I'm no expert on steels but I can try and help.
First off, there are some great threads in BFs that you should google. When ever I have a question about steel X vs steel Y, I just google exactly that e.g. CPM3v vs 01. Bladeforum links will usually be at the top of the page. Click on a link and have fun. Now that link may not have what you are looking for, but chances are, someone put a link to a really well answered thread in the thread you visit. Did that make sense?
Steels as well as grinds can be a matter of preference. Do you like a blade that is easy to sharpen, holds an edge well and you don't really care too much if it patinas or is prone to rusting? Or do you want a steel that will not rust, will hold an edge till the cows come in, but is hard to touch up in the field? Steels don't always boil down to those questions, but what you make for in one characteristic, you lose in another.
CPM doesn't necessarily mean stainless. CPM154 is, but there are many other CPM steels that will patina. Copy and paste time...
The proprietary Crucible Particle Metallurgy process has been used for the commercial production of high speed steels and other high alloy tool steels since 1970. The process lends itself not only to the production of superior quality tool steels, but to the production of higher alloyed grades which cannot be produced by conventional steelmaking. For most applications the CPM process offers many benefits over conventionally ingot-cast tool steels.
http://www.crucibleservice.com/eselector/general/generalpart3.html
I'm pretty sure CPM3V will out perform 01 all day long. But that doesn't mean it's the best steel for you. I've heard when dull CPM3v can be very hard to touch up out in the field (without stones and strops). However, 01 I've heard tell can be touched up on a river rock if needed IOW, it's very easy to sharpen. I can't really speak for the stainless steels that you mentioned except for I've heard good things about CPM154. I really like 154cm. It's very easy to sharpen, holds an edge well and strops up to a mirror edge nicely.
Now grinds, oh boy. Open can of worms here...
This is definitely a touchy subject around these parts. Which one is better, is better asked, which do you prefer. I don't really care for scandis. They are very easy to sharpen. I mean they are uber easy to sharpen. But what they make up for with ease of sharpening, they loose points in being proned to chipping/rolling IMO. It's been my experience if you look at a scandi the wrong way, it rolls. But man it sure does bite into wood and feather stick better than any grind I've used. Convex grinds are very nice. Though they're not for the novice knife sharpener, they aren't as prone to rolls and chips as a scandi. They are also great for skinning game and processing game close to the bone. Here's a link on scandis and saber grinds. When discussing grinds it usually ends up in a geometry debate with a ton of graphs and math I'll never completely understand.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-is-the-line-between-a-saber-and-scandi-grind
Check out Virtuovice's YouTube channel for grind info.
Grinds and steels and which are the best is a debate that will never end. My advice is - buy what you like and keep what works for you.
Hope this helps,
Duder
