Field knife steel choice.

Which would you prefer?

  • CPM 154

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • S35VN

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • CTS-XHP

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • CPM 3V

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
jdm61

jdm61

itinerant metal pounder
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
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if you guys had the opportunity to buy a standard tactical/field knife similar to say one of the 5-6 inch ESEE knives, but with some more custom knife like features, which steel would you choose of the ones listed below? As best as i can tell there would not be any major price difference between these 4 steels. Feel free to elaborate on why you chose a particular steel.
 
For a large chopper style knife, probably none of them. I would like plain old 1095. Out of those 4, i would take CPM 154 though
 
jdm61 said:
if you guys had the opportunity to buy a standard tactical/field knife similar to say one of the 5-6 inch ESEE knives, but with some more custom knife like features, which steel would you choose of the ones listed below? As best as i can tell there would not be any major price difference between these 4 steels. Feel free to elaborate on why you chose a particular steel.
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I chose CPM 154.

But, CPM 3V would also be a great choice.
 
I think a 3V fixed blade would work great alongside my 3V folder. If its tough enough to make a shear from its tough enough for my knife :D
 
If i was looking to save a few bucks on the MSRP and go with carbon steel, 1095 wouldn't even be one of my options but that is for another poll. ;)
res1cue said:
For a large chopper style knife, probably none of them. I would like plain old 1095. Out of those 4, i would take CPM 154 though
Click to expand...
 
3V for toughness and your options, but really 5160 or 1095 for a field knife would be just fine by my standards.
 
5160, a SECOND carbon steel that would not be on my list. LOL
EricV said:
3V for toughness and your options, but really 5160 or 1095 for a field knife would be just fine by my standards.
Click to expand...
 
I don't know what the difference is in any of them so I can't really vote with any sort of insight. But based on what I know about CPM154, I'd hate to have to sharpen it in the field.
 
jdm61 said:
Why 154 over one of the other PM stainless steels?
Click to expand...

CPM 154 is pretty fine grained, takes a very nice edge and holds it very well and it's pretty tough depending on tempering. :)

It an excellent general use steel that would be good for that type of knife, the other one not on your list would be ELMAX.
 
Ankerson said:
CPM 154 is pretty fine grained, takes a very nice edge and holds it very well and it's pretty tough depending on tempering. :)

It an excellent general use steel that would be good for that type of knife, the other one not on your list would be ELMAX.
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I think that all of the listed steels can have fine grain. It is just a question of getting the HT done and people being willing to pay a few extra bucks for it.
 
jdm61 said:
I think that all of the listed steels can have fine grain. It is just a question of getting the HT done and people being willing to pay a few extra bucks for it.
Click to expand...

They are all PM steels so they would all be finer grained, but CPM 154 is really a nice steel, and it's somewhat easier to sharpen than 3V and or maintain in the field while having excellent edge retention and it's stainless. :)

Not really enough information on XHP yet on a broad scale in fixed blades to see how it would do.

But then we are talking about that kind of knife that will have a pretty thick blade I am guessing based on what your example of what it would be like as in a thicker grind behind the edge also.

That is unless you are thinking about making them slicers then CPM 154 would be the best choice for sure at around 61-62 HRC.

I think it would come down to what YOU would think the uses for that said knife would be, if it would be a beater as in people beating on it then CPM 3V at around 58 HRC would be that choice with a thicker grind.
 
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A little more info. The knife that i am talking about would be more in the price range of stuff like Bark River as opposed to ESEE or Becker and would have features that you would expect from a knife in that price range, like sculpted handle scales as opposed to just flat ones with chamfered edges.. If folks wanted a plain carbon steel knife for a few shekels less, I would be inclined to use 52100 austenized below the saturation point at say 1475F and preferably done in high temp salt on a knife this size.
 
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