If they're going to retire 15V, Maxamet, and Rex 121, what are they going to replace them with?

I thought it's been said here that much of the blade steel we get is literally the extras or only produced because there are major orders for other materials made using said steels...? And I want to say the only reason 15V is going away isn't so much Crucible shutting down since Erasteel bought them but that there isn't another order for more 15V for whatever the original run was actually primarily for??? As in since the industry seems to be just big enough for MagnaCut sales they keep rolling that out and I'm pretty sure that is just a cutlery steel and isn't used for anything else. I doubt there are very many dedicated steels just for the blade industry.

Or am I all completely wrong on all this???
 
The real question which will determine availability of these steels is, "How much is being sold into industrial applications?" With the possible exception of Magnicut, the knife market does not use enough steel to justify making an alloy available.
 
SharpBits said:
15V was made by Crucible Industries LLC, who went out of business. They weren't "allergic to making money", they simply weren't making enough profit to stay in business. Their IP was purchased by a European company who does not yet have the ability to produce 15v. They are also are not "allergic to making money".

In every industry, slow or small volume sellers are frequently discontinued to free up manufacturing space for things that actually sell and make the company profit. Again, not "allergic to making money".
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im allergic to not making money.......it will lead to death eventually, its that serious ......
 
SharpBits said:
15V was made by Crucible Industries LLC, who went out of business. They weren't "allergic to making money", they simply weren't making enough profit to stay in business. Their IP was purchased by a European company who does not yet have the ability to produce 15v. They are also are not "allergic to making money".

In every industry, slow or small volume sellers are frequently discontinued to free up manufacturing space for things that actually sell and make the company profit. Again, not "allergic to making money".
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Basically it's just like when my favorite BBQ sauce gets pulled off the store shelves
 
Blues said:
Move along...




(Thank you)
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my fault, sorry Mods.....noted and will do......


iback on topic...is there a full official type list of which crucible steels erasteel isn't going to make?
 
I do like pushing the boundaries on steels, but for my uses the trade off in durability doesn't make any sense. The ultra high edge retention has an application for some folks, but I think s110v is plenty, no need to go less durable and more edge retention (for me) but to each their own. Cardboard cut tests need a hero as well lol

I like balanced steels and ones I can repair after rougher use.
 
Blues said:
So your job is easy, Shawn.

Simply identify the steel which produces the thinnest, most durable edge for every application. (And the appropriate heat treat...goes without saying.)

Thank me later. ☺️
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Hehe,

Can't tell you how many times I thought something was doing better for durability and then realized it was just a thicker edge than what was being compared.

Got to say it louder sometimes for the people in the back.
 
I think we are spoiled in the knife community to have the steel choices we do! Maybe we will see more K390 etc… Spyderco is the best in the business at giving us so many flavors of steel! I’m sure they are staying ahead of the curve and going to find ways to get us cool steels.Maybe Bohler or Carpenter will do a collab steel like SPY27!
 
Since the Chinese don't respect IP in any way, I'm a little surprised they haven't decided to fill the gap on this. I suppose anyone that was caught using it would get the Bark River treatment.
 
goat991 said:
Thats basically every supersteel on the market going extinct. I understand retiring Maxamet but 15V seems like knife companies being allergic to making money.
Apparently 15Vs are very hard to make and not commercially viable anymore. If they have the tools I don't see why they cant just start making them again but I'm no metallurgist.

I know Magnamax is entering the market but thats only 63 hrc and I don't think it even comes close to Maxamet. M398 also feels underwhelming. I don't think I've ever seen a Z-max blade.
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20250104_160053.jpg knife on the left is Z-Max made by navman navman
 
marcus aurelius said:
Since the Chinese don't respect IP in any way, I'm a little surprised they haven't decided to fill the gap on this. I suppose anyone that was caught using it would get the Bark River treatment.
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As I understand it, the technology is not easily copied otherwise we would see it elsewhere.
 
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