- Joined
- Jan 8, 2019
- Messages
- 26
Pretty excited. Just ordered my first Spyderco, and my first knife with exotic steel. Spyderco Military in CPM’s Rex45 steel.
What made my decision was the size of the knife, the alloy content of the blade, and some of the commentary I’ve read and listened to, about Rex45 steel, from a few more experienced sharpeners such as Michael Christy and Big Brown Bear. Another steel I was really thinking about was CPM-M4 or Hitachi’s HAP-40. Both of these are also high-speed tool steels with good amounts of tungsten, cobalt, molybdenum, and also some vanadium. All have good toughness and great wear resistance. It’s been said that CPM Rex45 could be the successor to CPM-M4. I don’t know about that, but, from what I’ve read and seen, it compares favorably, and that’s a good thing, considering how well M4 is liked by people who know.
I also really like the burnt orange scales.
I did order the knife from Bento Box Shop. From some reading I did on forums, I gathered that there are mixed reviews on BBS, with lots of people not liking their policy of not doing returns, and of being more expensive on certain knives. On the other hand, some people also pointed out that a no-returns policy works both ways, in that you don’t have to worry about receiving someone else’s rejected knife.
As far as price, BBS had the Rex45 “on sale” for $181.97, which was the price that most every retailer was selling them for, when they were in stock. Of course, shipping was $14.99. The total of $196.96 shipped was the cheapest I could find it, by about $15 (the only other retailer I found, who had the knife, was a place called Safe And Lock Store.com, and they were $209 shipped.
The other Military model I was considering was the Cru-Wear, for $260. But that’s $100 more than what that model was selling for when it came out. I thought the Rex was a better deal (and it’s a more interesting color).
Anyway, I look forward to putting this thing to some good use! I’ll play around with it in the kitchen, use it for general cutting, EDC it on the weekends, and also carry it while running.
I’ll update when I get it and use it a little bit.
Edge toughness comparison on brass drifts between CPM M4 and CPM Rex45 by Big Brown Bear:
What made my decision was the size of the knife, the alloy content of the blade, and some of the commentary I’ve read and listened to, about Rex45 steel, from a few more experienced sharpeners such as Michael Christy and Big Brown Bear. Another steel I was really thinking about was CPM-M4 or Hitachi’s HAP-40. Both of these are also high-speed tool steels with good amounts of tungsten, cobalt, molybdenum, and also some vanadium. All have good toughness and great wear resistance. It’s been said that CPM Rex45 could be the successor to CPM-M4. I don’t know about that, but, from what I’ve read and seen, it compares favorably, and that’s a good thing, considering how well M4 is liked by people who know.
I also really like the burnt orange scales.
I did order the knife from Bento Box Shop. From some reading I did on forums, I gathered that there are mixed reviews on BBS, with lots of people not liking their policy of not doing returns, and of being more expensive on certain knives. On the other hand, some people also pointed out that a no-returns policy works both ways, in that you don’t have to worry about receiving someone else’s rejected knife.
As far as price, BBS had the Rex45 “on sale” for $181.97, which was the price that most every retailer was selling them for, when they were in stock. Of course, shipping was $14.99. The total of $196.96 shipped was the cheapest I could find it, by about $15 (the only other retailer I found, who had the knife, was a place called Safe And Lock Store.com, and they were $209 shipped.
The other Military model I was considering was the Cru-Wear, for $260. But that’s $100 more than what that model was selling for when it came out. I thought the Rex was a better deal (and it’s a more interesting color).
Anyway, I look forward to putting this thing to some good use! I’ll play around with it in the kitchen, use it for general cutting, EDC it on the weekends, and also carry it while running.
I’ll update when I get it and use it a little bit.
Edge toughness comparison on brass drifts between CPM M4 and CPM Rex45 by Big Brown Bear: