Hardness of Native I vs. other s30v models

[Carl64]

My Native I (US-made, s30v) does not work as well all-around as my Native III. It doesn't stay super sharp as long and doesn't like to get sharpened as easily. It's still better than most non-Spyderco or non-Benchmade knives (and actually beats the really cheap stuff Benchmade has been importing), but it is disappointing that my Delica and Native III are both better.

This is annoying because many of the new models I like have s30v, but I hesitate to buy them because I don't want a bunch of new knives that are no better than the Native I. They wouldn't be terrible knives, but if I prefer to use my Native III, Delica, and Endura over the old Native.

So is the old Native (s30v, not 440v) the same hardness as the Paramilitary and Yojimbo?

 

[Sal Glesser]

Hi Carl. The market seems to be divided on VG-10 vs S30V performance.

They are both excellent steels.

CATRA tests say the S30V stays sharper longer. Q-Fog tests say VG-10 resists corrosion better.

sal

 

[sigarms]

Carl64, I recently got the SE Native I in S30V and, today, hacked, chopped and just flat-out used this knife. I got home and checked the sharpness: not as sharp as before. Get this though, I made a strop about a week ago and stropped about 10 times on the ground side, then about 5 on the other; it's as sharp as it was before all the use. The strop is nowhere near as abrasive as the grey stones on a sharpmaker, and I doubt even as abrasive as the white ones. I am really impressed with this steel. I have heard about chipping, but havn't had that happen.
It -seems- like it is harder to sharpen VG-10, for me ( SE Delica, C-III, etc).
I like both steels as far as edge retention. I really tested the Native today, but have put the Delica through some serious workouts, and it came back, with some work.
---Tom

 

[Habeas Corpus]

I recently got the SE Native I in S30V and, today, hacked, chopped and just flat-out used this knife. I got home and checked the sharpness: not as sharp as before. Get this though, I made a strop about a week ago and stropped about 10 times on the ground side, then about 5 on the other; it's as sharp as it was before all the use. <snip> It -seems- like it is harder to sharpen VG-10, for me ( SE Delica, C-III, etc).

Interesting. I find VG-10 somewhat easier to sharpen. I also tend to use a strop to get it back to shaving sharp, and it works really well. I find my VG-10 knives are consistently sharper than my S30V knives. Where S30V excels IMO is wear resistence. There isn't really all that much between these two steels as far as I'm concerned.

What I would like to see some day though is a Spyderco in a decent tool steel such as 52100. I find these steels take an incredible edge, are very easy to sharpen and much tougher than any of the stainless steels. A Native in 52100 would be a killer knife.

Hans