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CTS-XHP and CTS-BD1 Compared To S35VN and VG-10
- Thread starter Bnum3
- Start date
. I just wanna know how it compared across the board Ex: ease of sharpening, how they react to stropping, edge retention, toughness, ETC...
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2006
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Here are the steels compared:
Here is steel element affects basics:
http://zknives.com/knives/steels/steelelements.shtml
Not going into to much detail with my post but to give a quick overview of the powdered type steels XHP and S35VN.
S35VN will be the most wear resistant but also take longer to sharpen.
XHP will take a very sharp edge and be easier to polish. It should be easier to maintain with stropping, though I am not a fan of stropping. Toughness should be in favor of XHP but I am not going to do the math now to determine carbide volume.
Granted reports on forums feel that XHP is keeping up with S30V in their uses and prefer XHP for the crisp edge it can take.
Between VG10-BD1, most people seem to prefer VG10.
Here is also some knife steel knowledge from Sandvik.
http://www.smt.sandvik.com/en/products/strip-steel/strip-products/knife-steel/knife-steel-knowledge/
At the end you have to ask yourself, what am I going to use the knife for and how can I sharpen it to have the best performance out of it for my uses. If your sharpening skills are really good you can get a very sharp edge on any steel or cater the edge in such a way for more wear resistant cutting tasks.
Here is steel element affects basics:
http://zknives.com/knives/steels/steelelements.shtml
Not going into to much detail with my post but to give a quick overview of the powdered type steels XHP and S35VN.
S35VN will be the most wear resistant but also take longer to sharpen.
XHP will take a very sharp edge and be easier to polish. It should be easier to maintain with stropping, though I am not a fan of stropping. Toughness should be in favor of XHP but I am not going to do the math now to determine carbide volume.
Granted reports on forums feel that XHP is keeping up with S30V in their uses and prefer XHP for the crisp edge it can take.
Between VG10-BD1, most people seem to prefer VG10.
Here is also some knife steel knowledge from Sandvik.
http://www.smt.sandvik.com/en/products/strip-steel/strip-products/knife-steel/knife-steel-knowledge/
At the end you have to ask yourself, what am I going to use the knife for and how can I sharpen it to have the best performance out of it for my uses. If your sharpening skills are really good you can get a very sharp edge on any steel or cater the edge in such a way for more wear resistant cutting tasks.
Can I ask why?
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- Dec 10, 2006
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I found in my uses a few swipes on a fine ceramic gave me a crisper edge with better results than trying to strop an edge back.
eg. An edge rolls in use. Strop it back and it would role at the exact place but it would take less effort to roll. Did not find the same issue after a few strokes on a fine ceramic.
My theory is that once a edge has been stressed (rolling or micro-chipping) removing some of that materiel at the edge gives better results than to stop the weakened edge back into place.
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2006
- Messages
- 6,168
I've gained some new found respect for VG-10 after purchasing a SOG Pentagon Elite in that steel. I don't have anything that I use in CTS-XHP but it seems to be an excellent all-rounder. I plan to get one of the new Cold Steel Recon 1 folders in that steel as a user in order to gain some first hand experience with it.
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- Feb 28, 2011
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On paper I would pick S35VN and VG10 for identical blades with optimal heat treat. In practice, the two steels in each group perform very close to each other in my experience, so much so that I would expect the geometry of the knife in question to have a much greater impact on its performance.
I have to agree with this, as I found it out on my own too. I have stopped stropping and stuck with ceramics for touch-ups and final edge finishing.
I can speak on two of the four steels...I have Spydies in VG10 and BD1, I would put them on similar performance levels...easy to sharpen, good rust resistance, pretty good edge holding. I would give VG10 a slight advantage on edge holding, I run both at 30 degrees inclusive and VG10 seems to keep a razor edge a little longer, both are maintained with the Sharpmaker using the standard rods. BD1 wins by a small margin on cost though, it seems most BD1 knives are a bit lower priced than similar VG10 knives overall.
I don't have any knives in S35VN, but I have several in S30V, which is a close cousin. Overall, I think S30V is the best all around knife steel I have ever used.
I don't have any knives in S35VN, but I have several in S30V, which is a close cousin. Overall, I think S30V is the best all around knife steel I have ever used.