EDC S30V or 154cm?

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bludog2

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Sep 4, 2018
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I have a mini-Grip in 154CM, which I've carried almost every day for over two years. I've been very pleased with its performance overall, takes a nice edge and holds it fairly well IMO. It looks like BM is changing most of their knives to S30V. I'm looking for another similarly sized and priced EDC, and I know opinions of S30V seem to be all over the board on here, so I'm wondering if there is much of a real world difference between these two steels? Would I be disappointed in the performance of S30V vs what I have now, or would it actually be an upgrade? thanks
 
I'd definitely consider the S30V an "upgrade". You're trading some ease of sharpening for a whole lot of added edge retention.
 
It’s an upgrade in some respects, and a downgrade in others. S30V has better edge retention, but it’s more difficult to sharpen, you will want a diamond set up. 154 is tougher and resists chipping more than S30V does. I’ve never chipped 154, but I have had a few tiny ones because of staples with S30V. Both are equally stainless, maybe a slight edge to S30V. I haven’t had either rust on me.


It depends on what you want out of the knife. I think 154 is a better “EDC” steel. One you wouldn’t think twice about cutting over a metal base or zip ties and the like. S30V is a cardboard destroying machine, though. I use my S30V PM2 as a cardboard knife and it hasn’t let me down.
 
If you like 154CM I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with S30V. It is a great steel that holds a working edge for a long time. I don’t have as much experience with 154cm but I do have a BM Grip in 154 and it’s held it’s edge very well. Great knife. You probably won’t notice much of a difference between the two in real world use, but IMO the S30V will be a little better with edge retention.
 
For EDC application, S30V is an upgrade. 154cm is tougher by a reasonable margin, according to knifesteelnerds recent A2 steel article. S30V is pretty fantastic at cutting abrasive materials like cardboard. I believe S30V does better with a rougher (less refined) edge where 154cm can take a finer edge nicer. I find 154cm strops nicer than S30V but S30v on a fine stone as a finish step sharpening and touch-ups leaves it well suited to working.

Really, both are very nice steels for using. I think the biggest difference from a daily use perspective is 154cm will touch up easier and S30V does better with harder sharpening tools like diamond coated stones and rods.

If you were using a medium sized fixed blade or planning to rough use the folder, I would have a different recommendation but for EDC uses, toughness is rarely too little for most of our uses.
 
I still like 154CM. I've got nothing against S30V...but it doesn't wow me, either.
I remember when 154CM was the hot new blade steel; now, many think that it's a budget or low grade option. (Admittedly, on a pricey knife, I am guilty of that thinking, myself... even though I like it.)
For me (as a consumer), if I was looking to upgrade from 154CM, I wouldn't be looking at S30V, though... not when the grip is available in M390.
 
I haven't seen any difference in 154CM and S30V in daily use. They both hold a decent edge, but I find that I sharpen the more often than I like. I'd rather have M390, 20CV, etc.
 
I can't tell a difference. Maybe against 440 but those two are close for me. Both good in my book.
 
hhmoore said:
I still like 154CM. I've got nothing against S30V...but it doesn't wow me, either.
I remember when 154CM was the hot new blade steel; now, many think that it's a budget or low grade option. (Admittedly, on a pricey knife, I am guilty of that thinking, myself... even though I like it.)
For me (as a consumer), if I was looking to upgrade from 154CM, I wouldn't be looking at S30V, though... not when the grip is available in M390.
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Hey it's still good in these parts! Got a custom in 154 due soon.
 
I don't care for CM-154, in either my Grippie or my Emerson; neither cut particularly well, but that may be due to the fairly thick blade geometry. Both will take a fine edge but lose it quickly. I do like CPM-154, different animal altogether, but that's on my BassPro 110, thinner blade with hollow grind. S30V is great steel, but as others note it takes diamond hones to cut the very hard high levels of carbides. S35Vn sharpens more easily and takes a finer edge IMHO and performs just the same as S30V; then there are a bunch of powder steels with fine grain and superb edge-holding like CPM 20CV, M90, CTS-XHP.
 
I like 154CM. It's easy to sharpen to a great edge, and for EDC it holds it long enough for my purposes.

I got no issue with S30V performance wise, but I don't appreciate the additional sharpening effort.

Given the choice between the two, I'd take the 154CM. But I wouldn't pass on the S30V version just because of the steel.
 
I think this is more of a preference type question ... I personally prefer 154CM over S30V ... but I'm not a big fan of S30V ... now S35VN or CPM154 I'd take over either.
 
Personally i prefer 154cm. The super steels arent my thing. I prefer 154cm because it takes a finer edge and is quite a bit easier to sharpen. In my limited experience with s30v ive had small chips develop in the edge. Ive never had that with 154cm, hate to see benchmade moving away from 154.
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
I think this is more of a preference type question ... I personally prefer 154CM over S30V ... but I'm not a big fan of S30V ... now S35VN or CPM154 I'd take over either.
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Alot of people including myself find this. S35vn behaves very more much like an upgraded 154cm rather than s30v which seems to be a whole different type of steel.

S30v feels more like its s90v and s110v cousins.

I don’t have as much experience with CPM153 and only own one knife with it. From what I can tell though I would really like to see CPM154 become more standard across the market.

I wonder how much of it has to do with marketing since many people will see CPM154 and will think it is the same as 154cm. Whereas s30v has become fairly widely recognized as a “super steel upgrade.” Even people who would confuse cpm154/154cm have begun to see s30v as a selling point.
 
Lapedog said:
Alot of people including myself find this. S35vn behaves very more much like an upgraded 154cm rather than s30v which seems to be a whole different type of steel.

S30v feels more like its s90v and s110v cousins.

I don’t have as much experience with CPM153 and only own one knife with it. From what I can tell though I would really like to see CPM154 become more standard across the market.

I wonder how much of it has to do with marketing since many people will see CPM154 and will think it is the same as 154cm. Whereas s30v has become fairly widely recognized as a “super steel upgrade.” Even people who would confuse cpm154/154cm have begun to see s30v as a selling point.
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I just don't feel S30V has the benefits and performance to outweigh the being more difficult to sharpen ...

CPM154 to me performs very similar to S35VN ... and I like the balance of both in perfomsnce and ease of sharpening ... for my uses it's hard to really see alot of different ... the CPM154 may hold a bit fine edge better but not sure in normal use I could tell the two apart.

I just never warmed up to S30V ... but that's probably just personal tastes.
 
I'd you cut whatever is needed to be cut and move on with life keep the cm154. The added toughness will be more forgiving to abuse.

If you dispise sharpening, want more edge retention, or something along those lines s30v will be an upgrade.

That's the overly simplistic way to look at it.
 
Thanks to everyone for your replies. Clears it right up :) I do appreciate the diversity of opinions on this forum. Good stuff.
 
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