CPM-S35VN - CrimsonTideShooter test

This is why I have so many Spyderco's in my collection! I'll be anxious to hear the results.
 
Hi Ben,

Jim Ankerson and I communicate regularly.

Hi RG_Pippy,

We do regular testing and have not found issue with S35VN. In this particular case, the Native5 was in question so we'll focus on this particular issue with this particular model.

sal
 
neuron said:
Great to hear, Sal. The commitment that you and your company have to quality, testing, and improvement is a major reason that I'll continue to buy and use Spydercos. :thumbup:
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I'll second that. There will always be a Spyderco in my collection. Thanks Sal!!
 
Oboy. Just got multiple Native 5's cuz I loved everything about it. The fantastic ergonomics and cutting ability included. I don't use it against a surface or material that would deform the edge i hope. (As in pushing hard against and semi impacting against a wooden cutting board). I just cut with it and it works just fine at work. ( Cardboard tape envelopes plastic straps cords twine pencil sharpening wire stripping etc) ( ok maybe wire stripping and pencil sharpening)
But this is worrisome only because substantially lower cost options performed better using this testing method. Here I'd thought I could relax and move away from steel snobbery. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one. :o
 
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Unless your everyday cutting tasks closely replicate the tests, I would honestly not worry about it.
 
JNewell said:
Unless your everyday cutting tasks closely replicate the tests, I would honestly not worry about it.
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Honestly I'm not worried so much as "HUH! Well whaddaya know. AUS8 vs S35. Who woulda thunk it?!"
None of my EDC's touch a cutting board. Kitchen knives for that.
 
And the stuff that Jim and John are cutting is really tough on edges. I read it with interest, I filter it into my needs and uses, and then it may become a greater or lesser factor in my decisions, based a lot of what I'm buying the knife for.
 
As I've posted elsewhere, I suspect the problem is the cutting board. Not the knife steel. He is pressing hard and I can hear the thunk when it when the edge contacts the board.
 
As an aside I briefly used my VG10 Endura as a steak knife. Against steak, no problemo. Against the plate however...:eek:
 
Lord Bear said:
As I've posted elsewhere, I suspect the problem is the cutting board. Not the knife steel. He is pressing hard and I can hear the thunk when it when the edge contacts the board.
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I don't think that would be the problem since the board is wood and all other knives in different steel tested on the same board have not been suffered any of the same deformantion as S35vn.
 
Addendum: When I cut rope it is doubled and I simply cut through the loop. No "surface" to press or impact against. I'm still mightily interested in what Sal may conclude.
 
espnazi said:
I don't think that would be the problem since the board is wood and all other knives in different steel tested on the same board have not been suffered any of the same deformantion as S35vn.
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And for me this is the crux of the matter. AUS8 vs premium ($$) s35? Fingers still crossed.
 
I was watching Modern Marvels one day and they had Cutco/ka-bar and they claimed their knives had the highest CATRA rating !?!
 
Lord Bear said:
And for me this is the crux of the matter. AUS8 vs premium ($$) s35? Fingers still crossed.
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Is AUS-8 a cheap steel or something? Ankerson puts performance in the same category as S30V and many people claim it performs even better than S30V. S30V is good alloy-wise, but few ever heat treat it hard enough to its full potential. S35VN is supposed to be tougher, yet I've never had toughness issues with S30V, so it seems like a wasted attribute when you don't harden it enough to take advantage of it. It would be like having CPM-3V in a small necker at Rc 58 or something, complete waste of toughness.

Truth be told, I don't think edge retention was ever S30V's selling point. It's supposed to be a good all-rounder with corrosion resistance sticking out quite a bit with excellent toughness running a close 2nd.
 
Noctis3880 said:
Is AUS-8 a cheap steel or something? Ankerson puts performance in the same category as S30V and many people claim it performs even better than S30V.
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That's only half true. S30V shows up twice in that ranking system. The 58.5 RC S30V is ranked with the AUS8. The 60 RC S30V is ranked significantly higher. The steak analogy in that CRK thread sums this issue up great.
 
Handwrecker said:
That's only half true. S30V shows up twice in that ranking system. The 58.5 RC S30V is ranked with the AUS8. The 60 RC S30V is ranked significantly higher.
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Im wondering what the hardness was on the 8A that was ranked with the S30V at 58.5rc in group 7. Was the 8A around 58.5 as well? If so would 8A at 60rc climbed the ladder and landed in group 5 with S30V at 60rc? Personally I do not consider 8A a junk steel by any means and actually prefer it to S30V. It's a LOT easier to sharpen and hangs right in there with S30V in edge holding in my informal testing.
 
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Handwrecker said:
That's only half true. S30V shows up twice in that ranking system. The 58.5 RC S30V is ranked with the AUS8. The 60 RC S30V is ranked significantly higher. The steak analogy in that CRK thread sums this issue up great.
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True enough, and Spyderco likes their steak well done. I suspect they could really make AUS-8 sing if they tried as well. That being said, the performance gap between steels is rarely big enough for a lot of people to tell the difference between two steels if they weren't stamped.

It would however be a plus if Spyderco were to push S35VN harder to take advantage of that added toughness. No doubt the heat treatment is equally as important as the alloy. No point in having the hottest new PM steel of the year if the heat treatment isn't all that hot as well;).
 
The performance of AUS8 vs. S30V depends on what you are measuring.
Assuming the same hardness,
- AUS8 will hold a very fine edge longer than any steel that contains carbides will.
- Steels that contain carbides will continue to cut after AUS8 is considered dull.

This is true whether the carbide containing steel is a PM steel like S30V or a melt alloy like 440C.
I like AUS8 because it does take that razor edge and hold it.
But I also like alloys with carbides because they keep on cutting, even if not with a razor edge.
 
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