Benchmade's S30V

C

Coonskinner

Joined
Mar 28, 2001
Messages
2,491
I am looking at buying a Benchmade folder that has S30V steel.

I have no experience with this steel.

What are its sharpening characteristics, and how would you characterize the edge it takes?

If it won't take a finer edge than D2,I'm not interested.
 
S30V was developed as a knife-specific stainless steel that would meet or exceed the toughness and edge-holding qualities of standard D2. I have not found it any more trying to sharpen than D2 is with the diamonds, ceramics, and loaded strops that I use. Much of my sharpening is done freehand, if that makes any difference to you. Some users have said that S30V can take and perform with a finer edge than D2. I don't use really fine edges myself. I sharpen my S30V to be somewhat "toothy", just like I sharpened my D2 blades when I had them. One commonly noted characteristic of S30V is that it takes a very fine hair-splitting edge, loses it fairly quickly, and then settles into a long-lasting "working" edge. In my experience based on my sharpening and use, S30V and D2 both hold that working edge for quite a while.
 
I sharpen my benchmade volli with s30 steel to 20 degrees with my sharpmaker and it holds its edge forever! But my d2 adamas isn't any slouch either!
 
D2 has far better polishing qualities than S30V, it polishes easier, takes a better polished edge, and performs better with a polished edge than S30V ever will.

S30V like most high wear premium steels prefer coarser finishes around 300 grit and hold a rather dull but toothy working edge for long periods of time.

CTS-XHP would probably be a better steel choice for your preferences.
 
The reality is that most people won't notice a cutting performance difference between steels such as S30V, D2, XHP, etc. If you handed someone a knife with an unknown steel that has been sharpened to the finest edge possible for that blade and then asked them to use the blade on various materials and guess what the steel was, nobody would really be able to answer correctly without just guessing.
 
BubbaGump said:
The reality is that most people won't notice a cutting performance difference between steels such as S30V, D2, XHP, etc. If you handed someone a knife with an unknown steel that has been sharpened to the finest edge possible for that blade and then asked them to use the blade on various materials and guess what the steel was, nobody would really be able to answer correctly without just guessing.
Click to expand...

Not true at all.

There are countless threads that have been started over the years where the end user has noticed the differences and expressed them. If you use and sharpen your knives regularly the differences become easily noticed. If you are crazy enough about knives and join a forum then you probably notice more things about knives than others.

I'm an exception because of all the steel I sharpen, but if you give me a knife and don't tell me the steel I can probably tell you what it is by the time I'm done sharpening it.
 
Jason B. said:
Not true at all.

There are countless threads that have been started over the years where the end user has noticed the differences and expressed them. If you use and sharpen your knives regularly the differences become easily noticed. If you are crazy enough about knives and join a forum then you probably notice more things about knives than others.

I'm an exception because of all the steel I sharpen, but if you give me a knife and don't tell me the steel I can probably tell you what it is by the time I'm done sharpening it.
Click to expand...

Well, I am referring to use. There are going to be noticeable differences in ease of maintenance and sharpening between steels. There will also be differences in edge retention. But as far as use and how well a blade cuts, that has more to do with the blade profile/grind/geometry than the steel. That is the deciding factor. Someone might conclude that a particular knife cuts better than another because of the steel, but in in reality its the blade profile and edge geometry that gives the favorable impression over another knife. E.G.. someone who has used flat ground blades their whole life is handed a hollow grind with an acute and fine secondary bevel and concludes the steel cuts so much sharper than the 'other crappy steel' they have been using. Super steel does not mean super cutter. Blade design determines that.
 
Jason B. said:
D2 has far better polishing qualities than S30V, it polishes easier, takes a better polished edge, and performs better with a polished edge than S30V ever will.

S30V like most high wear premium steels prefer coarser finishes around 300 grit and hold a rather dull but toothy working edge for long periods of time.

CTS-XHP would probably be a better steel choice for your preferences.
Click to expand...

What are some good folders in this steel?
 
BubbaGump said:
E.G.. someone who has used flat ground blades their whole life is handed a hollow grind with an acute and fine secondary bevel and concludes the steel cuts so much sharper than the 'other crappy steel' they have been using. Super steel does not mean super cutter. Blade design determines that.
Click to expand...

Yeah, geometry *generally* trumps blade steel. To some extent, geometry even trumps sharpness! This is why a box cutter still cuts, even when it's butter dull: Geometry. As an old man once told me: "Thin IS sharp".

Brian.
 
S30V acts so differently from maker to maker that I've always had trouble trying to categorize it.

Benchmade's S30V in my my early Rukus and Skirmish knives is excellent. My Skirmish takes a really nice edge, which I usually take up to 1600 grit and then strop.

My Rukus is much the same. It was the sharpest factory edge I've ever gotten.

On the other hand, I remember getting an early Ritter Grip, and it was horrible steel. Really chippy and wouldn't hold an edge.

My Rukus and Skirmish are not the least bit chippy, and they hold a fine edge well.

My Crusader Forge fixed blade in S30V is another awesome steel.
 
I bought a sage 1 when it first came out. I like the steel and the geometry displayed in this knife.
Russ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top