is CRK going to use ZDP?

[JediKnight86]

I just got one of the new WH Rio knives with the ZDP-189 laminated core, and it's stupid sharp! I'm sure most of you have read the review of one of these knives in the latest issue of Blade. What he had to say impressed me, so I bought one and no doubt the blade is amazing! I'm just wondering of CRK will be making Sebenzas or Mnandi's with the ZDP-189. Anyone know?

 

[stjames]

Chris worked with Crucible to help develop CPM S30V, so I doubt that CRK will be changing blade steels again any time soon.

 

[JediKnight86]

Well I dont mean change, but offer both...

 

[Senate]

I hope so, as they used to offer ATS-34...

 

[LaBella]

I love the s30v, myself!!

 

[trane fan]

I love the s30v, myself!!

I agree with the man from Jerzee.

 

[Rhesus Feces]

Howsabout a redesigned Umfaan with a flat ground sheepsfoot blade of ZDP-189, that would be the dog's bollocks!

 

[ccdog]

Anyone have a link to where someone could find out more about this steel?

Thanks,

-john

 

[Esav Benyamin]

I would think that production requirements pretty much rule out a new steel at this point. At a time when the regular products fly out the door as fast as they can make them, and even the Umfaan isn't up for redesign and reissue, looking into a new steel, testing it, designing a blade around it -- not likely. Especially since ZDP-189 doesn't work like S30V, and Chris seems to prefer toughness to a potentially brittle sharpness, it's not really a CRK material.

 

[Boink]

The article said it's a new Japanese steel. Who knows how available it is or for how much. The article did stress that brittleness was not an issue. Jedi will let us know the developments as he uses it, I am certain. The article pretty much sold me on it, but I have not pulled the trigger. I need to pay for my upcoming Seb delivery.

 

[jki]

Given Mr. Reeve's track record of continuous product improvement with respect to blade steel (ATS-34>BG42>S30V), I believe that he will always look to advances in metallurgy as they are developed. If a new steel offers a better combination of performance, price, and manufacturability, then I would expect to see it on future
CRK products. Sometimes, as in the case of CPM-3V on the Nkonka, for example, we may see limited runs based upon a steel that, while offering higher performance, is more costly to produce and thus pushes the price of the cutlery outside of the level that CRK considers to be desirable for regular production. Don't discount the possibility that we may see ZDP on a Sebbie!