Best steel in a Production folder REGARDLESS of price

BePrepared

BePrepared

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Aug 26, 2010
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What is the absolute best blade steel used in a folder that's not a one off custom

i'm looking for the ultimate in edge retention
 
There is no "Best" only different.

But zdp-189 is pretty darn good for edge retention.
 
S110V has been used in production knives - albeit rarely.

Kershaw and Strider to name two.

I have an SmF in S110V that was a production model - stuff hold an edge forever.

I also have ZDP-189 - it also has very good edge retention.
 
Elmax or M390, would be my guess. Or, at least my personal choice. Edited to add; my Spyderco Caly 3 in ZDP189 doesn't seem to get dull very often, either. ;)
 
I personally find the heat treatment to be a larger factor than the type of steel. For instance, Strider's S30V performs vastly different than Chris Reeve's S30V. You'd never even believe they were the same type of steel.

I will say that I personally prefer older Benchmade knives in M2 steel. Buck used to have a killer BG-42. Strider has a great S30V. I've heard very good things about CPM-M4, but haven't had the privilege of trying it yet. My Spydero ZDP-189 holds an edge for a long time. I tend to prefer steels that a given manufacturer runs on the hard side. soft steels generally piss me off.

Much comes down to what you want in a steel. Is stainlesses the chieft concern? Toughness? Edge retention? It's all a matter of give and take. No steel excels at everything.
 
Discontinued Spydercos in S90V come up in the exchange occasionally (less often as time goes on). They are not cheap.

The discontinued Paramilitary2 in Carpenter CTS-20CP is in the same league and usually sells for less.

Judging by the Mule Team knife, Spyderco's treatment of M390 is also spectacular for edge holding. You can preorder the Military from Knifeworks or the Paramilitary2 from Bentobox. M390 is the probably the most economical option of the three I mentioned, or at least it will be until discontinued.
 
Best Edge retention: S110V (kershaw, strider) S90V and 20CP (Spyderco) followed by M390 (benchmade, kershaw, soon to be released Spydercos heat treat may bump it up to S90V level) and M4 (benchmade, more edge retention with spyderco heat treat)
 
I now realize that i was less specific than i should have been

What i mean by best steel in a production folder is not ONLY the actual alloy. I'm referring to the finished product of a given manufacture's specific product

From start to finish, including heat treat, raw materials, and blade profiling, what is the best finished product steel out there.

The only real characteristics i'm concerned with is edge retention and OOTB sharpness. I don't ever intend to sharpen it myself (i have a guy for that) so I want long term edge holding and chip resistance
 
I second the heat treat.

My s30v lochsa acts vastly different than any of my CRKs s30v.

I think it also depends on how you use the steel and what do you presume edge retention is.

If you use it to cut hard objects or come in contact with steel or other hard materials you will want a semi softer steel like Crk s30v (58 rh) so it will not chip.

If you cut mostly tape or paper like materials you will benefit from a hard steel like zdp-189 (68 66rh [according to AG Russel] )

And that just scratches the surface about edge retention.
 
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Do you want it to hold a razor edge for a long time or can it lose the razor edge somewhat quick but keep a working edge for a long time?

And OOTB sharpness won't be consistent since every knife I know of is sharpened by hand and will vary from knife to knife.

S90V/ 20CP and S110V will hold a working edge that cuts well for a long time but will lose its shaving Sharp edge somewhat quick in my experience. If you want a razor edge that shaves for as long as possible then something like Spyderco M4 or ZDP189 will be better but might get really dull a little sooner in the long run than the others.

A first run Spyderco Gayle Bradley in M4 has a harder heat treat (reportedly) and mine holds a razor edge for a long time yet a dozen swipes per side on a fine ceramic has it back popping hairs. While my 20CP Para 2 I have been using for a couple months and it still cuts really good, yet won't shave. Spyderco has the most variety of 'super steels' with all their Sprint runs and what I have the most experience with. I'm sure there are some other higher end companies that use similar steels but they are also probably in batches and may not be readily available. I don't know what is available in the various mid tech knives (semi custom?) But that might be the next best bet behind the various Spyderco Sprint run knives. I'm not trying to be a Spyderco fanboy, they just have the most steels out.

All that said, every knife will have to be sharpened. It might be worth while to learn to sharpen if a Sharp knife is important to you. It's not that hard with the right tools and I actually find the high end steels easier to keep Sharp than the average steels that are average hardness (58 HRC).
 
Readily avaiable would be M390 (Benchmade).

Spyderco Sprint runs if you can find them, S90V and CTS-20CP.

Also CPM M4 (Spyderco Gayle Bradley) and ZDP-189

ELMAX and VANAX 75 (Kershaw)
 
Steel_Addiction said:
I second the heat treat.

My s30v lochsa acts vastly different than any of my CRKs s30v.

I think it also depends on how you use the steel and what do you presume edge retention is.

If you use it to cut hard objects or come in contact with steel or other hard materials you will want a semi softer steel like Crk s30v (58 rh) so it will not chip.

If you cut mostly tape or paper like materials you will benefit from a hard steel like zdp-189 (68 rh)

And that just scratches the surface about edge retention.
Click to expand...

The Hardest you will see ZDP-189 in normal production knives is 64-65 HRC..

Rockstead's are 66-67 HRC, but they use a custom edge geometry to support the high hardness.
 
I saw in another forum where they tested the HRC values of Spyderco's CPM-M4 in the Gayle Bradleys (not sure if it would be the same for the Military), and they were testing up pretty high around the mid-60's (65-66 iirc), I'll try to dig up a link. I've also found that the Speedforms that I have (I & II) have very good edge retention, although I use the Speedform II much more than the Ti one.
 
gooeytek said:
I saw in another forum where they tested the HRC values of Spyderco's CPM-M4 in the Gayle Bradleys (not sure if it would be the same for the Military), and they were testing up pretty high around the mid-60's (65-66 iirc), I'll try to dig up a link. I've also found that the Speedforms that I have (I & II) have very good edge retention, although I use the Speedform II much more than the Ti one.
Click to expand...


That's 62.5 HRC for the GB....
 
I know S30V is one of the only steels specifically designed for knives. It is great for everything except resistance to chipping when you have a thin edge. The obtuse Strider edges might not but that is one of the few exceptions I have found.

I have been very amazed with duratech 20cv on my Hinderers. That would be my pick.
 
DiamondBalde Friction Forged folders. They get D2 up to 65-68 HRc without the brittleness.

Personally, knowing how to use and care for your knives will get better "milage" out of a knife than just buying exotic or expensive.
 
AG Russell Acies with ZDP-189 - website notes the rockwell being 64-66
 
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