52100 steel??

That's it, you guys pushed me over the edge.

Last night I had a couple of my traditional 52100 folders out and was testing the edge on phone book paper. I had forgotten just how great an edge 52100 takes. It's laser-like.

Just ordered the Spyderco Manix 2 in 52100 (DLC) so I'll have a "modern" folder in this great steel.
(Been wanting to try out a Manix anyway and this was as good an excuse as any.)
You're out of control Elliott :D:p
 
Say what, Master Enabler!?! Anyway, I prefer to think of it as "discriminating taste". :cool:

(That and the fact that the funds raised from some recent sales of custom and production knives was burning a hole in my pocket. :p)
Lol, arrest me.

Yeah that Manix 2 is HAawT.

It's got a Batman man theme to it. Love the color scheme.
 
Lol, arrest me.

Yeah that Manix 2 is HAawT.

It's got a Batman man theme to it. Love the color scheme.

You're lucky I'm a retired LEO...otherwise I'm sure I'd find some federal charges to bring you up on.

"Interstate trafficking" comes to mind. ;)
 
...
52100 is great

grain size has more to do with heat treatment then just having Vanadium.
The key is to reduce grain growth by preventing over heating and to Austenize at a lower temperature and soak with good temp contro after normalizing to break up the Carbides and thremal cycles to shrink the grain.

So it's not as simple as just adding a pinch of Vanadium.

52100 offers more strength over 80crv2

it might have more edge retention over 80crv2, but I have not seen any charpy or other type of toughness tests to show that 52100 is 'stronger' than 80crv2...
(I'm also a bit biased about including some vanadium, ever since I watched the documentary about old wootz steel and how it was 'impossible' to make it without vanadium)
 
it might have more edge retention over 80crv2, but I have not seen any charpy or other type of toughness tests to show that 52100 is 'stronger' than 80crv2...
(I'm also a bit biased about including some vanadium, ever since I watched the documentary about old wootz steel and how it was 'impossible' to make it without vanadium)
Charpy is toughness, not strength

Wootz isn't as good as Modern steel.

An interesting steel you would like is Cru-forge V.

Look it up, tell us about it
 
Considering getting into the 52100 mix...what kind of edge performs best for EDC use?

My current sharpening equipment is a lansky system with both diamonds and ceramics, I have up to 1000 grit ceramic and 600 grit diamond, considering the 2000 sapphire also.

I want to make sure I’m well prepared to maintain and optimize it before I invest.
 
It holds a nice fine edge for a good length of time, and best of all when it comes time to sharpening it's so easy and fast compared to that CPM stuff. With 52100 an ordinary honing knife steel will get you back in the cutting came much of the time.

....point taken. But perspective reminds us that before these "super steels" all of us carried a good old carbon steel, folding, slip joint in our pocket daily, and things managed to get cut, and the knives lasted a good long time, and the sun still came up the next day. Of course as you imply, more options exist today.


I still have a mess of 1095 folders that I carry daily. All my GEC folders.

I'd love a few folders in 52100 . .

I have a big chopper (Busse) in it, and had a full tang combat hawk in it that I used, and was impressed by ( a Swamp Rat Rattlehawk).
 
It holds a nice fine edge for a good length of time, and best of all when it comes time to sharpening it's so easy and fast compared to that CPM stuff.
Less than 2 minutes a couple times a month is what it takes to sharpen m4 and I use it daily. I like 52100 a lot but not enough to spend MORE time sharpening it. ;)
 
Considering getting into the 52100 mix...what kind of edge performs best for EDC use?

My current sharpening equipment is a lansky system with both diamonds and ceramics, I have up to 1000 grit ceramic and 600 grit diamond, considering the 2000 sapphire also.

I want to make sure I’m well prepared to maintain and optimize it before I invest.

Just got the power on after a couple days without so forgive the brief reply...

52100 will take a very fine edge but works great with anything from coarse to fine. Really just depends on what you cut and how you like your edge. If you want to split the difference, something between 400 and 600 would probably be very practical.
 

52100 is great

grain size has more to do with heat treatment then just having Vanadium.
The key is to reduce grain growth by preventing over heating and to Austenize at a lower temperature and soak with good temp contro after normalizing to break up the Carbides and thremal cycles to shrink the grain.

So it's not as simple as just adding a pinch of Vanadium.

52100 offers more strength over 80crv2
Check out Ed Fowler and his disciples. Low temp thermal cycling, insane cutting performance, 52100.
 
I've been impressed with the 52100 PM2
only downside, if you consider it a downside is it's tendency to rust, but I also think
52100 makes/ takes a nice patina, so 52100's tendency to stain is also a plus for me.
If I'm not mistaken, Busse's SR 101 is basically 52100 and I've got a few of their choppers
and they've been very tough.
 
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