted. Looks like a good sharpening steel and like they are chasing a steel that takes a better edge than the S30v stuff we are used to.