Is 154CM better than 440C?

2

22HERTZ

Joined
Nov 7, 2005
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Im looking into buying a Griptillian soon and trying to decide which blade material to get.

I hear good things about Benchmade's 440C heat treatment, but how well do they do 154CM?

What say you?
 
Which ever is cheaper.

Blade steel would be the last thing I'd worry about with the Grips, I'd be more interested in blade style and handle color. ;)


You can't go wrong with either but 154CM is considered "better".
 
not really a steel buff, but technically 154 cm is supposed to hold a better edge, but harder to sharpen. However, I use both steel regularly and I can't really tell the difference in performance. Both have good corrosion resistance. I think unless you're a steel enthusiast, it shouldn't make too much of a difference. just my opinion.
 
UH cha.....yeah 154cm properly heat treated is better than 440c just read the charts. Even then by experience I know that 154 is better than 440.
 
Suppossedly 154cm is better than 440C, but I have knives in 154cm and whats supposed to be its equivilant in japanese steel ATS-34 (I'm pretty sure) and I find it hard for me to get them really sharp. On my sharpmaker I can get everyknife I own hair popping sharp except my SOG Vision (ATS-34) and my Microtech Socom Elite (154CM). I lost my faith in that steel a while ago and I personally would go with 440C. I might be wrong and maybe i'm just sharpening those 2 knives wrong everytime but i'm not to sure thats the case :rolleyes: .
 
Lurp said:
.... On my sharpmaker I can get everyknife I own hair popping sharp except my SOG Vision (ATS-34) and my Microtech Socom Elite (154CM)....
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I've owned a Kershaw 1415 in ATS-34 for a several years. I would have to say that sharpening it was an advisarial chore at best. When I pulled out the "sharpening stuff" to touch-up my blades, it was always the last one I reached for, because I knew I was going to get frustrated. I was never able to get the blade better than marginally sharp, and never shaving sharp. It wasn't until I got an edgepro that I was able to triumph over this blade. Now that it has been taught a little obidience, it's one of my favorite knives.

To offer my opinion on the question: 154CM takes and retains a better edge, but you'll have to work for it. If you are a casual or inexperienced sharpener, go with the 440C.
 
jemelby said:
I've owned a Kershaw 1415 in ATS-34 for a several years. I would have to say that sharpening it was an advisarial chore at best. When I pulled out the "sharpening stuff" to touch-up my blades, it was always the last one I reached for, because I knew I was going to get frustrated. I was never able to get the blade better than marginally sharp, and never shaving sharp. It wasn't until I got an edgepro that I was able to triumph over this blade. Now that it has been taught a little obidience, it's one of my favorite knives.

To offer my opinion on the question: 154CM takes and retains a better edge, but you'll have to work for it. If you are a casual or inexperienced sharpener, go with the 440C.
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My problem is that I have various knives of almost every other kind of steel, such as S30V, VG-10, 440C, various other stainless and various other carbon, but the only one I cant ever get sharp is my 154cm/ATS-34. Even when putting it through my lansky or sharpmaker with a huge amount of passes that would make any knife sharp 3 times over, I just cant seem to get it sharp..enough...
 
jemelby said:
I've owned a Kershaw 1415 in ATS-34 for a several years. I would have to say that sharpening it was an advisarial chore at best. When I pulled out the "sharpening stuff" to touch-up my blades, it was always the last one I reached for, because I knew I was going to get frustrated. I was never able to get the blade better than marginally sharp, and never shaving sharp. It wasn't until I got an edgepro that I was able to triumph over this blade. Now that it has been taught a little obidience, it's one of my favorite knives.

To offer my opinion on the question: 154CM takes and retains a better edge, but you'll have to work for it. If you are a casual or inexperienced sharpener, go with the 440C.
Click to expand...

I have a Kershaw 1500 Mini-Task in ATS-34 and that's how I would describe my sharpening experience with that knife. Just doesn't seem to get sharp.
 
Assuming proper heat/cryo treat, 154CM is superior at edge holding than 440C. No two ways about it. There's only a couple disadvantages at the user level with 154CM. It's more abbrasion resistant, which of course makes it hold an edge longer, but that also means it's more difficult to sharpen (that's the tradeoff). It is also less rust-resistant, but unless it's beadblasted, 154CM still resists corrosion very well.

