About to order a 3.5

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dtsnfire19

Joined
Jun 15, 2015
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5
I get to the part where I am asked to choose the steel and I freeze. I have searched the forum but still not sure. Can anyone please shed some light? This will be mainly a lite duty knife. I do not want a steel that will give me fits to sharpen. Please help
 
C20v is incredible in its edge retention. If it was for light duty, or even moderate tasks I'd go with it. That's what my 3.5 was:thumbup:
 
Is the stainless aspect really important to you? I've found my 3v 3.5 to be really easy to take care of but I don't carry it daily.
 
From what I've heard neither are hard to even field sharpen much less with the proper equipment at home. I have 20cv and after just a few strokes its back to shaving sharp. I just recently acquired a 5.1 in 3v but have yet to have to sharpen it. Edge retention has been fantastic. I hope you find the answer your looking for.

And as stated above 20cv is a better corrosive resistant so if you have to have that it is a consideration. With that said, from what I've heard you have to really neglect 3v to have any issues out of it.
 
You can't go wrong either way. My 3v 4.1 is on my belt most of the day so it gets sweaty and it sits on the counter in my bathroom when I shower and I haven't seen even the slightest bit of rust on it. 3v has my vote!
 
At this price point it has to be C20v for me.

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Don't freeze, order one in each!! :)

Actually I'm with Standard78, I really don't think you can go wrong with either in a knife this size. I just ordered the 2.7 and it's only available in 20CV. Having said that, I really like 3V and have no trouble field-sharpening it.
 
The CPM20CV will be great for rust resistance, generally referred to as a stainless. With 3V, my favorite, it will develop some spotty surface oxidization if moisture isn't cleaned away after a while. If left will leave black spots where the surface oxidization was, lots of other steels I use do this too, but easy to remedy with a wipe down and light coat of oil after use. 20CV is probably the lowest maintenance option and a fantastic steel. An easylap diamond folder will be able to bring it back in the field qith a few passes.

This one's been through the ringer (3V) and still can't put it down.

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I got both steels. That way I won't ever second guess myself and I'm 100% satisfied either way. I can't say one is better than the other. They're both excellent choices.
 
My 3.5 is in 3v, but only because it's a 2nd and that was the only option when I ordered it. My vote for that size of knife will always be the CPM-20cv. My reasoning is thus; with the 20cv you know that you'll never have to worry about any corrosion spots, both steels are really relatively easy to keep sharp with stropping only, and the toughness advantage gained with 3v is negated by the 3.5's size....it's really difficult to even produce the forces on a shorter blade at which the 3v would come in handy, not to mention that you likely wont be attempting many hard use tasks with a knife of that size anyhow. But really, esp. with the newer heat treat improving all of the properties of both steels, including the moisture resistance of 3v, maybe it comes down to which steel label will look cooler to you on your knife's blade...see, I talked myself out of my own choice because it really and truly does not matter, both of these steels will give you exactly what you want....so which looks cooler to you on your blade "CPM-20CV" or "CPM-3V"??
 
I'd find it hard to generalize a steel as necessarily "cooler" than one another. Other than the characteristics you mentioned, there is a difference in edge retention, a little less so in the 20CV, not by much, but noticeable.
 
B34NS - Absolutely, that's why I said it may come down to which label the OP personally thinks has more cool-factor for him. And yes they both have wonderful edge retention, but I was under the impression that 20CV generally tested better than 3V in this area due to it's 4% vanadium...or maybe that's what you're saying and I've misread your post?
 
3 is my lucky number so a 3.5 in 3v is about as many 3's as I can fit into a GSO :p
 
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VanDammet said:
B34NS - Absolutely, that's why I said it may come down to which label the OP personally thinks has more cool-factor for him. And yes they both have wonderful edge retention, but I was under the impression that 20CV generally tested better than 3V in this area due to it's 4% vanadium...or maybe that's what you're saying and I've misread your post?
Click to expand...

A little more to it than that ;) but yes, there is always a trade off for toughness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. Also, depends on your blade geo and HT. With the 3.5, the biggest difference in my opinion is going to be in the cosmetic "surface spotting" and staining from moisture on the 3V, 20CV will rust, but doesn't develop the dark spots that 3V will requiring some extra maintenance and oiling. "Stains less" is what I'd call 20CV more appropriately. I think the 3.5 in CPM20CV is right up OP's alley.
 
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