Kershaw BOA with S30V... WHY?!!

M

mhasman

Joined
Nov 30, 2005
Messages
275
New on the Forum.

I received my BOA 1580 yesterday. Really like it, very nice stile, design and quality.
But...I found blade marks like S30V! I expected it must be S60V like marks on the Kershaw Official Site, and all others knifes resources.
Could you recommend me please what to do -- try communicate with Kershaw maybe?
Thanks!

BOA.gif
 
Most consider S30V to be an improvement. Maybe the newer Boas have it as opposed to the CPM440V or other steels.

If you absolutely hate S30V, I bet you might find someone to trade yours for an older one here on Bladeforums.

Good luck and welcome to BF
 
i think he was expecting better , not worse.

he said it was suposed to be S60V. the website definately say s60v...twice.
but it still might be a typo





...wait, uh o. im not that savy on steels. i read somwhere on these forums that 440V is the same as one of the SV steels?
 
Krull said:
If they make them in S30V now I'll buy one! :D Always hated that 440V crap :D
Click to expand...
Really? I always supposed S60V is better then new S30V... Could you educate me a little bit, please? Maybe I'm worry by misunderstood, and I received better knife then I expected?
Thanks!
 
Give Kershaw a call at 800-325-2891 and inquire about the difference in what they have on their website and what you received. I'd be willing to guess that their website has a typo.

You can find a brief explanation about S30V and S60V on Joe Talmadge's Steel FAQ in the Toolshed forum.

I'd personally prefer S30V over S60V, based upon his description.
 
S30V is a definite improvement over S60V. S60V holds an edge great but it is a real bear to sharpen. S30v holds an edge better and it's easier to sharpen.
 
The Boa used to be made with S60V (440V), I don't know when they changed it but maybe the website just hasn't been updated.
 
anthony cheeseboro said:
S30v holds an edge better and it's easier to sharpen.
Click to expand...

Boa is my first knife, I'd like to see it in best condition, but I don't have any experience to sharp knifes. Where I can sharp it in Chicago?
Thanks again! :)
 
I don't have any personal experience with CPM440V/CPMS60V (these are two different designations of the same steel). However, most regard S30V as superior to S60V. AFAIK Crucible has stopped completely to make S60V due to the lack of demand, but maybe Satrang will correct me here. The designation referes to the amount of Vanadium in the steel and has nothing to do with the quality of the steel. S60V has more Vanadium carbides which improve edgeholding, but S60V lacks the toughness of S30V and is generally regarded as a b!+$# to reprofile and to some extent to sharpen (depending on how much material you are going to remove while sharpening). Considering that S30V is already very wearresistant I am not surprised. Pretty much all companies have replaced S60V with S30V in their flagship models (like Spyderco's Military and Chinook) as S30V is considered to be the better trait-off in steel properties. Though there are still some people that appreciate the extremely high wear of S60V. Hope this helps.

Unless, you bought the Boa specifically to get a sample of S60V, you probably got a newer and improved version with the S30V.
 
Don't! Let me repeat: Do not bring the knife to some knife/sissor sharpening service somewhere close by unless you know one that has been vouched for. Chances are, that they will ruin your knife. Either sent it in to Kershaw for sharpening or better yet, buy a Spyderco Sharpmaker it will handle the recurved blade.
 
HoB said:
Don't! Let me repeat: Do not bring the knife to some knife/sissor sharpening service somewhere close by unless you know one that has been vouched for. Chances are, that they will ruin your knife.
Click to expand...
This reason I ask here first :)

HoB said:
Either sent it in to Kershaw for sharpening or better yet, buy a Spyderco Sharpmaker it will handle the recurved blade.
Click to expand...
Is it easy to use for beginer? I don't want to corrupt my first real knife :)
 
yes, they'll NEVER know what to do with a recurve and end up screwing it up pretty badly. Just sharpmaker it.

S60V left at 60+Rc wont roll, but it'll chip instead, leaving it in the 50s leaves it with an edge that'll roll with use, but be a pain to sharpen since it's so wear resistant
 
Sharpmaker= vertical strokes and ONLY use the corners of the stone so you don't flatten the recurve out
 
mhasman said:
New on the Forum.

I received my BOA 1580 yesterday. Really like it, very nice stile, design and quality.
But...I found blade marks like S30V! I expected it must be S60V like marks on the Kershaw Official Site, and all others knifes resources.
Could you recommend me please what to do -- try communicate with Kershaw maybe?
Thanks!

BOA.gif
Click to expand...

I definetely prefer s30v to s60v
 
Well CPM S60V 8 times more abrasive resistant then CPM S30V. CPM S30V is tougher. Both things affects edge retention, so can not really say which one it better on this matter. But CPM S30V were too much promoted last years. It is defenetly better to grind - less abrasive to use, however few years before it was CPM S30V - super steel of the moment.

As I understand Crucible came up with two new steels to substitute CPM S60V - CPM S90V - top grade substitute and CPM S30V low grade substitute. Look at this picture from their website:

CPM-06.jpg


However knife industry choose to go with CPM S30V loosing in Abrasive Resistant and gain bit of toughness.

CPM S60V is probably most Abrasive Resistant on the market and nobody so far stared produce knives with CPM S90V. It is very hard to machine.

However for regular use I double difference will be too big.

I hope Sal soon will let us experience this steel and CPM S120V also.

If you whant best one in production - it will be ZDP-189 I think.

Thanks, Vassili
 
nozh2002 said:
Well CPM S60V 8 times more abrasive resistant then CPM S30V. CPM S30V is tougher. Both things affects edge retention, so can not really say which one it better on this matter.
Click to expand...

There are almost no stainless steels for which wear resistance has been lacking, certainly not our favorites in recent years. s30v is more wear resistant than most steels we have been using in knives so far by a good amount (all the big ones in the chart are cpm or other unusual steels - note that it still beats 440c and 154cm). More wear resistance than s30v is the last think you need, so it's not a good trade to give up anything else to get it.
 
Carl64 said:
There are almost no stainless steels for which wear resistance has been lacking, certainly not our favorites in recent years. s30v is more wear resistant than most steels we have been using in knives so far by a good amount (all the big ones in the chart are cpm or other unusual steels - note that it still beats 440c and 154cm). More wear resistance than s30v is the last think you need, so it's not a good trade to give up anything else to get it.
Click to expand...

I am not saying that it is worse then other top stainless steel (exept ZDP-189 I think). But it is a trade off in comparison with old CPM S60V and for sure CPM S90V which has same toughness. Again CPM S60V has top grade substitute and low grade substitute which is on the top anyway. But I will not say that CPM S30V is far better then CPM S60V, more machinable and tougher, but 8 times less wear resistant.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
I had heard a couple of years ago that Crucible was going to quit making S60V when their existing inventory ran out. Since Kershaw was the only company buying it, I'm guessing that supply ran out and S30V is the only thing on the block now. Only Crucible can answer that for sure though.
 
mhasman said:
Really? I always supposed S60V is better then new S30V... Could you educate me a little bit, please? Maybe I'm worry by misunderstood, and I received better knife then I expected?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Here's some info about the steel used in knives that may be of interest.

http://www.ajh-knives.com/metals.html

If you scrool about half way down the list you will find a section about "CPM" steels.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top