CPM20CV Hogue Deka chipping blues.

JAF1973

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Hello, I was curious if anyone has had minor chipping with their CPM20CV or super steel knives on hard objects such as bread ties? I cut a bread tie today with my Hogue Deka and got 2 very minor chips I took out with a honing ceramic and steel rod. I was wondering if this was the result of the blade grind, thinness, or just a characteristic of some of the harder super steels? I do have a few knives with AUS8 such as a Cold Steel Finn Wolf folder that I cut a bread tie with and had no issue of chipping. Could this just be the possibility of needing to be sharpened a few times to alleviate the chipping? Or needing a thicker edge sharpening? And yes I do know cutting a bread or twist tie can be an abusive task for some knives. I was just puzzled since I never experienced this on 1095 or AUS 8 on my budget work folders. Just shocked me a bit.
 
It’s a super thin blade, and 20CV is very low in toughness. I’ve had it chip on me a lot, and now I avoid 20CV/m390 on most knives. I prefer s35vn when I have the option. That said, a good sharpening may fix your issue if the edge is slightly burnt from the factory.
 
It’s a super thin blade, and 20CV is very low in toughness. I’ve had it chip on me a lot, and now I avoid 20CV/m390 on most knives. I prefer s35vn when I have the option. That said, a good sharpening may fix your issue if the edge is slightly burnt from the factory.
I seen tougher D2 steel. I am afraid to whittle wood with the Deka now. Do you think doing a convex grind on a Worksharp may help?
 
I don't think that changing the grind will help.
It'll just thin the blade even more...
(My Deka is still cutting everything that I throw at it.)
 
I don't think that changing the grind will help.
It'll just thin the blade even more...
(My Deka is still cutting everything that I throw at it.)
Yeah, I love the Slicey ability of the Deka. Just gonna leave well enough alone and be a bit careful in what I cut with it. I got a Hogue EX02 in 154cm which can handle plastic and bread ties.
 
I've never had an issue with M390/20CV, but I also reprofile my blades as soon as I get them.
 
That would be to go a little overboard careful IMO, remember bread ties have steel wires in them, wood should be fine.

Did you cut the bread ties as a test of some sort?
Yes I did. I don't normally do that. But I needed a shorter tie and the few times I done this with more basic steels such as AUS8 and D2. I never experienced that. Maybe some minor dulling. But not a small chip. I love my Deka but I was just a bit taken back when that happened to my CPM20CV. I think the thin blade angle, hollow grind, And hard Rockwell all played a part in the chipping. Just showed me that harder steels. While providing insane edge retention. Can lack in other areas such as toughness.
I may even have a burnt edge from factory. Although Hogue edges are considered some of the best in production knives. I just got to be mindful of the strengths and limitations of CPM20CV steel. I love the edge retention of 20CV. And I find it easier to sharpen than some of my softer steels since it does not tend to roll on my Fallkniven ceramic/diamond combo stone.
 
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Both 20CV and 154CM are rated at 3.5 for toughness at https://knifesteelnerds.com/2021/10...ness-edge-retention-and-corrosion-resistance/ . AUS-8 is rated 6.

But there do seem to be more reports of 20CV chipping than of M390 or 204P, which are supposed to be very similar steels. Just the other day, I saw a Benchmade with 20CV that had acquired 3 small dings while still at the dealer, who was not aware that it had been used to cut any bread ties.
 
I think it's not terribly unreasonable to have these higher carbide steels experience chips or tear out. It's likely why they are run relatively soft by some manufacturers.

This is why I like some of the Sandvik steels. They were engineered to be able to take a thin edge and mitigate chipping.
 
I have a Deka. It's thin stock to begin with (.095") and it's fairly wide with pretty much a flat grind. So it is a thin blade made of relatively brittle, but very abrasion resistant steel. Slices thin stock like a demon. But neither the blade alloy nor the blade profile is set up to make it a tough knife. I won't do anything with mine that puts a side load on it. It just isn't set up for that. I consider it to be more like a gent's knife than an EDC. I do love to slice up cardboard with it, though.
 
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I think it's not terribly unreasonable to have these higher carbide steels experience chips or tear out. It's likely why they are run relatively soft by some manufacturers.

This is why I like some of the Sandvik steels. They were engineered to be able to take a thin edge and mitigate chipping.
Yes. Seems many turn up their noses at 14c28n, but I love it. It doesn’t hold an edge anywhere like 20CV, but it holds one well enough and it’s darn tough.
 
That's not unusual for 20CV, as noted by others. I will suggest that the thin blade stock probably doesn't have anything to do with it, unless your damage goes above the edge bevel. You'd see less chipping at more obtuse edge angles.

This is also why I prefer tool steels over M390/20CV.
 
It really depends on which maker for me. Spyderco M390/20CV chips easily (62 HRC?), Hinderer is quite tough (60 HRC?). Don’t know about Hogue. Of course, geometry is even more important.
 
I've heard this about Spyderco with other steels. Do they tend to heat treat; to the point of brittleness?
 
If you cut steel with steel, the results will be evident on both ends of the cutting. Sure, you’ll cut through the wire.. but your edge will show something. This is why they make wire cutters.

To each task an intended tool, and for each tool a purpose.
 
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