Are there any "super steels" that will hold an edge twice as long as regular steel?

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RX-79G

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Recently a poster claimed that the edge holding ability of his personally owned pocket knife was critical to his business. Given the need to produce a high number of cuts between sharpening, are any of the high end steels (Elmax, M690, 3V, S35V, etc) out last two knives made of a high quality standard priced steel (AUS8, 440C, 52100, O1, D2, A2, etc)?

Say you're going to be on site and busy for a whole day cutting stuff. Will the $200 3V knife out perform two A2 knives, or even two C100 Moras?


No, I'm not denouncing high end steel. It's groovey stuff. Just wondering if a two bladed cheap folder could keep up with a high end.
 
RX-79G said:
Given the need to produce a high number of cuts between sharpening, are any of the high end steels (Elmax, M690, 3V, S35V, etc) out last two knives made of a high quality standard priced steel (AUS8, 440C, 52100, O1, D2, A2, etc)?

Say you're going to be on site and busy for a whole day cutting stuff. Will the $200 3V knife out perform two A2 knives, or even two C100 Moras?
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Different steels have different qualities, I don't recall 3V as being known for edge-holding but it is known for toughness.

There are many variables involved- steel, heat treat, blade grind and geometry, type of sharpening so your mileage may vary. The best information I've seen posted is that steels such as M390, CTS204, S90V and S110V are capable of lasting many times longer under some cutting than more mundane steels.
 
RX-79G said:
Recently a poster claimed that the edge holding ability of his personally owned pocket knife was critical to his business. Given the need to produce a high number of cuts between sharpening, are any of the high end steels (Elmax, M690, 3V, S35V, etc) out last two knives made of a high quality standard priced steel (AUS8, 440C, 52100, O1, D2, A2, etc)?

Say you're going to be on site and busy for a whole day cutting stuff. Will the $200 3V knife out perform two A2 knives, or even two C100 Moras?


No, I'm not denouncing high end steel. It's groovey stuff. Just wondering if a two bladed cheap folder could keep up with a high end.
Click to expand...

Depends on geometry and what is being cut. Lots of people love to cite rope cutting tests. That is a soft, abrasive material. Switch to a hard, non-abrasive material and the results will be different. If we change it up and test steels in a chefs knife model for cutting squash or fish or something else, the results will change again each time based on the geometry, the heat treatment, and what is being cut. Every steel has a set of attributes. It is always a trade off to balance those traits for a desired purpose.

Professions that rely on knives like butchers and chefs almost universally use inexpensive, easy to sharpen knives.
 
Yes, a properly heat treated super steel can out perform the high carbon steels you mention. But you threw in 440C and D2. Those steels will make an impressive amount of cuts on 1/2" sisal rope. I doubt S90V is capable of double the amount of cuts as these two. CPM-154 will make more cuts on sisal rope than S30V and it doesn't have vanadium. Thus, it's much easier to sharpen and polish, from a knife makers stand point. THe number of cuts a given steel makes on sisal rope is good to know but only part of the equation. A blade should have good edge geometry as well while making those cuts. DM
 
retzius said:
well... without that its hard to really discuss
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Well, there are only so many things that one would have to cut a lot of with a pocket knife. Processing game, opening bags, cutting straps, carving wood. We don't cut stone with knives, so that might not be important.

I don't think there's only one answer. I just thought the question was interesting because it isn't that hard to take two knives, and some of the better old school steels - O1, A2, D2, AUS10 - can perform pretty well. And are so much cheaper.
 
I sure my Spyderco's Military with regular S30V blade will definitely outlast 20 cheap Chinese kitchen knife cutting stuff in the kitchen...
 
Hi.

I recently purchased a "super steel" ZT. I must say, the rigidity/strength of the blade is quite something. My understand is that I could cut carboard boxes all day long and not have to worry about sharpening. Time will tell.

ZT_M930.jpg
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Knowing how to touch up a good edge of good steel makes a critical difference.
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This very true. I would take a single knife with a modern super steel along with a ceramic rod over a fleet of of knives with notably lesser steels. When my m390, elmax, or m4 slightly dulls I can bring it back quickly time and time again. I would rather do that than bring multiple knives.
 
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Fanglekai said:
Depends on geometry and what is being cut. Lots of people love to cite rope cutting tests. That is a soft, abrasive material. Switch to a hard, non-abrasive material and the results will be different. If we change it up and test steels in a chefs knife model for cutting squash or fish or something else, the results will change again each time based on the geometry, the heat treatment, and what is being cut. Every steel has a set of attributes. It is always a trade off to balance those traits for a desired purpose.

Professions that rely on knives like butchers and chefs almost universally use inexpensive, easy to sharpen knives.
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I agree with everything you said except the implications of the last sentence. The decision to use inexpensive kitchen knives has a lot more to do with economy of scale and the point of diminishing returns than any attempt to get the best tool for the job. No manager is gonna hand a line cook at Dennys a $200 gyuto. That doesn't mean the Dexter Russell he does use is a better knife.
 
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