Griptilian D2 blade

jfindon

jfindon

Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
967
Ok, so the 154CM version is about $74 shipped, and the D2 version is $85 without shipping at Cabela's. If I go for the D2, is it still worth it in a sense or does the Grip lose its "value" due to better quality knives once I'm around the $100 range? I really wish it wasn't a Cabela's exclusive.

Is D2 harder to sharpen than 154CM? I know it holds its edge a little better.
 
Not being a metalurgist, I can only say I own knives in both and both steels are great.

The D2 is reputed to have slightly superior edge-holding ability and may be slightly harder to sharpen. I can;t vouch for the sharpening, "part" of my RAT-3 in D2 is sharp as a razor and the other part..... well I need reprofiling of the whole blade.

The 154CM will take a razor edge and hold that edge for as long as it takes you to notice the difference between the two steels (which could well be a very long time). Both have good corrosion and rust "resistance".

Go with the one you like the price of. If I could afford to buy either, I'd get the 154CM and that is ONLY because I'm having a little problem shaving with my D2 blade!
 
Well, taking into consideration that I don't know how you are sharpening your knives, by free hand or with a sharpening kit, it's hard to say. I think you'll find that the D2 is a better edge holding steel. 154CM is a good steel also, but I prefere the D2 myself. I have found that once I got used to sharpen my D2 & M2 blades well. It became more difficult for me to sharpen my AUS6 and AUS8 blades. If you have a sharpening kit you will soon become accustomed to sharpening the steel you use most easily. The steels you seem to use with less frequency will become increasingly harder to sharpen. This is the way it works for me anyway. I can definitely tell the difference in the edge holding ability of these two steels, D2's better.
 
I have found that once I got used to sharpen my D2 & M2 blades well. It became more difficult for me to sharpen my AUS6 and AUS8 blades... The steels you seem to use with less frequency will become increasingly harder to sharpen.
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It's fascinating that you mention this because I've found it to be exactly the case for myself, as well. My D2 Grip was a bear to sharpen - at first. As I became accustomed to the steel, though, the easier I found it to be to sharpen it up.

As for the difference between the 154CM and the D2, I can't vouch for the former steel, as I've never owned it, but I do know that the D2 is a very nice EDC steel. Benchmade has used 154CM for a long time, though, so they've probably maximized its performance by now. Long story short - get the knife with the features you like the most, such as blade shape and configuration and handle color, as either steel will serve you well. Assuming you have money for either knife, the roughly $16 price difference is fairly negligible, in the long run.

Good choice in a knife, whichever route you take :thumbup:
 
I've actually never sharpened a knife, I'd have to learn how on my old Paraframe so I could get the basics down before I tried it on my Grip.
 
Consider purchasing a Spyderco SharpMaker as it makes sharpening easier and more efficient. I agree with the other members in once you learn how to sharpen a certain steel, it becomes easier to sharpen.

Are you looking for a primarily cutting tool or a partial hacking tool? D2 does have slightly better edge retention, but 154CM is no slouch. It is not a night and day difference between the two steels, but if the price is right and you want D2, live it up. IIRC there is also a S30V Grip, although that may be a Doug Ritter design (and there was a M2 Ritter as well, although that is big money).
 
NickZac said:
Consider purchasing a Spyderco SharpMaker as it makes sharpening easier and more efficient. I agree with the other members in once you learn how to sharpen a certain steel, it becomes easier to sharpen.

Are you looking for a primarily cutting tool or a partial hacking tool? D2 does have slightly better edge retention, but 154CM is no slouch. It is not a night and day difference between the two steels, but if the price is right and you want D2, live it up. IIRC there is also a S30V Grip, although that may be a Doug Ritter design (and there was a M2 Ritter as well, although that is big money).
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Just cutting basic things, it won't be used very heavily. As far as I know, the only S30V steel Grip is the Ritter and it's about $60 more. Honestly, for what I'll use the knife for, I don't really think it'll make too big of a difference. I just like being able to say I have better steel than the other kind, but they are pretty close I guess.
 
