Cts-xhp

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noob93

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Feb 6, 2016
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Iv read a few threads on cts-xhp and I have heard it described as a stainless d2 or a tougher 440c. Most of this was based on speculation but a few from users. I'm just wondering how true are those comparisons and can it be sharpened easily as iv been told. I'm not talking with SC stones or glass even, just regular Arkansas or wet stones?
 
This is a great steel. I have a CS Recon 1 and an American Lawman in CTS-XHP and the edge-holding is as good as S30V/S30Vn, maybe better, judging from day-to-day use. The CS video comparing CTS-XHP to AUS8 when cutting manila rope is an eye opener. I suspect that it would be a chore to sharpen on conventional hones (Arkansas, etc.) due to the high carbide content, like S30V and other high vanadium steels, but it is easier to sharpen than S30V on diamond hones, which is what I use 99% of the time. It seems finer grained than S30V and D2. With the DLC coating the CS blades are very smooth, hardly pick up any sticky stuff, and that would also add to corrosion resistance.
 
noob93 said:
Iv read a few threads on cts-xhp and I have heard it described as a stainless d2 or a tougher 440c. Most of this was based on speculation but a few from users. I'm just wondering how true are those comparisons and can it be sharpened easily as iv been told. I'm not talking with SC stones or glass even, just regular Arkansas or wet stones?
Click to expand...

Ummm... no. That is not speculation from folks unfamiliar with the performance. That is from Carpenter Steel's tech data sheet for that alloy.

CarTech CTS XHP alloy is powder metallurgy, air-hardening, high carbon, high chromium, corrosion-resistant alloy. It can be considered either a high hardness 440C stainless steel or a corrosion-resistant D2 tool steel.
Click to expand...

https://cartech.ides.com/datasheet.aspx?I=101&E=343

It is a PM alloy with a nice shot of Chromium Carbide, Molybdenum Carbide, and Vandium Carbide, . Natural stones won't do it for sharpening. Silicon carbide, Aluminum Carbide, or Diamond are what you need.
 
This is totally excellent steel. Meaning doesn't chip even under somewhat abusive work which I will elaborate on in a bit, sharpens well and easily (with the stones prepared or made to do it).

A friendly blade material I highly recommend.

However I would say bite the bullet and buy some high tech. modern, manmade stones designed to cut modern alloy steels. You won't regret it and there will be less farting around in the end.

That said . . . now sensitive readers may want to avert their eyes or go look for another thread to read because I am going to invoke a name that is offensive to some . . . it's going to happen . . . there is no other source I am aware of to direct the guy to . . . for me when it comes to sharpening and what I have found to be true on my own before learning of

:grumpy::o :thumbup::thumbdn:HIM:thumbup::thumbdn::grumpy::o​

. . . well anyway . . . gird thy loins . . .
Cliff Stamp, in his youtube talks about preparing the surface of natural Ark stones to abrade modern high alloy steels.

I didn't prepare mine for cutting A2 and all I can say is nah dude, nah. So I think you would have a similar poor experience without some modification to your stones.

As far as abusive work with a CTS-XHP blade I regularly use this modded Cold Steel Ti Lite , top knife in photo, that I cut and ground into a razal, to carve steel with. It just does it; no worries.

 
knarfeng said:
Ummm... no. That is not speculation from folks unfamiliar with the performance. That is from Carpenter Steel's tech data sheet for that alloy.



https://cartech.ides.com/datasheet.aspx?I=101&E=343

It is a PM alloy with a nice shot of Chromium Carbide, Molybdenum Carbide, and Vandium Carbide, . Natural stones won't do it for sharpening. Silicon carbide, Aluminum Carbide, or Diamond are what you need.
Click to expand...

That's what I figured but I had a guy who's a maker tell me otherwise and just wanted to make sure.
 
Been using a Cold Steel Recon 1 with it, since shortly after they came out, and it's been a great steel, edge holding has impressed me, cutting heavy cardboard for targets at the range.
 
According to the zknives chart, XHP contains less vanadium and silicone carbides than D2 and is similar to 440C in that aspect.

http://zknives.com/knives/steels/steelgraph.php?nm=CTS-XHP,S30V,440c,D2&ni=1100,3044,,196&hrn=1&gm=0

Guessing from this info, sharpening XHP may not be any more difficult than D2 or even 440C. I use silicone carbide stones, so I cannot say about the difficulty on other stones from my own experience. But it is easier than S30V or S35VN for sure. Especially, deburring is much easier. XHP also takes a very refined edge and keeps it well. Because of these properties, I prefer XHP to S30V.



Miso
 
Wowbagger said:
This is totally excellent steel. Meaning doesn't chip even under somewhat abusive work which I will elaborate on in a bit, sharpens well and easily (with the stones prepared or made to do it).

A friendly blade material I highly recommend.

However I would say bite the bullet and buy some high tech. modern, manmade stones designed to cut modern alloy steels. You won't regret it and there will be less farting around in the end.

That said . . . now sensitive readers may want to avert their eyes or go look for another thread to read because I am going to invoke a name that is offensive to some . . . it's going to happen . . . there is no other source I am aware of to direct the guy to . . . for me when it comes to sharpening and what I have found to be true on my own before learning of

:grumpy::o :thumbup::thumbdn:HIM:thumbup::thumbdn::grumpy::o​

. . . well anyway . . . gird thy loins . . .
Cliff Stamp, in his youtube talks about preparing the surface of natural Ark stones to abrade modern high alloy steels.

I didn't prepare mine for cutting A2 and all I can say is nah dude, nah. So I think you would have a similar poor experience without some modification to your stones.

As far as abusive work with a CTS-XHP blade I regularly use this modded Cold Steel Ti Lite , top knife in photo, that I cut and ground into a razal, to carve steel with. It just does it; no worries.

Click to expand...

Okay so it's quite a tough steel for a stainless as well it's sounding like. My real question is how good of a field knife would it make.
 
I grabbed a cold steel code 4 to check out cts xhp. I was not sorry. Great stuff. I call it a balanced steel. Good edge retention. Good corrosion resistance. Good toughness.
 
Anyone has any comparison data with S110V in terms of corrosion resistance?

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk
 
noob93 said:
Can it be field sharpened?
Click to expand...

Sharpened using what?
Small 2"x4" diamond hones are available. So, yeah. You can sharpen a knife in the field.

edited to add: jpm2 beat me to it.
 
Great steel, I like to keep it toothy myself, keeps a great working edge. I use a crystolon stone or alum ox, usually the latter. Both work well. I also have to admit that I'm pretty lazy, I usually take it to a medium grit, then I hone on a butcher's steel, then to a leather belt and finally paper. The process works great for me. But I will stop at a medium grit every time.
 
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