Cpm 3v real use advantages?

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ribeyemediumrare

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Oct 5, 2018
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I’ve seen some videos of fixed blades in 3v being hammered through concrete and through metal without issue but how does this toughness translate to real world use? What advantage would a folder in 3v have over say s35vn, would it make the tip harder to break if prying something or keep the edge from rolling or chipping? Would I be able to do something like cut open a can with 3v while keeping a sharp edge? Also exactly how rust prone is it, does it need to be kept oiled at all times or would keeping it dry and clean be enough?
 
IMO, and nothing more, a small fixed blade would likely do what you want better and safer. I've not had a high-end folder so I could be wdong, but I always figured the hinge was the weak point on them. I know the blades can bend and snap, but I would be worried about the whole package for the use you're talking about.
 
It's a very, very tough steel, which means it resists chipping, cracking and breaking better than most other steels.

It will rust, but I find it's mostly surface rust. I accidentally left my 3V chopper out in the rain for a couple days and it was covered with a light coat of rust. But that rust cleaned off easily, back to bare metal with no pitting.
 
ribeyemediumrare said:
how does this toughness translate to real world use? What advantage would a folder in 3v have over say s35vn
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First off I like sharpening 3V better and the way it feels while cutting. Feels more like plain high carbon steel.
OK . . . you could care less about that . . . try this :
You are at work and you are using your thinnish fixed blade (I was using my Cold Steel Pendleton Hunter that I thinned by more than half from 5mm down to 2.2mm) . . . you are cutting up some monster size double wall shipping boxes that have big old steel staples holding them together . . . running down the box long ways when out of the corner of your eye you see a staple coming up fast and before you can stop you plant the edge into that staple.
Cringe . . . and I just sharpened it too ! ! !
You take a look at the edge expecting to see a chip or dent in the edge.
Nadda !
Looking at the staple you see a nice notch in the staple.
You grin with pleasure. Good thing you had your trusty 3V !
The End.
True story (((YMMV)))

PS: I've never oiled mine and never seen a hint of rust but I live where it is high and dry . . . except for all the snow . . . :rolleyes:
I don't know; I haven't gotten mine wet except to make lunch.
 
I would love to see a steel like 3V brought to an Rc of 65. It would be tougher than other steels at lower Rc and have the ahrdness to hold an edge. That would be my reason for wanting a 3v blade. I do not believe that folding knives are fixed blades, so any use that goes beyond cutting should have been done by a fixed blade. I do not believe a folder needs a super tough steel like 3v. Just a good steel.
 
Most of the 3v knives hammering through stuff is delta 3v from Carrothers. You wouldn't get that kind of 3v from a mass market folder.

The reality is, In a folder with 3v and a simple heat treatment there would be no need really. But for collecting its great. Would show some toughness for tasks that may require it assuming the geometry supported the task. Edge retention seems to be around or below s35vn range with 3v in general. So maybe if you wanted a folder pry bar that could chop up small cans and and what not.

Chuck Richards iirc has a folder in 3v with Peter's heat treatment. He chops a few small things up with it. But for the most part knives especially small knives are for cutting. Choppers for chopping.
 
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Wowbagger said:
First off I like sharpening 3V better and the way it feels while cutting. Feels more like plain high carbon steel.
OK . . . you could care less about that . . . try this :
You are at work and you are using your thinnish fixed blade (I was using my Cold Steel Pendleton Hunter that I thinned by more than half from 5mm down to 2.2mm) . . . you are cutting up some monster size double wall shipping boxes that have big old steel staples holding them together . . . running down the box long ways when out of the corner of your eye you see a staple coming up fast and before you can stop you plant the edge into that staple.
Cringe . . . and I just sharpened it too ! ! !
You take a look at the edge expecting to see a chip or dent in the edge.
Nadda !
Looking at the staple you see a nice notch in the staple.
You grin with pleasure. Good thing you had your trusty 3V !
The End.
True story (((YMMV)))

PS: I've never oiled mine and never seen a hint of rust but I live where it is high and dry . . . except for all the snow . . . :rolleyes:
I don't know; I haven't gotten mine wet except to make lunch.
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Pretty much the type of experience I wanted to hear about, obviously you won’t use a folder like you would a fixed blade but I was pretty sure 3v should have advantages in s folder as well, there are many situations I could think of where a blade would be prone to damage before the pivot and locking mechanism
 
;) 3V on most folders is a bit of overkill . Almost any decent stainless is usually adequate .

On a long ,BA chopper knife , machete or even a sword, 3V would be very useful for toughness .

:eek: Unless you want something like a humongous Cold Steel XXL 3V super folder ? That might be cool ! :cool::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Cobalt said:
I would love to see a steel like 3V brought to an Rc of 65. It would be tougher than other steels at lower Rc and have the ahrdness to hold an edge. That would be my reason for wanting a 3v blade. I do not believe that folding knives are fixed blades, so any use that goes beyond cutting should have been done by a fixed blade. I do not believe a folder needs a super tough steel like 3v. Just a good steel.
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Actually you don’t...3V loses its toughness quickly as it gets over 59, something like 30% by 61.
 
The only blade I own in 3V is a relatively thick machete(by machete standards), done by Big Chris. I got it secondhand so I have no problem absolutely abusing it. First experience with the steel has been excellent. I use it like I would a large chopper or at some instances an axe or hatchet. And like a machete, of course. It’s incredible.

I always thought, yeah 3V is tough but it’s just a steel. No real reason for people to get as excited about it as they do. Hell, I was wrong. It’s pretty spectacular. I love that machete and 3V. I don’t think I’d need it in a folder, or even a smaller fixed blade(I’d rather have CruWear or 4V), but a large fixed blade is where it’s best suited and would probably be my first choice of steel for such a blade.