I would go with whatever you can get for less honestly. If you wind up with 154CM, you are going to love it. Down the road you may want crazier steel, but realistically 154CM has good edge retention, good corrosion resistance, good impact resistance, and is easy to sharpen (all if hardened correctly).
 
I've sharpened woodworking chisels for more than 28 years now, and I suppose through the years I took a swipe or two at my Buck 110 or some other knife I might've carried. But really, I never "honestly" tried sharpening a knife before... I was always more afraid I'd mess it up... so I left them dull (now how about that?)

So I went into the sub-forum "The Toolshed:...." and asked about sharpening. Nearly everyone said get a Spyderco Sharpmaker...so I did. I'm not a pro yet, and might never be, but I love that tool!!!
 
NickZac said:
I would go with whatever you can get for less honestly. If you wind up with 154CM, you are going to love it. Down the road you may want crazier steel, but realistically 154CM has good edge retention, good corrosion resistance, good impact resistance, and is easy to sharpen (all if hardened correctly).
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I was actually kind of waiting to see if GPKnives would ever put the Grip on sale, they have the one with the hole in the blade on sale but not the thumbstud version. I could save almost $20 if I wait until i see it on sale.

For now, I suppose I'll for the 154CM blade. Thanks.
 
jfindon said:
I was actually kind of waiting to see if GPKnives would ever put the Grip on sale, they have the one with the hole in the blade on sale but not the thumbstud version. I could save almost $20 if I wait until i see it on sale.

For now, I suppose I'll for the 154CM blade. Thanks.
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I talked to Mike at GPKnives recently and he has the BM 555 model (with hole) on sale because they are being replaced by BM with the hollow ground blades. I don't think the BM 556 (thumb studs) will go on sale. GPKnives is my local knife dealer.
 
MJR said:
I talked to Mike at GPKnives recently and he has the BM 555 model (with hole) on sale because they are being replaced by BM with the hollow ground blades. I don't think the BM 556 (thumb studs) will go on sale. GPKnives is my local knife dealer.
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Bah, that sucks. I have been waiting to see if they'd ever go on sale but I guess they won't :( I had a feeling the ones with the holes were on sale because of that though.
 
jfindon said:
If I go for the D2, is it still worth it in a sense ?
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IMVHO the great advantage of the Griptilians is the price performance ratio. Some may prefer the tool steel over the turbine stainless steel but as it goes for edc i hardly see a big difference.

So my vote says:

Take the standard.

Everything, which makes the Griptilian such a great knife, is in the standard.

As you have noticed: Is it worth the extra?

I think, overall: No!
 
Interesting, so you would say the handles/scales make the knife what it is? I was wondering because I've heard people say the scales on the Griptilian could be better, but you make a point.
 
Not exactly, i say, the knife is what it is by all the components together.

Consider my previous post. The price performance ratio makes the Grip to me. It is a very well designed knife with a material assambly and combination that keeps the price relatively low. Low for that standard of production and design.

G10 would raise the price and therefore disturb, what makes the grip so great.
 
I've had both....I do really like D2, but yeah, at 75ish dollars, you start running into some pretty nice knives like the Kershaw Avalanche etc....I'd say stick with the 154CM/440C versions, they're plenty for most people.
 
Just got the 550 (unfortunately not from new graham as they were out of plain edge by the time i checked) in 154 and I love this knife. I think you can't go wrong, and as I don't know enough about steels and sharpening, I think this one's good for me!

Someone mentioned the handle material. It does feel a bit "cheap" but I quickly got used to it. Having said that, if they did make one in G10 I'd happily pay $20 more for it. I think the design of this knife is great. As someone who put buying off a Grip because I didn't like the handle, I know say Buy One! I can admit when I was wrong...
 
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