Dozier's D2 vs BG42 & S30V

H

huh

Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
284
Hi there,

I've been thinking hard about getting a dozier for edc but cannot make my decision.

I know Bob's D2 makes some of the best edges on this planet and it has received tons of good words on this forum. But the semistainless attribute of D2 has been my biggest concern. Cause I really don't want to oil my EDC as I often use knives on food.
For those who have experience with both Dozier and BG42/S30V, do you find D2 to have advantage in edge holding than BG42 or S30v? Is that advantage significant?

Thanks.
 
Bob's D2 is excellent and I honestly can't tell much of any difference from D2,bg42 or S30V as far as edge retention goes. Sharpening any of these if they are very dull is a major pain. I have also noticed that the finish has ALOT to do with rust resistance, i.e. beadblasting any of these steels is asking for rust spots. I have not had any problems with satin finished or hand rubbed D2 rusting from normal use, or while skinning animals. I would not hesitate to buy one of Bob's knives as an EDC, you will be well satisfied.
 
Ditto what TIR said. Bob's knives are awesome. They are scary sharp and they stay that way through tons of real world everyday use. One of the very best knives you can own, no matter the cost. You will not go wrong with any of Bob's knives.

AJ
 
Beadblasted D2 is probably not a great choice for a knife that will be used on food, especially acidic fruit, and receive minimal care. Not sure about the whole lineup, but I think the only Dozier I've had was beadblasted, at least the grind. I'd order a satin finish, and pay a little more for some peace of mind for the kind of use you're describing.
That said, all three of those are great steels for a folder or small fixed blade. I'd buy the design I wanted in whichever it is available in, and not nitpick between them unless corrosion resistance was a major concern.
In a custom, or with a choice of steels, I go for S30V. It took the guesswork out of picking between D2 and BG-42 for me (the last two customs I got before S30V became available were D2 and BG-42, respectively-both have seen heavy use, and I have been totally satisfied with both, but if there's something better, why not get it?), since HT and everything else being equal, S30V is better than either of them in all respects, however small the margin of difference may be.
The only exception I'd make would be on something like a Dozier, since I understand he uses S30V as of rather recently, while his reputation for HTing D2 has stood the test of time, and is well known("legendary" might be a better way of putting it). In that case, I'd choose D2, or talk to Bob about how his S30V compares to his D2.
Whether it be choice of finish, steel, or whatever, the nice thing about customs is that you can communicate with the maker about what will suit your needs the best. Bob Dozier has a website at www.dozierknives.com that lists his phone number, and he has a forum there as well ;)
 
I have to admit that I don't find any large differences between Spyderco S30V and Dozier D2 in terms of edge holding. I haven't done any specific tests, but have just observed EDC use over a period of time. S30V definitely gets the nod in terms of rust resistance though. Bob's D2 heat treatment may see a little less edge rollover.

But (you knew there'd be one), Bob's knives are just plain spectacular. Overall quality of materials and craftsmanship is much better than production quality, and his kydex work is amongst the best I've tried. Bob will also customize the grinds to your needs. If food prep is the knife's primary function, he could easily grind your knife thinner than usual. And if memory serves me, he will make knives with S30V for a small additional price.
 
I' ve found very good results with using S30V in the way of a production BladeTech Pro Hunter. Although this model is flat ground, it takes on a very good edge and holds it equally as well.

I' ve also been carrying/ using my BG42 Sebenza for a while now. Its high hollow grind allows for a real thin edge. It has served me well with a polished finished edge from an Xtrafine diamond bench stone. It zips thru stuff like the proverbial razor. I have found that with this polished edge, it requires some light touchup in between use.

My experience with D2 is extensively with blades from the Dozier shop. For this steel I prefer to keep its edge "toothy". The high hollow grind yields a superbly thin cutting edge. The cutting ability can be described as a mini saw in action! The "micro serrations" if you will, along with Doziers time tested heat treat, allows for excellent edge holding. When used on foodstuff extensively, some very light staining will occur if the blade is not cleaned right afterwards. I' ve always been able to polish them out with some Flitz metal polish. No problem. Besides some light staining indicates it has been used. Bob would be happy to hear that. :)

So in conclusion, I have found that D2 has given me better edge holding capabilities. Although I can' t prove that statistically, it just seems that I use my Dozier made folders more often when I know I will have a lot to cut and don' t want to touch up their edges in between uses.

N2
 
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