CTS-BD1 vs 8CR13 Mov

tbow

tbow

Joined
Nov 29, 2012
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Just trying to decide on my first Spyderco and wanted to find out opinions on which one of these steels is the better value.
 
I prefer CTS-BD-1.
In my experience it holds an edge better and is pretty wear resistant.
I've never had any issues with this steel.
It also takes a keener edge than 8cr13mov.

CTS-BD-1 would be my choice.
 
CTS-BD-1 is a lower end carpenter steel, but it is still better in my opinion. It also depends on what the tasks at hand are, what are you using the knife for.
 
I don't know about bd1 but I do know the 8cr13mov is a pretty good steel for the price. It will take a pretty keen edge, shaving sharp. It won't keep it long it is no super steel. For edc though it's pretty good. Easy to sharpen and touches up very quickly at the end of the day if you used it hard. It seems most prefer the BD1 over it though. I'm gonna guess your looking at the manix and the tenacious judging by the steels. If that is so, then either choice will not disappoint you.
 
BD-1 all the way. My Manix 2 has never rusted, while my 8Cr knives have. BD-1 has amazing edge retention and sharpening capabilities. It is probably my favorite steel
 
Thanks for all the imput. Yes those are the knives I am looking at. Why do you say Tenacious over Manix?
 
I'd go Manix all the way. Just shows you there are different strokes for different folks! :)

HOWEVER, I'd do the regular Manix 2 first before you get the lightweight. The price point is to close to pass up on the solid build that the original has to offer. Screw construction, better steel now at s30v, full steel liners, thicker blade profile. I love the lightweight, but not as much as the original. The XL is also an option, but it raises your price and it's really a beafy knife.
 
It's been about a year since the last post and I'm wondering if anyone has any other thoughts on this. Is there a difference in the BD1 and 8CR13 with rust? A knife dealer just told me the BD1 sucks up oil and requires more maintenance, but I saw a video where someone left it in the snow for a few days without any signs of problems.

Like the OP I'm also considering the Manix2 and the Tenacious.
 
Fuori said:
It's been about a year since the last post and I'm wondering if anyone has any other thoughts on this. Is there a difference in the BD1 and 8CR13 with rust? A knife dealer just told me the BD1 sucks up oil and requires more maintenance, but I saw a video where someone left it in the snow for a few days without any signs of problems.

Like the OP I'm also considering the Manix2 and the Tenacious.
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Based on composition, I believe Chromium (Cr) is what affects rust prohibition. The higher the better. 8Cr13MoV has 13-14.5% Cr, CTS-BD1 has 15.75% Cr, so the CTS should have slightly better corrosion resistance. I've never used it but I have used and do use 8Cr13MoV pretty often and I've never had any rust issues with them so I think you'd be okay either way unless your using them in a salt water environment or something like that.
 
ak585479 said:
Based on composition, I believe Chromium (Cr) is what affects rust prohibition. The higher the better. 8Cr13MoV has 13-14.5% Cr, CTS-BD1 has 15.75% Cr, so the CTS should have slightly better corrosion resistance. I've never used it but I have used and do use 8Cr13MoV pretty often and I've never had any rust issues with them so I think you'd be okay either way unless your using them in a salt water environment or something like that.
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Generally speaking you're right. Higher Cr doesn't always mean better corrosion resistance, depending on how carbides are formed and how the steel it heat treated. You can have a steel that has much higher Cr but isn't very stainless at some hardnesses because the Cr is bounded in too many carbides, and can't act to prevent corrosion. The opposite is also possible, but generally, higher Cr will mean more stainless.

Also, the usual heat treat for 8cr13mov is very simple, but comes to a general hardness and isn't very exact. Some examples are going to be notably harder than others, and because of that will have different properties overall.

From what I undertsand of BD-1, Spyderco's heat treat on it is much more exact, so it will be a more consistant product as well.

But, to be honest, I haven't had much hands-on experience with either of these steels in more than a year, so I don't really have much besides this information on them.
 
Charr said:
Generally speaking you're right. Higher Cr doesn't always mean better corrosion resistance, depending on how carbides are formed and how the steel it heat treated. You can have a steel that has much higher Cr but isn't very stainless at some hardnesses because the Cr is bounded in too many carbides, and can't act to prevent corrosion. The opposite is also possible, but generally, higher Cr will mean more stainless.

Also, the usual heat treat for 8cr13mov is very simple, but comes to a general hardness and isn't very exact. Some examples are going to be notably harder than others, and because of that will have different properties overall.

From what I undertsand of BD-1, Spyderco's heat treat on it is much more exact, so it will be a more consistant product as well.

But, to be honest, I haven't had much hands-on experience with either of these steels in more than a year, so I don't really have much besides this information on them.
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Interesting. I learn something new every time I'm on here :)
 
Sal Glesser of Spyderco fame said BD1 is one of his favorite all around steels, if memory serves. That is good enough for me.
 
ak585479 said:
Interesting. I learn something new every time I'm on here :)
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Me too trust me ;)
That's why I know most of what I do at this point. One of my favorite things sometimes is just to go to the knifemakers portion of the forum and just wander around and read. I'm glad most times that I'm a fast reader :D
 
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