CV Steel In Folders. WHY?

G

Gene

Joined
Oct 2, 1998
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1,781
I'm sure this has been bantered about many, many times but I thought I'd bring it up again and let the flames begin! :)

Why do most folks here love CV, (chrome vanadium), steel? I know it was one of the better steels in the old days and still is today but why do you folks love it so much now?

1095 takes a great edge and is a good steel but so is Case's stainless steel and other stainless steels like AUS-6, AUS-8...etc without all the problems of rusting and staining.

I have to admit, I like CV in a hard usage fixed blade where I don't care about rust or stains that won't be carried in my pocket.

It seems like a lot of the threads here pertain to how to keep rust and stains off of CV steel or how to put stains onto it. Strange 180 degrees difference to me! I know of course that most CV knives sold today will be kept in pristine condition by not being used.

I personally love stainless steels, (AUS-6, AUS-8, 440C, etc.), as I don't want rust or stains on my blades and IMHO, SS edges last as long as CV steel and they are just as easily sharpened.

I also must admit that I can carry a CV steel folder in my pocket and it will rust just from being in the vacinity of my body if I sweat! It will also almost rust overnight if I wash my car and get my pockets wet.

I remember a CV Case fell out of my pocket one night and spent the night on a cold, wet street and it was so rusted after a couple days before I found it, it was a disaster.

So, why is CV steel the preferred steel on this board? It has all the atributes of SS but as an added bonus, it rusts and stains in a heartbeat! :)
 
Personally, I love the way it sharpens and I really love the look when the patina really takes hold.
 
I prefer for it's ability to take a very keen edge and I enjoy seeing a patina develop over the years. But I do have to agree with you on Case's stainless. Over the years I have become pretty fond it. It takes a good edge and seems to hold it for a good little while.
 
"I know it was one of the better steels in the old days and still is today"

You answered your own question right there if you ask me.
 
I hear (read) a lot of people talk about "hard use" knives, and to be honest, that's the last thing I think of when I need a "hard use" cutting tool. For me, it would mean something like a saw of some sort, an appropriate chisel, an axe or hatchet, a machete, or a power tool. IMHO, a "hard use" of a knife is just begging for bad news.
 
FLymon said:
"I know it was one of the better steels in the old days and still is today"
You answered your own question right there if you ask me.
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I agree FLymon but if you carefully read my thread, why is it better than SS that doesn't need the care and sharpens as easily as CV does?
 
CV is just great to sharpen razor sharp, it has that old fashioned look to the metal, like the bluing of a gun. I guess I like the nostalgia of it. I collect the older stuff, which probably makes me lean towards CV vs. stainless. I use a stainless Dr. Case knife when I bbq steak. It is personal taste, form over function possibly.
 
I live in a high salt, high humidity environment and I have no use for non-stainless steel knives. I can't stand the way patinas look and I've never thought my stainless knives were lacking in sharpness. I guess it's an old-school thing to those who like it; beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And speaking of eyes, I've had mine on a few GEC knives but I'd never spend money on something that wasn't stainless.
 
CV and other carbon steels are just right on a slipjoint. After a while a pocketknife can start to look weird if it has natural handle materials that become worn while the blade remains shiny.
 
Hi,

I think for many of us older guys there is a bit of prejudice against stainless. It was different and perhaps not quite as good back in the day.

I do own some stainless slippies, and honestly 420HC and 440A gives me fine service for the cutting I do with my slippies. But I find them less desirable because they always look shiny new. I take and look at my darkened, stained and ever changing carbon steel blades and I am reminded of things I've done. Stainless never can tell it's story.

dalee
 
joe-bob said:
GEC makes knives in 440C stainless, too. You can have beauty and stainless at the same time. ;)
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From what I've seen they have very few models in 440 C. I haven't found the model I wanted with the right handle material AND 440 C. Maybe some day.
 
dalee100 said:
Hi,
I take and look at my darkened, stained and ever changing carbon steel blades and I am reminded of things I've done. Stainless never can tell it's story.

dalee
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That's where we differ...I don't want my knife to "tell a story". I know what I've done and I don't need a stain souvenir to remind me. I never understand all the references to "character marks" on knives and tools. To me they're just dinged up. I want my knives and guns to look as new as possible. I do use my stuff, I just do it carefully.
 
