Looking to get a folder with Elmax or s35vn. Suggestions?

J

JDX

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Mar 2, 2014
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The most exotic steels my knives use are vg10 (Delica) and s30v (pm2/blur) I want to try out other steels and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

This knife will be part of my edc rotation, on any given day, im cutting through carpet, cardboard, splicing wires, and then general light duty tasks. I don't know Much about either steel so any input is welcome.

I would like the blade to be a manual folder or easily deassisted folder. 2.5-3.5 inch blade, any blade shape besides tanto. For the handle, I'd prefer titanium handles, but it's not super important. Lock type can be anything except lock back. Liner locks are fine, just boring imo.

Budget: $150 (including shipping)

Really looking into spyderco, benchmade and zero tolerance. But I'm open to suggestion!
 
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pick up a sprint run S35VN PM2 on the exchange, I have one and have enjoyed using it.

highly recommend a ZT 0808 as well.

the ZT 0900 also comes highly recommended for a smaller blade, as it is a stout little folder that seems quite capable.

all recommendations are S35VN steel, reputable quality manufacturers, and I'm pretty sure can be picked up on the exchange for around your price range.
 
Ankerson ranks those two steels pretty well equal for cutting 5/8" rope in his tests. Both are good steels and often used in quality products. Bloody's reco for the ZT 0808 or the PM2 are excellent ones. I have both and both models are outstanding. You can find the 0808 as-new on the Exchange for $140-150 recently and I enjoy mine a lot.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...based-on-Edge-Retention-cutting-5-8-quot-rope
 
While the ZTs mentioned above are nice knives, they are framelocks, and the OP said any lock but framelock.
 
Knave said:
While the ZTs mentioned above are nice knives, they are framelocks, and the OP said any lock but framelock.
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thank you for catching that. I don't know how I mixed that up, I meant lock backs and made the corrections. Thank you though!
 
All great suggestions.....I'll add the Manix 2 in s110v. I have one for a couple of months and love it!
Excellent build, cool lock, smooth and fast action and the best edge I've ever gotten on a Spydie!
Really nothing not to like about this one!
Joe

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Second ZT 0566 and PM2 S35VN suggestions.

Would also look into a Spyderco GB2. M4 steel is amazing stuff and this blade is a bargain at $137.
 
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blades&wrenches said:
Second ZT 0566 and PM2 S35VN suggestions.

Would also look into a Spyderco GB2. M4 steel is amazing stuff and this blade is a bargain at $137.
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I second the Gayle Bradley 2. It's probably the best value in a production knife on the market right now. Very high build quality and looks awesome as well. It's a liner lock and the only drawback is that the way they cut the scales it takes some getting used to when unlocking the knife, but man is it so worth it. Just a wonderful looking and performing knife.
 
ZT: 566, 801, 560/1, 550/1, 450, 350, 900. The 560/1 will have to be found used to be in the price range, honorable mention to the 808, but it is a $200 knife under MAP so it is hard to find cheaper.

Kizer: Ki4419 (cheapest S35VN knife I have seen), and really you can just look at any Kizer under $150. Once you get a hair over $100 everything is S35VN. Blade HQ has quite a few S35VN models for a good amount under $100 which is a hell of a deal.
 
Spyderco Native 5 in S35VN or S90V or S110V

Spyderco Manix 2 LW in S110V

I used my Manix S110V to cut up the old carpet from 2 bedrooms and a living room easily. A few quick touch ups on a Sharpmaker was all it needed.

My primary EDC is a Delica in ZDP-189.
 
Spyderco and ZT will have the most offerings in those steels. I'm not aware of Benchmade using either S35VN or Elmax, but I may have forgotten something from them. Anyways, the Para 2 is available in either of those steels. An Elmax Para 2 is my fav of the Paras that I have. It's been through the wringer at work, in the woods, and around the house and is still doing fine. I also have "feelings" for my ZT 566BW. I've used that one quite a bit and the Elmax has held up well on it.

My only other experiences with those steels ar ein fixed blades. I've had BRKT FBs in both steels. They do well with BRKT's convex edge in a small FB.
 
The tasks mentioned will put any blade steel to the test. As mentioned before, the ZT 0566 is a great option with Elmax under $150. Fits great in the hand and holds an edge well compared to many options.
 
Kizer has an expansive catalogue in that price range, just packed with Ti Framelocks with S35VN steel. That said, all of the suggestions so far are great and it'll just come down to personal preference! If you already have a Para and like it, maybe try the S35VN! I'll tell you, though, the main advantage of S35VN over S30V is finer grain structure which equates to a slightly better potential edge and reduced chipping (smaller, more evenly distributed carbides in the steel)

I might be misremembering that and can't be bothered to fact-check.

Elmax will present a much better broadening of steel choices in your setup. There isn't much in that price range now that ZT is switching over to S35VN, though.
 
Comeuppance said:
Kizer has an expansive catalogue in that price range, just packed with Ti Framelocks with S35VN steel. That said, all of the suggestions so far are great and it'll just come down to personal preference! If you already have a Para and like it, maybe try the S35VN! I'll tell you, though, the main advantage of S35VN over S30V is finer grain structure which equates to a slightly better potential edge and reduced chipping (smaller, more evenly distributed carbides in the steel)

I might be misremembering that and can't be bothered to fact-check.

Elmax will present a much better broadening of steel choices in your setup. There isn't much in that price range now that ZT is switching over to S35VN, though.
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Thanks for the info! Would you say then that s35vn is superior to Elmax ?
 
JDX said:
Thanks for the info! Would you say then that s35vn is superior to Elmax ?
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For the majority of users, even a lot of nuts, you would be hard pressed to find a difference. The steels perform pretty similarly. I prefer Elmax, but the finer grain structure on S35VN does net a noticeable difference. You can't really go wrong with either.
 
Given both steel the "proper" heat treat, Elmax is a much better steel than S35VN. It significantly tougher at the same hardness, higher wear resistance and corrosion resistance. But unless it was a custom knife or HT by competent heat treat industrial company like PHT, you barely has Elmax blade that hardened to it full potential.

All of the company which regularly use Elmax on their base production like ZT, Microtech, LionSteel, has poor reputation for what they are doing with this steel. I don't know why but I ever own many of ZT blade with Elmax blade and its suck. I would rather have S35VN when it come to production.
 
shqxk said:
Given both steel the "proper" heat treat, Elmax is a much better steel than S35VN. It significantly tougher at the same hardness, higher wear resistance and corrosion resistance. But unless it was a custom knife or HT by competent heat treat industrial company like PHT, you barely has Elmax blade that hardened to it full potential.

All of the company which regularly use Elmax on their base production like ZT, Microtech, LionSteel, has poor reputation for what they are doing with this steel. I don't know why but I ever own many of ZT blade with Elmax blade and its suck. I would rather have S35VN when it come to production.
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I have had, Kershaw and ZT Elmax and it was great. Held an edge a little better than S30V, took a sharper edge more easily, and was all around easier to sharpen. No idea where you get that ZT and Lionsteel do poorly with Elmax, that is simply not true. If their Elmax was so terrible, you would hear a whole lot more about it being bad, yet you only hear anecdotal evidence that it is bad, but a multitude more people swear by it.
 
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