CTS-XHP and CTS-204p whats the difference?

[joeyza]

Getting two different knives with these two steel types and was wondering what the major differences are between them?
thanks!

 

[Allen R.]

Cts-xhp think of as a stainless d2 cts-204p think of as m390

 

[RamZar]

Cts-xhp think of as a stainless d2 cts-204p think of as m390

Drawing parallels always helps.

CTS-204P, M390 and CPM 20CV are very similar -- high wear & corrosion resistance.

CTS-XHP is a cross between 440C and D2 as in high hardness & corrosion resistance.

 

[The Mastiff]

CTS-XHP is a cross between 440C and D2 as in high hardness & corrosion resistance.

CTS XHP is a powder steel version of the old stainless D2 steel called 440XH. The original ingot version has been around for pretty long time but it isn't used much in the cutlery world. D2 itself wasn't used much in production cutlery until about maybe 10 to 15 years ago at the most.

XHP has been received pretty well by users so far. It's a good clean high carbon stainless and like ingot D2 it has a bit of the large chrome carbide bite, but a smaller grain structure that's typical to powder steels. Powder steels generally are a bit tougher than the ingot version because of the grain structure . I find it pretty east to sharpen and it takes a nice edge.

Joe .

 

[Big Mike]

My personal experience is with CTS-XHP.

I have a 3" prototype Bark River fixed blade and a 7" Northwoods Santoku.


I have been using the 3" Bark River knife for several years as an EDC/Job-site knife, and it has seen some very rough duty.

The Northwoods has seen kitchen duty most every day for quite a few months now.

Experience with one has been confirmed by experience with the other.

I find XHP to be an exceptional stainless steel, it easily takes a razor sharp edge (easier then most steels in this class).

It does loose it's initial razor sharpness a little quicker then S30V or S35VN, but settles into a working sharpness that seems to last forever; I have had trouble getting either blade dull enough to not cut reasonably well.

In the Kitchen the Santoku devourers fruits and vegetables like there is no tomorrow, and a few passes on a strop always brings it back to the level of sharpness needed to cleanly slice soft skinned, ultra-ripe tomatoes or stone fruits.

On the Job-site I have used the Bark River for many nasty chores like scraping tar and epoxy paint from steel and concrete to help determine the thickness and bonding power of the coating systems.

Even with this level of abuse the Carpenter steel was always easy to bring back to it's initial sharpness.

I have been very impressed with CTS-XHP, and look forward to trying some of the CTS-204P.




Big Mike

 

[Smokinape]

Thats what I said, "whats the freaking difference?"

 

[james terrio]

My experience with XHP mirrors Big Mike's. I would use more of it, but it's hard to find in barstock. I find Elmax to be basically the same, performance wise, and my suppliers have it in stock more often, so that's what I use for high-end stainless stuff. They're both even better than CPM-154, and CPM-154 is pretty dang good.

Thats what I said, "whats the freaking difference?"

In all honesty? Availability, mostly. They're different of course, but both are excellent steels. If you find a knife whose design you like in either alloy, go for it.