440c vs cpm s35vn toughness

[DeadboxHero]

People forget powder metallurgy changes the game. The carbides in 440c are entirely chromium carbide which forms large clusters in ingot steels. S35VN being a powdered steel and relying more on Vanadium and niobium than chromium means it's going to be much tougher.

It's not directly the vanadium and niobium elements over chromium increasing toughness.

It's the carbide size and volume.


Look at AEB-L for example.

 

[greater]

S35VN is supposed to be tougher with more edge retention given the same blade type., proper heat treatment, and no double talk.

 

[Another Shepherd]

I have no experience with Maserin but it’s the first time I hear something negative about them. Can you explain your experience with them/which knife it was with?

I had a Maserin 975 Sax with 440C, which was nicely sharp out of the box but would get dull in 2 weeks of my normal use, compared with a Benchmade AFO II with 154CM, which I only sharpened every month or so. Larrin rated both 440C and 154CM as 4.5 for edge retention. Also, the Sax would fall out of the sheath unless the safety strap was snapped.

A Buck 420HC Omni Hunter will also last me a month or so of normal use before I feel inclined to sharpen it. So Buck S53VN ought to last a lot longer than that.

I thought I had another Maserin around here somewhere but I don't see one now.