does cpm 3v hold an edge better than cpm 20cv?

3V is a great steel. As mentioned, it won't hold an edge as long as 20v, but it is no slouch by any means. I love that it is so tough, even in a small fixed blade. You don't have to worry about chipping. 3v is one of my all time favorite steels.
 
jstn said:
3V is a great steel. As mentioned, it won't hold an edge as long as 20v, but it is no slouch by any means. I love that it is so tough, even in a small fixed blade. You don't have to worry about chipping. 3v is one of my all time favorite steels.
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Good to hear, the other guys did not make it sound good at all
 
3V is way above the ordinary. It keeps a nice fine edge very well. It excells at toughness. To some extent, I think the design you're talking about wastes this by being thick bladed: any steel will be tough if it is that thick.
I feel that 3V performs better than D2, but I haven't done any proper testing. Ankerson is the master of that.

I have found that diamonds & ceramics will do a better job than silicon carbide on 3V, but that could be just my technique.
 
Yeah try not to give in to "steel envy" :P
I've been very very pleased with the performance of the 3V on my BRK Bravo Necker 2, as well as my GSO-10 (and soon, 4.1 :P).
It is indeed no slouch. If you have a GSO in 3V, the performance difference between what you already have and 20CV might not even be worth the effort of trying to arrange for a trade.

I guess my point is, use the hell out of your current 3V blade and see if you are disappointed by it in any way.
If so, time to consider other steels that better meet your needs.
If not, sweet, enjoy your awesome knife :P
 
If you're looking for a sharpener to throw in your pack for use when hunting, I use a Lansky Folding Diamond Paddle http://lansky.com/index.php/diamond-sharpeners/ (bottom of the page with the black handles)
They're the best folding paddle sharpeners out there, especially for the price (which you can find cheaper than they list on their site. just check the usual places)

I have the double sided medium/fine (280/600 grit), and it works very well on my Bushcrafter in 3V. I've never needed a superfine edge on it, or any of my knives.

Nice choice in knife by the way.
 
Also, don't worry about the corrosion factor with 3V. I live in FL, and my Bushcrafter is carried in a leather sheath, and while it's been soaked on quite a few occasions, it's only had some slight speckles of rust.
I just clean it off when I get home, and lightly coat it with some mineral oil I got from the pharmacy (which is nice and food-safe).
 
I've not used A2.
But BRKT seems to think 3V is premium.
Everything I've read seemed to say A2 is good, 3V is better.
 
wolverine_173 said:
Guess i better look to trade or something. Edge retention and rust resistance is more important to me on a hunting knife
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Simple care and maintenance should prevent rust of any kind. Unless you plan on skinning an animal and leaving the knife dirty for a week or 4.
 
Are you planning on using the knife on wood or animals or both?

Blood is acidic and corrosive. It needs to be removed in a timely manner from steels that have poor corrosion resistance. Something to think about. 3V's corrosion resistance is OK. Using it around blood all the time? Sounds like a pitting risk.

3V could be used on a hunting knife, but there are steels better suited for that speciality.

Wood? 3V is an excellent steel choice.
 
3V is fine for working on animals, just clean it when done. We use BRKT Lil'Canadian and ultralite bushcrafter on elk and they generally stay bloody for 4-8 hours after processing (camp isn't always close). Just wash when we get back. No rust or staining, simple common sense care. Edge stays sharp through an animal no problem. I like 3v for hunting. Especially the thin blade on the ultralite.
 
update to an old thread. I have identical survive knives in 3v and 20cv. I have used them side by side for extended tests. on paper 3v should be inferior to 20cv on edge holding and corrosion resistance.
in real life they are so similar that it seems pointless to lose sleep over which one you pick. they are both wonderful. I have been a blade smith for 40 years both of these steels are worlds ahead of steel that I used for most of my
bladesmithing. s30v ast34 440c pale in comparison. either one will out last your lifetime.
 
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