I like carbon steels like 1095, CV, etc. in a traditional knife because I like the look of a patina. In a knife with more modern styling? Stainless looks better to me.
 
Gene said:
I agree FLyrmon but if you carefully read my thread, why is it better than SS that doesn't need the care and sharpens as easily as CV does?
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If stain resistance is your criteria, then CV is not better. Ease of sharpening, and edge holding are both very subjective. In fact stain resistance is the only objective part of the debate I can see, and a settled matter.
I did read your post and I thought you gave as valid an answer you could ever hope to get In your second paragraph.

I will be glad to tell you why I like CV over stainless in Case knives, it is because in my experience it is a generally higher grade steel, or at least "feels" that way to me.
And besides, I like the patina strawberries put on my Swayback Jack's blades. Can't get that with the junky old SS ;)
 
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Stelth said:
I live in a high salt, high humidity environment and I have no use for non-stainless steel knives. I can't stand the way patinas look and I've never thought my stainless knives were lacking in sharpness. I guess it's an old-school thing to those who like it; beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And speaking of eyes, I've had mine on a few GEC knives but I'd never spend money on something that wasn't stainless.
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Regionality should be a major player in decision making. I would not take carbon or CV on a salt water fishing trip. I live in a climate with 12" of annual rainfall, and relatively low humidity. CV works fine here with little care.
 
Gene said:
Why do most folks here love CV, (chrome vanadium), steel? I know it was one of the better steels in the old days and still is today but why do you folks love it so much now?
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For a couple of reasons, I think. First, becuase people like Case knives and in general the only two options are "Tru-Sharp" stainless and Chrome Vanadium steel. Of the two, CV takes and holds a better edge than Tru-Sharp does.

Second, the love of Case knives in general is usually tied in with the nostalgia factor, and a CV blade with a nice patina speaks to that fondness in the customer base.

I know of course that most CV knives sold today will be kept in pristine condition by not being used.
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Not at all! I have two Case CV knives (a Sway Back Jack and a Large Trapper) that I use regularly as EDC knives. Unless you are in a really wet enviromnent, I don't find that my CV knives really require much more care than my SS ones.

SS edges last as long as CV steel and they are just as easily sharpened.
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I think you would get an argument on this, most people seem to agree that CV takes and holds a superior edge to Case stainless.

I also must admit that I can carry a CV steel folder in my pocket and it will rust just from being in the vacinity of my body if I sweat! It will also almost rust overnight if I wash my car and get my pockets wet.

I remember a CV Case fell out of my pocket one night and spent the night on a cold, wet street and it was so rusted after a couple days before I found it, it was a disaster.
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Well, any carbon steel knife will rust if you treat it with that sort of lack of care. That's not a critisism, just a recognition of the differences between the way you treat your knives and the way some of us do. For you, stainless certainly sounds like the best choice, but others really have no problem keeping CV rust free. ;)
 
Why do most folks here love CV, (chrome vanadium), steel? I know it was one of the better steels in the old days and still is today but why do you folks love it so much now?
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I just like it. Isn't there room enough in the knife world for all of us? Can't we all just get along? Seriously, though... I keep on top of my knives enough that I don't worry about rust. I have slip joints in 52100, O1, and D2, and none of them have any rust.

James
 
Well Gene, I'll tell ya. A lot of the problems you describe with CV can be avoided with simple care of your knife. You know, wipe it off daily with an oily rag, oil the joints, etc..

You say you live in the true Northern CA -- where would that be? I'm over in Alturas where we have a lot of snow, lots of rain, and just plain ole crappy weather during the winter and I don't have any problems with rust on my CV knives. Sure they get a patina but that's character -- not a problem.
 
I personally like the look of a patina on a traditional knife. I think in the case of most slippies you can't go wrong either way. There isn't that much difference between the carbon or the stainless available now. I would be more interested in stainless if better steels were offered. Some people like the look of a well used knife and others want it to look new as long as possible. I'm just glad we have the choice of which type we want.:thumbup:

As far as the people here liking carbon more, I think it's partly because we enjoy our knives and like taking care of them. I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of overall knife sales are stainless. Just look at modern knives. Aside from sprint runs in D2 or M4 they are pretty much all stainless. Even Case's selection of CV models is somewhat limited compared to all of their Tru-Sharp choices. I'm sure those of us here are in the minority. We're just the only ones who care enough to make a big deal out of it.:D
 
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