As for Benchmade specifically, IMO they take 440C just a wee bit harder than they should, and that it's slightly brittle. My 440C balisongs have a slight tendancy to micro-chip. It's still a good steel though, it just needs a bit more attention than my other knives. BM does an excellent job on 154CM. I'd get the 154CM Griptilian myself, unless there's a really good deal on the old 440C version.
 
The 154CM seems to be selling cheaper than the 440C...go figure

For those who cant put an edge on the 154CM, are you experienced sharpeners?

EDIT: To add I am also contemplating the D2 Cabela version, but I think a black blade would not be very sheeple freindly...so I was going to try to go with a satin finished blade, but if 154CM wont get scary sharp and 440C is at the lower end of the steels would I be better off with D2?
 
154CM is enhanced 440C so it is a step up from it. I'd go with the 154CM blade.

STR
 
22HERTZ said:
The 154CM seems to be selling cheaper than the 440C...go figure

For those who cant put an edge on the 154CM, are you experienced sharpeners?

EDIT: To add I am also contemplating the D2 Cabela version, but I think a black blade would not be very sheeple freindly...so I was going to try to go with a satin finished blade, but if 154CM wont get scary sharp and 440C is at the lower end of the steels would I be better off with D2?
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D2 would be no easier to sharpen than 154-CM. Edge holding would be slightly better with D2, as would the toughness. Though they call D2 "semi-stainless" it will still rust without proper care. 154-CM would only be marginally more difficult to sharpen than 440C, and if you are experienced in sharpening your knives, you should have no problems. 154-CM is generally harder, tougher, and more wear resistant than 440C.
 
Assuming they are both properly heat treated, 154CM is deffinately superior to 440C. I personally don't find it that much harder to sharpen, and both will take a very sharp edge.

D2 will be harder to sharpen than either of them, but will also hold its edge better.
 
I don't seem to have any trouble sharpening 154CM, ATS34, D2, or too much
of anything else so far. M2 takes a little longer than others. The only knife
that's ever given me any real trouble is an OLD gerber with what appears to
be a cast iron handle. I don't know what the blade steel is, but it left gouges
in my arkansas stones... I haven't had the opportunity to sharpen either of
my knives with VG10 blades, but their time will come...

Sam
 
How much trouble would a D2 blade be?
I live in GA where it gets humid, and I do a lot of fishing where the possiblilty of the knife getting wet is high.
Would D2 be out of the question in my case...and if not is D2 worth the extra effort VS 154CM or 440C?

Thanks for helping me make this seemingly impossible decision:D
 
22HERTZ said:
How much trouble would a D2 blade be?
I live in GA where it gets humid, and I do a lot of fishing where the possiblilty of the knife getting wet is high.
Would D2 be out of the question in my case...and if not is D2 worth the extra effort VS 154CM or 440C?

Thanks for helping me make this seemingly impossible decision:D
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I've spent many years at sea and in salt water environments, and I've never had anything in 440c or 154cm show any corrosion. In fact, the only things that rusted on me were Gerber products, such as multi-tools and covert-folders, but then, I don't remember what they were made out of.
Anything else (usually Benchmade/Spyderco) was usually just washed/rinsed in fresh water and oiled once every few months.
 
Both are very good and will serve you well. 440C is probably more stain resistent with higher Cr content but 154CM is a very strong tough steel. I find 440C a bit easier to sharpen but only by a small margin. I always like both of them and would take whichever one was priced the lowest. Just make sure that the knife you buy comes from a real knife manufacturer that takes pride in the quality of their products and want a good reputation. Also handle them to see which feels best in your hand as they all have different handles and sizes and some just seem to "fit" better than others.

Here is a link geared to knife makers. It is somewhat "techy" but has some interesting comparison. Like why are VG-10 (Spyderco steel) and ATS-55 the only knives that use "cobalt"?

http://www.ajh-knives.com/metals.html
 
Sharpening ATS34, 154CM and S30V is easier and actually faster than sharpening a carbon steel blade. You must use a diamond stone to sharpen it. Use water with the diamond stone.
 
440C is my fave..Timberline Zambezi is a fine example of a great blade.
Thinner folding knives like top-line Spyderco's use harder steels like VG10,etc.
The purpose/use of the knife determines the choices in steel or blade designs.
 
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