I swung through some briars a bit too fast and hit a shovel I had a little closer to the cutting path than it should have been. No chip, no rolling, no damage whatsoever on the machete, but I did leave a pretty significant mark on the shovel.

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Blam!!!! Kinda rare but I am not afraid to use it. It has handled everything I have asked of it with ease. I would be more afraid of loosing it rather than breaking it.
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Hinderer sparrow in 3V. I live in the desert so I have never seen rust. This knife goes camping with me. I carry other knives at home or work. Can’t really compare or comment about the steel. I have a wicked edge system but haven’t needed to sharpen the sparrow in two years of using it since I only camp about 4 or 5 times a year.

Because I like the 3V I just sold my spyderco para3 in CPM 4V because I don’t personally see a need for 4V in a folder (for my use).
 
Megawatt308 said:
Blam!!!! Kinda rare but I am not afraid to use it. It has handled everything I have asked of it with ease. I would be more afraid of loosing it rather than breaking it.
2co0ih5.jpg


zu01oi.jpg


Hinderer sparrow in 3V. I live in the desert so I have never seen rust. This knife goes camping with me. I carry other knives at home or work. Can’t really compare or comment about the steel. I have a wicked edge system but haven’t needed to sharpen the sparrow in two years of using it since I only camp about 4 or 5 times a year.

Because I like the 3V I just sold my spyderco para3 in CPM 4V because I don’t personally see a need for 4V in a folder (for my use).
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4v would be more idea in a folder than 3v. It's edge retention ie better and also has some toughness (less so than 3v) still and can be treated to around 64hrc. The competition choppers in v4e or 4v have pretty unique and time consuming heat treatments. Most likely won't see that in a production folder. But edge retention is better and you get that added edge stability with it. Not sure how the 4v spydercos did. Haven't seen anyone test them yet. Pretty sure anyone who bought one keeps it in a safe.
 
John_0917 said:
4V is what you’re looking for, similar toughness but higher hardness due to more vanadium and other reasons.
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Agreed.
I picked up the Fradon Manix 2 4V and it's a nice folder, believe someone said it was tested at 62 or 63?? I reprofiled it and it was a task, but well worth the effort. I dropped the angle 2 degrees at a time till I got somewhere between 16-17 and it walked through my testing medium.
I haven't done any toughness testing to ensure it won't chip out but I'm guessing I won't have much of an issue.
Also have a few 3V folders and the one standout is the Spyderco Tuff with a REK regrind. It's an amazing folder!
 
Usually higher wear resistance will mean less toughness in a steel. 3V does a pretty good job of balancing both due to the composition as well as the powder process. The fact that it gives near stainless levels of corrosion resistance all in the same package is amazing. Or was amazing compared to knife steels 10 years ago. It's true there are some other really well balanced knife steels available now so maybe 3V seems less amazing than it did.

Cobalt, I have seen Cruwear run at rc 64-65. It has some similarities to a HSS and can do well at rc 64-64.5 not losing as much toughness as 3V comparatively speaking. I like 4V too and I figured I am going to have all 3 steels instead of having to choose just one. My ultra thin Cruwear Phil Wilson at Rc 64.5 does rope and cardboard like much higher alloyed steels yet retains better edge stability than the steels that pull ahead of it in that kind of work like the 20CV/M390, Elmax, etc.

My Vandis 4E ( 4V sister) fixed at rc 59 is like a wear resistant pry bar and my Big Chris fixed 4V at rc 63.5 is an all around performer with great wear resistance yet a bit less corrosion resistance than the rc 59 Vandis 4E blade. Different heat treats in the same steels produce different levels on the steels attributes of course.

All of them ( 3V, Cruwear, 4V, V 4E) are great performing steels that can be tailored to different purposes. If forced to any of them could make me a " one knife for the rest of my life" if that tragedy actually was forced on me. :)
There again so could a few other steels.

Joe
 
ribeyemediumrare said:
What advantage would a folder in 3v have over say s35vn?
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The advantage is not about hammering through concrete. That's insane with a folder.
The real advantage of a tough steel is the fact that you can have a thinner blade compared to a less tough steel. And we know the MAJOR factor in cutting performance is the geometry of the blade and not the steel.

Say we have a S30V blade and toughness level of this blade is x.
If you change the steel to 3V it allow you to change the geometry of your blade (thinner) while retaining the same toughness level x than with S30V.
And at the end you will have the same toughness than previously but much better cutting performance because of the thinner blade.
 
I have for some time thought I'd like to have a folder in 3V to try out, as this is my favorite fixed blade steel. Up to this point, M4 is my favorite carbon steel for folders. The problem is folders in 3V are not terribly common.

Through just a matter of sheer coincidence, I have a Medford Infraction in 3V and a Spyderco Manix 2 in 4V coming tomorrow. Two completely different geometries, and neither one of them particularly "geometrically optimized" for the steel (one is pretty thick, the other is a hollow grind, so the Spydie is probably closer starting point). I plan to see how each holds up in my regular use.

I have had a few knives in S35VN (CRKs, Hinderers) and was disappointed that neither edge held up great under normal use. I was cutting some foil-backed insulation board at work. The foil is is very much just like heavy duty Reynolds Wrap - very thin. I was shocked at how much both Hinderer's and CRK's edges were very quickly dinged up. I plan to do similar cutting with the new knives and see what the difference is. It's all very unscientific, but a "regular guy doing regular cutting" is all I'm after. Do I need 3V in a folder? No. But that's not the point, after all :D.
 
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