How much would you pay for an "upgraded" steel on a knife?

If you really think you're going to put the knife to extreme enough use to require the more expensive steel over Elmax, and if you think you will notice the difference in the steels, then buy the more expensive steel.
 
Knave said:
I don't really understand the constant pursuit of super steels, at least for folding knives. I guess I just don't know what people are actually doing with their folders that requires that kind of strength. In the 15 or so years I've been interested in knives, I've been just as happy with ATS-34, ATS-55 and 154CM as with the steel du jour. I suspect that, for the vast majority of us, it's want more than need.
Click to expand...

I think many enthusiasts just like to own something that is better than the average. I know that people with lots of other interests like to pay extra for something better than average.

There are some people that can make use of the better steel. One of my rough use knives is a Manix 2 in 154CM steel. I can break down a stack of boxes in my garage and get it dull. I've read other people say that their similar knife would get dull in one day but when they got a knife in M390 it would stay sharp much longer. Most of my knives don't get used that much and would probably be fine with mundane steels but I still will consider the upgrade when it is available.

In my EDC rotation I have roughly the following:
2 in M390, 2 in 154CM, 1 in D2, 1 in Elmax, 2 in S30V,1 in M4, 1 in S110V, 2 in Cruwear
 
Well I bought my brother in law a Spyderco Dragonfly for his birthday in 2009 and paid 20 dollars extra for the VG-10 blade.The standard blade was aus-8 and was 49 dollars if memory serves correct.Had I known he would never use it(sharpening would ruin the resale value doncha' know)I would have got the aus-8 version.This is the same mouth breather that wanted to borrow my 30 year old Case 6318 to scrape a cylinder head free of the old gasket material and thought I was a dick when I put the quahitas to that notion.
 
I apologize if my post appeared a bit snarky..... All I meant was I see no problem "settling" for Elmax.

No matter which way you go, both steels are a cut above.
 
dano said:
I think it's silly. It's marketing over perceived performance.
Click to expand...

Fully agree. I've had the most consistent, reliable and predictable performance from 154CM/ATS34 and S30V. Not really a huge fan of the crazy-high hardness super steels cause when I'm out using my knife hard, I'll take an edge roll over a chip any day and always have my small diamond stones in my kit. For instance, I even feel like Chris Reeve's switch to S35VN was a mistake. But I hear it's easier to work with and anyway, what do I know better than Chris Reeve.

If you're a collector and you want the limited runs, or like the exotic steels on a high end custom, I totally get it. But if it's a user, you'll be just fine with Elmax. Great high-hardness steel. Don't forget these are all great steels, and the differences, while chemically distinct, can be nearly indiscernible in most applications.
 
Last edited:
willis said:
Well I bought my brother in law a Spyderco Dragonfly for his birthday in 2009 and paid 20 dollars extra for the VG-10 blade.The standard blade was aus-8 and was 49 dollars if memory serves correct.Had I known he would never use it(sharpening would ruin the resale value doncha' know)I would have got the aus-8 version.This is the same mouth breather that wanted to borrow my 30 year old Case 6318 to scrape a cylinder head free of the old gasket material and thought I was a dick when I put the quahitas to that notion.
Click to expand...

Lmfao. Had a similar experience with my brother in law. Anyone without a lot of experience using good knives, or that unexplainable attraction to a blade with just the right lines - an evolutionary inheritance imo - will never see the differences in the steels, or really care.

I've tried explaining it to my wife many times, and cause she's a wonderful loving woman, she nods her head, smiles, and dutifully gives me a "ooooh, that's sharp" or "that's great baby." That's probably the best we can hope for.
 
I'd only pay the extra if I knew the company making the knife heat treated and ground the knife to make use of the extra performance potential. One can heat treat M390 to where it isn't any higher performing than Elmax, S30V, S35VN, etc. Likewise it can be made to perform at a very high level. That is when it's worth the extra money.
 
I'll pay $15-20, depending on the knife, for a folder. I'll pay more for a FB. IMHO, steel choice is less important in a folder just due to it's typical use and role, at least for me.

and in FB's, I really like 1095. The niftiest steel I have is SR-101, and so far I like it. But I've also got a condor kukri in 1075 that I've whacked around in trees all day long for days on end that held it's edge like a champ. Shrug.
 
If the steel is so super duper, that it takes me hours to sharpen it. I don't want it.

Elmax is relatively easy to reprofile and sharpen, but when I owned a Sleipner blade, it took me almost two hours to reprofile the blade and sharpen it up to a utility edge.
 
I've been making knives for a few years now, and have been a knife fanatic for 45 years. I've used virtually every steel available from 1084 to the older 440V to Elmax to M4 and I'll say this, and it's just my opinion, but 99% of users couldn't tell the difference. If I were making a knife for myself, it would be 440C for stainless and 52100 for carbon. I have a Buck 110 in 420HC and one in bG42. I've used them side by side as well as letting other knife makers and users use them side by side and couldn't tell a noticeable difference. So I would not spend more money on the same knife just to get an "upgraded" steel. But I still think Case XX chrome vanadium is awesome so go figure.
 
Do race-car drivers insist on expensive, special-built tires for the INDY 500? Certainly.
Can you get to WalMart and back with just a cheap set of used tires off the gas-station rack? Sure.
What kind of performance do you NEED/EXPECT from you EDC folder?
What will be the result if your steel "fails to deliver" when you most need it?

A better steel is just an insurance package for your knife. Do you prefer to gamble with a lesser steel?
Pretty clear to me.
 
dano said:
I think it's silly. It's marketing over perceived performance.
Click to expand...

For the very casual user, just take a SAK and be happy. For the rest of us, it's PROVEN performance over LESSER performance.
Needs will vary; dollars follow needs.
 
I'm curious what kind of things people are cutting to want the latest and most expensive steel? I think it's like the people out there who need the latest iPhone model. Whatever makes a person happy I guess.
 
I pay 115 dollars to upgrade my Caly 3.5 carbon fiber handle from ZDP-189 to VG10. Some would not consider this an upgrade but I do.

I agree that most people can't tell much difference between the different steels in real world chores. Where I judge my steels is on the sharpening stone, and how often and how much time I spend there. Based on this criteria, I like M4 and VG10 the best of the steels I have used.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top