Help me pick an Endura

Durham68

Durham68

Joined
Jun 23, 2015
Messages
188
I had an Endura when I was a kid and loved it right up until I tried to used it as a pry bar. I am finally going to buy a new Endura after 15 years and can't seem to choose between the available steels. I am fine with VG10, but V-Toku2, ZDP-189, SG2, HAP40 all have me wondering what is the best option. This will be an EDC knife, but subject to occasional abuse/misuse (just no more prying). My priorities are toughness>edge retention>price>rust resistance>ease of sharpening. Chipping is a huge pet peeve of mine lately if that matters.

So far I have found the following options readily available online. Price is not really an issue. The gold lock on the SG2 and the orange scales on the HAP40 bother me enough that I would consider buying two and swapping parts.

VG10 - $78
V-Toku2 - $88
ZDP-189 - $115
HAP40 - $130
SG2 - $130 (and a wait)

Thanks in advance.
 
I carry a ZDP-189 version, but I don't have to worry about rust in west Texas and mine doesn't ever do anything but cut. The SAK gets all the prying, twisting, etc.

If you're doing any "abuse" sort of tasks with it I'd just get the standard VG-10. It performs well and is much cheaper than the alternatives.
 
At the prices listed, I’d go with the v toku2 over vg10 because it’s an exclusive and only a $10 difference. However, I’ve bought 4 VG10 Enduras all new between the prices of $50-$60 in the last like 3 months. At that price, the vg10 would be hard to beat from a value perspective.

Any of these would be great choices so it’s hard to say. I like hap40 quite a bit personally but I think I’ll also like V Toku2 quite a bit. Especially at that price.
 
I have the ZDP-189 and won't ever give it up but it can chip and is not the easiest to sharpen so go with one of the others. Don't discount VG10 I like it a lot in my other knives.
 
Danke42 said:
Get the V-Toku2.
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This is where I am leaning but don’t know anything about it. Have to do a little reading. I like the scale colors.

Kreyzhorse said:
I think VG10 is a fantastic steel and a great place to start in an Endura.
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Agreed. I have a Delica 4 in VG10 and it is great. I’d love to have something just as tough that needs a little less sharpening.

cashville said:
However, I’ve bought 4 VG10 Enduras all new between the prices of $50-$60 in the last like 3 months.
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Are you getting those here on the forum or retail?
 
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Durham68 said:
This is where I am leaning but don’t know anything about it. Have to do a little reading. I like the scale colors.



Agreed. I have a Delica 4 in VG10 and it is great. I’d love to have something just as tough that needs a little less sharpening.



Are you getting those here on the forum or retail?
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V-Toku 2, in my limited experience, is a great steel and a definite upgrade from vg10, but I dislike the laminates. I'm not concerned with rust personally and would prefer a full patina over the darkened edge and scratched up softer overlay.
 
Durham68 said:
I had an Endura when I was a kid and loved it right up until I tried to used it as a pry bar. I am finally going to buy a new Endura after 15 years and can't seem to choose between the available steels. I am fine with VG10, but V-Toku2, ZDP-189, SG2, HAP40 all have me wondering what is the best option. This will be an EDC knife, but subject to occasional abuse/misuse (just no more prying). My priorities are toughness>edge retention>price>rust resistance>ease of sharpening. Chipping is a huge pet peeve of mine lately if that matters.

So far I have found the following options readily available online. Price is not really an issue. The gold lock on the SG2 and the orange scales on the HAP40 bother me enough that I would consider buying two and swapping parts.

VG10 - $78
V-Toku2 - $88
ZDP-189 - $115
HAP40 - $130
SG2 - $130 (and a wait)

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...


Hap40 is amazing, but swapping blades on frn is from what I’ve heard a pita. I didn’t know the vtoku-2 was available yet. VG10 is fine knife steel. Btw have you tried a stretch?
 
Knifecenter HAP40/SUS410 Pakkawood.
rvKFwxD.gif
 
Kreyzhorse said:
I think VG10 is a fantastic steel and a great place to start in an Endura.
Click to expand...

Right there with you. I love Spyderco's VG10, and when it comes to price/performance ratio, I think the VG10 model really shines. It's a great all-around steel. I've got a Delica in VG10 (and likely an Endura soon) and I thinned behind the edge a little bit and I have to say that with a 30DPS edge with 40DPS microbevel, it holds a working edge for a very long time. Even if the hair popping edge is gone, it maintains its function because it can really hold up when it's nice and thin behind the edge.
 
b00n said:
Knifecenter HAP40/SUS410 Pakkawood.
rvKFwxD.gif
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Definitely agree with this one. It’s a little more expensive, but watch Nick Shabazz’s YouTube review on this one! I don’t own it, (I do have a caly3 and a manbug in the hap40/sus410)but it gets Nick’s seal of approval (though he leans toward the delica for size) plus you won’t have to do a blade swap! From my experience(I use it everyday) hap40 holds a great edge, isn’t chippy and is pretty easy and quick to sharpen. I have 4 enduras in vg-10 and never had an issue. Btw, vtoku-2 looks like it would be the least stain resistant of the steels OP mentioned, but (maybe?) the toughest.
 
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For toughness, V-Toku2 then HAP-40 will likely be the top. Super Gold isn't known for being an especially tough steel, and ZDP-189 is known for being a bit on the chippy side. The toughest stainless they've used anytime recently would be VG-10, but for just a few bucks more you can get V-Toku2 which is supposed to be an extremely tough steel. HAP-40 is moderately tough with great wear resistance but mediocre corrosion resistance (close to the performance of M4), but if scales are appealing to you the HAP-40 model is available with nice looking wood scales.

My personal choice for toughness in the Endura platform would be V-Toku2, then HAP-40, then VG-10.
 
T.L.E. Sharp said:
V-Toku 2, in my limited experience, is a great steel and a definite upgrade from vg10, but I dislike the laminates. I'm not concerned with rust personally and would prefer a full patina over the darkened edge and scratched up softer overlay.
Click to expand...

Maybe a little off topic, but: do you dislike the laminates for functional or for cosmetic reasons only? My guess is that laminates save $15-20 off the final price of the knife, but apart from the reasons you mentioned don’t seem to detract from the performance of the knife. I haven’t owned one for long enough to see how well they hold up long term
 
BITEME said:
Hap40, the burnt orange is my favorite Spyderco color
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Like the OP, I wasn't a fan of the burnt orange either. A $2 RIT dye fix:

cvEDKC4h.jpg


Yonose said:
Hap40 is amazing, but swapping blades on frn is from what I’ve heard a pita. I didn’t know the vtoku-2 was available yet. VG10 is fine knife steel. Btw have you tried a stretch?
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I didn't find disassembly/reassembly of the frn Endura/Delica difficult at all. I don't believe Vtoku-2 Endura's are out yet. And yes, the Stretch is a great knife.
 
Yonose said:
Maybe a little off topic, but: do you dislike the laminates for functional or for cosmetic reasons only? My guess is that laminates save $15-20 off the final price of the knife, but apart from the reasons you mentioned don’t seem to detract from the performance of the knife. I haven’t owned one for long enough to see how well they hold up long term
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Purely cosmetic. They function fine, but since the ZDP-189 version exists and isn't a laminate it's where I spend my money.
 
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