nyefmaker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2008
- Messages
- 6,257
I came across this link from the 2002 Blade Show when CRK introduced its New Blade Steel - S30V. I thought you guys would enjoy it !
http://www.equipped.com/shot_show_2002.htm
Here is the CRK excerpt:
Chris Reeve Knives
The big news from Chris Reeve this year isn't a new knife, it's a new steel. Chris has introduced CPM S30V to the world in all his folder blades: Sebenza, Umfaan and Mnandi. The new steel replaces the BG-42 used previously. S30V is a brand new specialty stainless steel produced by Crucible Steel in Syracuse, New York. Chris was intimately involved working with Crucible for two years in developing and testing the new steel.
S30V is produced using a powder metallurgy process. The molten alloy is reduced to powder, or really very minute balls, via gas atomization that is then isostatically compressed into 100% dense compacts. Such steels have no alloy segregation and exhibit extremely uniform carbide distribution, ideal for knife making. (see the Crucible Web site for more information on this technique) S30V is alloyed with:
Carbon (C) 1.45%
Chromium (Cr) 14.50%
Vanadium (V) 4.00%
Molybdenum (Mo) 4.00%
Chris isn't claiming that the new steel is a giant leap forward, rather it is an incremental improvement on the order of 5% over BG-42, particularly in the area of toughness as measured in better edge retention in everyday use. In other words, typical abuse won't result into the fine edge being nicked or chipped as easily as previous steels, which in turn translates into an edge that lasts longer. Toughness isn't an attribute that necessarily shows up in typical edge retention tests, slicing hemp rope or cardboard. But, used in the real world, where blades are not always treated with the respect they might prefer, it makes a difference. It's a difference the average user might not normally be aware of, but that becomes apparent when a blade is pushed to the limit.
Chris was looking to develop a steel with improved performance while at the same time offering excellent machining characteristics. Some potentially high performing steels they tested were so difficult to work with that they would discourage widespread use. His aim was a steel that would offer quantifiable improvements while attracting quantity use by the large production knife houses so that Crucible would sell lots, make money, and thereby be encouraged to develop more and better steels in the future.
http://www.equipped.com/shot_show_2002.htm
Here is the CRK excerpt:
Chris Reeve Knives
The big news from Chris Reeve this year isn't a new knife, it's a new steel. Chris has introduced CPM S30V to the world in all his folder blades: Sebenza, Umfaan and Mnandi. The new steel replaces the BG-42 used previously. S30V is a brand new specialty stainless steel produced by Crucible Steel in Syracuse, New York. Chris was intimately involved working with Crucible for two years in developing and testing the new steel.
S30V is produced using a powder metallurgy process. The molten alloy is reduced to powder, or really very minute balls, via gas atomization that is then isostatically compressed into 100% dense compacts. Such steels have no alloy segregation and exhibit extremely uniform carbide distribution, ideal for knife making. (see the Crucible Web site for more information on this technique) S30V is alloyed with:
Carbon (C) 1.45%
Chromium (Cr) 14.50%
Vanadium (V) 4.00%
Molybdenum (Mo) 4.00%
Chris isn't claiming that the new steel is a giant leap forward, rather it is an incremental improvement on the order of 5% over BG-42, particularly in the area of toughness as measured in better edge retention in everyday use. In other words, typical abuse won't result into the fine edge being nicked or chipped as easily as previous steels, which in turn translates into an edge that lasts longer. Toughness isn't an attribute that necessarily shows up in typical edge retention tests, slicing hemp rope or cardboard. But, used in the real world, where blades are not always treated with the respect they might prefer, it makes a difference. It's a difference the average user might not normally be aware of, but that becomes apparent when a blade is pushed to the limit.
Chris was looking to develop a steel with improved performance while at the same time offering excellent machining characteristics. Some potentially high performing steels they tested were so difficult to work with that they would discourage widespread use. His aim was a steel that would offer quantifiable improvements while attracting quantity use by the large production knife houses so that Crucible would sell lots, make money, and thereby be encouraged to develop more and better steels in the future.
