Cardboard slicing mania with MagnaMax

[Hig]

Comparing four different steels: 15V (Military 2), S90V (Sage 6), MagnaMax (Manix 2), and MagnaCut (Sage 5).​

Right off the bat, I have to say 15V is the king of cardboard slicing. While Rex 121 might cut longer, it seems to lose its sharp edge quickly and then just work cuts forever. 15V stays incredibly sharp for a really long time. S90V, MagnaMax, and MagnaCut all performed similarly to one another.

I realize not all factory edges are equal and blade geometry will play a factor.

The Testing​

Each knife cut 150 feet of single-thickness cardboard, cutting strictly with the grain.

• 15V and MagnaCut: Started at a slight disadvantage, as both had been carried and used a bit prior to testing (though both still felt close to factory sharp).
• S90V and MagnaMax: Started with fresh, factory edges.

Performance Breakdown​

• 15V (Winner - Hands Down): Showed almost no noticeable degradation. It still shaved arm hair and glided effortlessly through paper. It only showed a slight difference when attempting a push-cut through paper, which required just a bit more effort than before.
• MagnaMax: Still shaved hair and sliced paper, but it would no longer push-cut well. I noticed a couple of tiny chips that I could barely feel with a fingernail.
• S90V: Felt slightly duller than the MagnaMax. It sliced paper but would no longer shave hair or push-cut well. Like the MagnaMax, it developed a couple of micro-chips.
• MagnaCut: Performed very similarly to S90V overall, which is impressive given it didn't start with a fresh factory edge. Unlike S90V, the MagnaCut edge had zero chips and could still shave hair. It was also a bit duller than the MagnaMax.

Final Thoughts​

Overall, I am incredibly happy with all of these steels. There were no massive surprises here: 15V retains its crown, and S90V holds up great for an older supersteel.

MagnaMax seems to live up to the hype, though I was a bit surprised to see it micro-chip slightly. I am hoping that the micro-chipping will be less of an issue on both blades after I sharpen them.

Because I highly value corrosion resistance in my user knives, choosing between MagnaMax and MagnaCut for an everyday carry would still be a tough call.