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8cr13mov Spyderco vs. Kershaw.

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drewhamm7292

Joined
Nov 27, 2013
Messages
24
Whose is better. Just saw a cryo today and had to have it. First kershaw I've ever owned. Not many of their designs just say, "Drew, get me." It could be because I hate thumb studs, but I can handle a WELL MADE flipper. For it's price so far I'm rather impressed, fit and finish are nice, and if the steel can hold up with my tenacious for the price I'll be happy. Still I'd take one tenacious over two of these. Brand loyalty, you got to love it.
 
I've been carrying a full serrated tenacious for work for the last 3 weeks and it has really surprised me. I cut lots of fiberglass insulation and pvc film everyday, and the full serrated handles everything
 
Of the two brands I would take a spyderco 8cr over Kershaw any day.

I have some of both and the kershaw is an excellent knife, but, the spyderco is easier to sharpen and stays sharper longer IME.
 
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I think the blade geometry matters more than the company in this case. 8Cr13MoV is a fair steel, far from great but it offers acceptable performance for the price point. The FFG Tenacious just feels like it was designed to be a great cutter, while the Cryo never felt like that for me. It was always too thick behind the edge, but it's a pretty cool design for the price.

I have abused the snot out of both knives, they are HEAVILY modified in irreversible ways :D I still use the Tenacious every once in a while, and I can't say the same for the Cryo. I don't think a difference in steel has anything to do with that, as both knives will easily take a hair whittling edge but won't hold it for long at all.
 
Spyderco does their 8cr much better than kershaw, this being based off the fact I edc'd alternating between a tenacious/cryo for close to 7 months and the tenacious was the rockstar of the two.
 
If it's just in 8cr
Just choose which knife you like carrying more
 
Like stated above, edge geometry will be the most important factor since it's the same steel.

Otherwise any difference will likely be fabricated by bias.
 
I have a Zing tanto in 8cr13mov, and while the edge retention is on par with AUS8 which you can purchase in a knife for the same price point, it does seem like the Kershaw 8cr13mov wears down noticeably. As in after a few sharpenings, it is no longer much of a tanto. I can't speak for Spyderco, but I have an Ontario Rat 1 and 2, and the AUS8 can easily go a day or two without resharpening with no noticeable wear thus far. AUS8 is where it's at for budget blades.
 
I think the tanto Zing is actually the Sandvik 14C28N steel. I believe the only Zing that uses 8Cr13MoV is the assisted-opening one (1730SS).

As for who's 8Cr13MoV is "better", I don't know. I have more experience with Kershaw knives using 8Cr13MoV than Spydercos. The only Spydercos I've used with that steel are a few from the Tenacious line. As far as the steel goes, it worked fine in all those I've tried from both brands. Edge retention is decent, and it is pretty easy to re-sharpen. No obvious weaknesses (bending, breaking, rolling, or chipping) from my EDC uses.
 
Spydeco and Sal go to great lengths to get their steels right, even the ones from China. They have been known to reject samples if the heat treat isnt right and even dump entire shipments. The owner is a steel junky.

Dont know much about Kershaw's 8cr, I do know that they have theyre own facility in China. Not sure if they do their own HT.
 
flarp said:
I think the tanto Zing is actually the Sandvik 14C28N steel. I believe the only Zing that uses 8Cr13MoV is the assisted-opening one (1730SS).

As for who's 8Cr13MoV is "better", I don't know. I have more experience with Kershaw knives using 8Cr13MoV than Spydercos. The only Spydercos I've used with that steel are a few from the Tenacious line. As far as the steel goes, it worked fine in all those I've tried from both brands. Edge retention is decent, and it is pretty easy to re-sharpen. No obvious weaknesses (bending, breaking, rolling, or chipping) from my EDC uses.
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You're correct. Got my info off a website because it isn't listed on the blade. Seems to be in the same area of edge retention and such though. Thanks for catching that!
 
Even though they're both pretty easy, my Tenacious seems to take less time to sharpen than my Cryo.
 
My wife has the cryo that I gave her and it is pretty great,
gets as sharp as the tenacious which I used to own and loved it for the price.
HOWEVER, the tenacious blade would bend very easily at the top half inch of the blade , I did bend it back. The same can be said for a persistance that i gave to a friend. Just wanted to point that out.
 
I doubt many companies use super secret heat treatments for blades that are so mass produced. The probably HT to what ever the steel mfg recommends.
 
Can anyone provide evidence that the two companies use different manufacturers in China? One post claimed that Kershaw maintains their own facility. I've read the Benchmade contracts Sanrenmu's facility. Whom does Spyderco use? It is entirely possible that the knives are all made by the same exact people in the same facility...?
 
chiral.grolim said:
Can anyone provide evidence that the two companies use different manufacturers in China? One post claimed that Kershaw maintains their own facility. I've read the Benchmade contracts Sanrenmu's facility. Whom does Spyderco use? It is entirely possible that the knives are all made by the same exact people in the same facility...?
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Spyderco uses Sanrenmu. I own the 913P which is the legacy knife of the Benchmade Vex. It was only $15, and the quality reflects that price. I'm different though because I think the Tenascious is an overpriced $15 knife in quality as well. The blade steel on both is tue same and very "meh" even compared to AUS8 in my experience.

Sanrenmu actually sells the Tenascious domestically in China for $10-$20. Part of their deal with Spyderco is that they can't export them though. I have yet to see or hear of any Kershaws being sold by tye source manufacturer, so I don't believe it's Sanrenmu as they're a typical Chinese knife maker and do partake in selling unlicensed designs, and close copies.
 
Either way both steels perform well enough as far as how sharp they get for the selling price.
I think the cryo is a little bit tougher, but I prefer the tenacious. What a great design for the money. I only got my wife the cryo because I edc a 0561. So we look cute together. HAAA!
 
Defininately gunna have to go with spyderco on this one, love how they do there 8cr13mov, from my experience spydercos is just all around a little better quality. Loved my cryo when I had it, great value knife, but when I got my tenacious it blew me away, edge retention is better and for me it seems like kershaws is harder to sharpen, it might have been just my cryo because I have sharpend a couple of my friends cryos and they were better. Might just be the different heat treats. Just my two cents.
 
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