Here is a thread that I started a year or so ago. I still feel the same way.
* I have been one of the lucky ones to be able to have the all mighty sebenza in all 4 steels available + the two main styles of Damascus
* Figured with all the recent posts asking is this steel better than that, is this knife better than that, that I would start a little thread with my CRK blade steel experience. With any of these threads, it mainly comes down to how they cut, not how good they look in hand.
* I am a user of my CRK. Though I do have some that I have never carried, its not their fault. Cant carry tons of them at once (the zombie apocalypse is not here yet). But I do use mine, very few are safe queens. So below is my Real World experience with them.
* I also do not own a microscope, so if there are "micro" chips in the edge, I am not seeing them. They cut and have cut fine for me for years ( both my hands and materials ), and to ME, thats what counts.
* As for the performance of the knives and steels, I do what CRK recommends.
> I use the CRK lube, its the cheapest of all and it was designed just for their knives. I don't need to reinvent the wheel here.
> Also, I only use the Spyderco Sharpmaker. At $60, I find it to be about the best sharpener out there, both for the experienced and novice. I have used the old vintage "V" sharpening systems for over 25 years and have had the upmost success with them. I don't need fancy bench clamping gizmos with stones and guides that looks like an erector set to sharpen my sebenza. I know there are masters at using a stone like HAZE. He obviously has a talent I do not have.
* When I sharpen my knives, I test them by shaving some hair on my arm, or on my thumbnail to see if it catches. This is SHARP enough for me. I have yet to see any knife that will cut free standing hair, cut material falling across the blade, etc. One slice into some cardboard and that edge is gone, plus one slip and your in for a world of hurt......Ouch...!!!
* I have Never questioned CRK's RC Heat Treat. I am a User of the knives, not a metallurgical scientist. My grandfather worked with steel all his life and even had a RC tester. He always told me anything over 40 was Hard. I find it hard to believe a knife with a 60RC is far superior to a knife with 58-59 RC. Mr. Reeve helped develop the S30V & S35VN. I am sure he knows just a little bit more than any of us or even the other makers that use the steels he helped create. To each their own.
ATS-34: I have had 4-5 P sebenzas with this steel. I have sharpened them and they held a good edge, but they were not knives I carried for edc, so their long term usage, I am not experienced in. I did have a couple with stained blades, but since I was not the original owner, I do not know what they were subjected to. I currently have 2 with ATS34, but again, they are not edc's. Though I have carried them a few times, I do not put them in the my edc class.
BG-42: The first sebenza I ever had, a large regular ended up having this as the blade steel. Once I found how sought after it was even back then, I looked for a newer S30V to replace it. I did carry it often and have experience with BG-42 in other sebenzas. I find it keeps a great edge, but is hard to sharpen. I only use the sharpmaker and have 25+ years experience with this style of sharpening system, so I know what I am doing with it. Never had an issue with stains of any kind and find it to be a huge step up from the ATS-34. If you get that right blade, I think it will hold the sharpest edge of them all.
S30V: I have the most experience with this blade steel. My mnandi's had it and most of my sebenzas do as well. Also the military line-up sported S30V in the beginning. I find it pretty easy to sharpen and it holds an edge as good as BG-42 in my opinion. Since its easier to sharpen ( to me at least ), its has always been my favorite. I have never had any of the chipping that people claim, though I think they are looking through a microscope to see it. I have used these S30V CRK for everything you can think of. Food Prep, Cleaning Game, Cutting TONS of cardboard, whittling, cutting tar paper and shingles, you name it and I have never had a problem with it. It remains my favorite until something changes my mind about it, but I dont see that happening for some time.
S35VN: I have had several sebenzas in this blade steel, but they have not been used nearly as much as the S30V. I do find it harder to sharpen like BG-42, and as for sharpness, it seems to just depend on the knife. I have S35VN that is RAZOR sharp, and I have had them that even though they are sharp, just dont go that extra little bit. ALOT of this has to do with blade angle. So I attribute it to that, and not so much the steel. Never a staining issue of any kind.
DT SS Damascus: I have had this steel in a mnandi and a couple sebenzas and find it to be similar to S30V. I find it easy to sharpen like S30V and holds an edge about the same. If I had to compare it to the other CRK steels, I would say its a cross between ATS-34 and S30V, only in a prettier package. I will say, I will not be out cutting shingles with it, not even from the backside....lol. But I have used it for food prep, whittling, cutting cardboard, whittling paint off rawhide dog bones that I cut in half with a sawzall, and the finish has never even slightly tarnished or faded. With the Stainless Steel damascus, I have never had any staining issues.
HC Damascus: I recently picked up 2 large regulars with some pretty fancy damascus blades. I know its HC damascus as they were made in the early 2000's and SS damascus was not seen then. They are sporting the factory sharp razor edge from 12-13 years ago. Since they will not be regular edc knives, I will probably not have much to say other than they sliced through that birthday or christmas wrapping paper like a laser....lol.
Looking forward to hearing your comments on usage...!!! Anything to add that will help CRK vets or newbies alike is its purpose...!!!
The entire thread can be seen in the link below. Enjoy...!!!
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ade-Steels-Used-In-The-Sebenza-Over-The-Years
