Advice to a beginner

Man, this thread needs some photos. Here's my Carothers DEK1 in D3V steel with Cocobolo scales and blued titanium fasteners.

Mine-17a.jpg
 
This is going to be long winded, be prepared.

The thing about steel is, it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and even knife to knife. My favorite steel is CTS-XHP, but I like PM steels in general.

If you sharpen yourself, especially freehand or with a sharpmaker, etc, the balance of edge retention and ease of sharpening is very important.

I like variety, brand, color, materials, etc. I own several knives with CPM-S35VN, all different manufacturers. Let me tell you, each one has been different in edge retention and ease of sharpening. Blade grind and geometry play into this as well.

For example of my S35VN knives:

Massdrop/WE/Ferrum Forge Gent Select. $120. Full flat grind, sharpens easily, gets very sharp. However, the edge retention is the worst of any S35VN knife I own, more on par with non PM steels IMO.
Southern Grind Spider Monkey $225 ish: Full flat grind, fairly easy to sharpen, excellent edge retention, the best I've experienced in this steel. It also gets very sharp.
Three SIsters Forge Beast (no longer own) Very obtuse flat grind, was pretty easy to touch up, average retention, somewhere between the aforementioned.

Is it because one is made in China and the other USA? Not sure. Could be one is made in a much larger factory as well. I've yet to need to sharpen my Brian Tighe and Friends Twist Tighe OTF or Heretic Manticore E in this steel, but edge retention has been similar to the SG SM. M

CPM-S30V has been all over the board for me, but once past the initial edge, my PM2 has been fantastic, as has the Yojimbo 2. Sharpened and touched up occasionally. More difficult to sharpen than S35VN, but not difficult. My Hogue Exploit I believed lied about being S30V because its incredible in edge retention.

M390 (and its derivatives like CPM-20CV and CTS-204p) is a very mixed bag, though as a whole is considered a fantastic steel. The Italians (MKM, Lionsteel, Viper, Fox, etc) are known for running this steel softer than what is ideal, but in that I only have one of these knives and rarely carry it, I cannot comment.


I've yet to sharpen any of my M390 knives, but I have been very impressed by the Spyderco Southard (CTS-204p), WE Deacon (M390), and A Purvis Progeny V2 (M390). My ZT 0470 (CPM-20CV) is too new to give any input.

However, when it comes to that "perfect" combo of ease of sharpening and edge retention, thus far CTS-XHP is my favorite.

CPM-M4 and CPM-S90V were difficult for me at first, but as I got better at sharpening, the easier it became.

I suggest starting with one of the "lower end" CPM steels, learn to sharpen it, and them progress to the "super" steels etc.

Tool, Stainless, Carbon, really depends on environment, body chemistry, and how you carry. Me, I live in Chicago, and it has to be 90 degrees plus for me to sweat a drop. I have no worries of corrosion on my knives. However, if I lived down in Galveston, TX (island in the Gulf) and had major sweat issues, tool or carbon steel would be off the list.

You will hear many opinions about how some steels will rust just looking at them, like CPM-M4, yet my Spyderco Gayle Bradley in that steel sat in a drawer for over a year without a spec of rust.

In the last few years, production knife companies have been making their products in handle materials that were previously only available via custom makers, especially micarta. I personally prefer smooth handles with good ergonomics over stuff like G-10 and FRN. Custom scales are fun especially if you want to try different colors.

TL;DR:

I suggest starting with Spyderco. Many different designs to choose from, most of the "classic" models (delica/endura PM2/3, Manix 2, and Yojimbo 2) have many customizations available, such as Titanium hardware, custom scales, deep carry or unique design clips, backspacers, etc.

Examples:

Sprint Run Spyderco Manix 2, CPM-XHP, desert Ironwood scales, MXG deep carry titanium clip.


https://imgur.com/HGOjTNf

Standard S30V Spyderco Para-Military 2, burlap micarta scales from Ripps Garage Tech, MXG gear deep carry clip, random black screws from etsy, titanium lanyard hole.


https://imgur.com/czyAmYt
 
Thanks, K.O.D.
The more info I get, the better. I just gotta make sure I tap the brakes when / if it all gels too fast in my brain.
 
Another question...where is the best place to store knives not in use? I have a few still with their original plastic and boxes, but a few are wrapped in paper towel in a box.
Also to clarify, I own all pocket knives (18) except for one fixed blade.
 
Stacy's Sticky Threads have helped me a lot and I read them on a regular basis. Larrins data and knife steel nerds has helped me a lot when it comes to understanding the metallurgy behind everything, including HRC, CATRA testing, Toughness testing and other good cold data.
If you are into traditional Japanese knife making, the very helpful gentleman who runs Crossed Heart Forge, or aka Island Forge, has taken the time to document and teach his entire knife making process in photographic and text format, and anybody is free to use it no charge. That has been the single biggest help when I first started out making knives. It's not a light read or learning process, and has taken me about 4+ years to be able to perform everything documented in his detailed learning materials on his website.
I highly recommend lots of other content and sources of info, Data sheets are important, if you really want to learn about steel, learn to read a technical data sheet, including all of the periodic elements that have anything remotely to do with knife steel. Including some gas not just metals. Learn all the basic elements and what they do to steel. So when you see technical jargon it in the end will make sense like a second language we all speak.
As a collector I wouldn't really give advice apart from the term buy once cry once is very true, at first it might seem great to lay down 100 and grab 5-6 knives to bulk your collection. But those won't hold their value and will 100% never increase in value (SAKS's, Opinel and Mora are exceptions for budget knives, anything made in Europe, U.S.A Japan and Thailand are pretty safe). A savvy knife collector will come to learn from experience that the Samuel Vimes Boots theory of socio-economics holds true also. A poor man can only afford a cheap pair of boots for a few dollars.
These work boots fall apart after every season and need to be replaced 4 times per year.
The rich man can afford a pair of 50 dollar boots, these are made of real well stitched leather, they last him 10 years.
So the poor man has to spend more over the long term and still has no decent boots.
Buy a nice $200 knife and that 200 knife will still be worth the best part of 200 in 5 years time, possibly double in price if discontinued, as long as you took good care of it, it has resale value. All the cheap knives you collect in 5 years time, might be hard to even sell them at all.
Have fun, don't waste your cash, cya around the forums.
 
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Drop.com (knife stuff now on Amazon) has a pretty cool, if a bit overpriced knife storage valet thing which I have. I bought it because I can display but also lock my nephews out of it. Let me find a pic. I wanna say $100 ish.


https://imgur.com/a/9pMEr1s
 
You know, you guys have a really great community here. I have been going thru page after page of this site and I love the atmosphere! The great nature pics with knives, the "Knives and coffee" thread, some of the deep discussions about knives themselves. This place makes you go from one subject to another and can make you ignore the clock. This is a great "get away" site from all the crap and hub bub of what's happening politically and the mess the country's in right now. I'm looking forward to contributing pictures and more correspondence in the future!
Kudos to all of you! 👍👏

And I want to thank you again for all of the response to this thread. Y'all's come up big for me!
 
First, I would suggest figuring out which knife style you like best. Avoid trendy fads too.

I find practical knives are best. That means none of the tactical nonsense. A drop point or spearpoint is best for bagels and boxes. This generally means I have a SAK / Victorinox on me or a 5" fixed blade and a classic slip joint for small jobs.

Don't get hooked on super steels because heat treatment makes a huge difference.
 
I have read over some of the Talmadge info. I have perused some of the Talmadge info. I have looked at some of the Talmadge info. And I have came to this conclusion.......

What the hell have I gotten myself into?! 😲🤣
 
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