CPM 4V Info.

lobo9er

lobo9er

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I searched but did not find a thread on CPM 4V, so if I missed it I apologize.

CPM 4V hows it compare to 3v and other steels. I have not been able to find much info on it. so all things CPM 4V this is the place. Links to reviews and video would be awesome thanks in advance.
 
Here you go - Crucible CPM4V composition and equivalents.
Fred Haakonsen Vanadis 4E Utility Knife Review, it's Bohler-Uddeholm Vanadis 4E, but those two (4v and 4e) are pretty much identical. At high hardness it is a superb performer. I have never tried 4v in large, hard use blades at lower hardness, but not so sure how may exist. On the other hand, 66HRC fixed blades are not in abundance either.
I've used CPM 3V at 62HRC in small light cutting knives and around 60HRC in larger knives, loved performance for both types. Still, at 66HRC 4V will outdo 3V if cutting efficiency and edge stability is primary concern.
 
check out alphaknifesupply.com comments ,they sell 4v and he says pretty much what gator97 says,but you can also see comparative comments on other steels,if you are interested-in fact I just bought a few pcs. in hopes of making a small hunter.
 
Can't speak about 4V at 66 but at 61-62 hrc its twin is a brute. In case you didn't know anything over 60 doesn't make its way out of a production factory very often. I'd put my knife in Vanadis 4E up against most other knives until you're talking about a steel that only does one thing well.

The thing about Vanadis 4E/ 4V is that it's very versatile. It can be left tough and springy and be close to 3V, it can be taken as hard as M4 and cut for a long time, or it can have a combination of the two and beat most steels out there at a higher hardness than those other steels can reach.

Right now as a base steel it's my favorite, at least in the one knife I've used that has it. I'm pretty sure a tank could run over it and it'd be fine.
 
lobo9er said:
How tough is 4V at 66hc?
Click to expand...
More than enough for a small knife. I wrote details in the review linked above, but in short, I could cut wiring with 15DPS edge, wood whittling, plastic cutting, etc never a single chip or even a roll.
 
Any insights into "optimal" hardness for 4V for combined toughness, edge stability and wear resistance? > 60 ?
 
I wish I could give an authoritative answer. I'd bet somewhere between 61 and 63.
 
dogrunner said:
Any insights into "optimal" hardness for 4V for combined toughness, edge stability and wear resistance? > 60 ?
Click to expand...

Depends on your intended use. It can always be made 1/4" thick or thicker, there's your toughness :) I doubt you will be able to break that even at 66 HRC, but that has its drawbacks.
 
I HT/temper my 4v to 62.5rc and it holds up great with a thin, near zero convex edge. Edge holding is great.
Scott
 
I wonder how hard spydefco ran their 4v mules. I picked up 2 since im a fan of steels like 3v, cruwear, m4 and others and rv looks like a very nice steel with a lot of potential. Run it at 60 hrc for a big chopper and you can chop through just about anything, run it 64-66 hrc for a 4 inch fixed blade or folder and you'll have great wear resistance amd it'll still be fairly tough. I really hope spyderco did these right and ran them 62 hrc or harder, for a 3.5 inch thin fixed blade that should be the minimum imo but we're talking production knife and those are never ran to full potential. Im going to do some cutting with one and see how it performs.
 
Nice to know... I have a 5" sharpened length 4V blade out for HT @ 62.

 
Gator97 said:
Here you go - Crucible CPM4V composition and equivalents.
Fred Haakonsen Vanadis 4E Utility Knife Review, it's Bohler-Uddeholm Vanadis 4E, but those two (4v and 4e) are pretty much identical. At high hardness it is a superb performer. I have never tried 4v in large, hard use blades at lower hardness, but not so sure how may exist. On the other hand, 66HRC fixed blades are not in abundance either.
I've used CPM 3V at 62HRC in small light cutting knives and around 60HRC in larger knives, loved performance for both types. Still, at 66HRC 4V will outdo 3V if cutting efficiency and edge stability is primary concern.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I was looking at 4V's chart and it looked a little too "in between" for my taste, I was thinking that M4 would probably be close to it in many respects. But then I came to my senses and ordered a Spyderco Mule (21) in 4V. :D

I'm looking forward to using and testing it. The only knife I've ever had at 66 HRC are a couple of homemade knives that a fellow forumite made for me in M2 HSS, and they certainly are fun. Great strength and edge stability, and I have them very thin (0.1" stock to start with). My champion box/cardboard cutters for sure.
 
For what it's worth, at 66HRC edge stability and wear resistance are just about amazing. I wish I liked how those mules look, I'd play with more interesting steels.
 
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