M390 Lives Up To It's Hype

J

JD Spydo

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Nov 20, 2004
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I just completed a great knife trade with a good Brother here on BF and got an M390 Military model in return which I have already determined to be my main USER Military model. When I got the knife the good Brother already had it really sharp but I was able to fine tune it even better on my Spyderco 302 Benchstone>> and all I can say is that this blade steel is truly awesome. I was really impressed with my XHP Military before I got this one but this M390 blade steel in my opinion really overshadows the XHP (which isn't bad steel either) from what I can determine so far.

Now there are two things I'm wondering>> I'm now wondering if this M390 has what it would take to be a good steel for Spyderedges? Also I would like to hear what some of you all think of your M390 Spyderco blades performance wise?

Also what other models would you all like to see in M390?
 
fluid_motion said:
I think a Manix 2 or Ladybug in M390 would be pretty cool
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The Manix has a blade that is just a bit too wide for most cutting jobs I do but I've owned a couple of them in the past and I have nothing but the utmost respect for all of the GOLDEN, CO USA Spyders.

Myself one that immediately came to mind for me would be the ROOKIE model>> I do believe that a ROOKIE which I think is an almost perfect sized EDC would truly shine in M390.

One other model I think would be a blockbuster in M390 would be to do a Sprint Run of the CHINOOK III model. But I'm sure you guys have other great suggestions.

Also I wish you all would give me some testimonies as to how good it cuts on rough cutting jobs?
 
Congrats JD, thats one of the great Militaries!

I like M390 a whole lot. I have it in a PM2, and also had the Military. I sold it eventually because my collection had enough Militaries and I wanted to diversify, but some days I think I should have kept it... :o

In Clarens in the Maluti mountains:
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My favorite smurf PM2 pic, in my favorite part of South Africa: In the Tugela river just downstream from the 2nd highest waterfall in the world in the Drakensberg amphitheatre.

SmurfPM2Amfi-small_zps1d9b3c79.jpg


After convexing:
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It is probably my favorite high wear stainless steel. In my experience it slots in nicely between S30V and S90V in terms of edge retention while slicing abrasive materials, and ease of sharpening. Corrosion resistance is better than S30V, and the same as S90V in my experience. It takes a very fine edge easily, and keeps that fine edge well. It keeps a low sharpness working edge not quite as long as S90V, but the trade-off is that it sharpens up easier.

I think it will do well in SE...
 
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JD Spydo said:
The Manix has a blade that is just a bit too wide for most cutting jobs I do but I've owned a couple of them in the past and I have nothing but the utmost respect for all of the GOLDEN, CO USA Spyders.

Myself one that immediately came to mind for me would be the ROOKIE model>> I do believe that a ROOKIE which I think is an almost perfect sized EDC would truly shine in M390.

One other model I think would be a blockbuster in M390 would be to do a Sprint Run of the CHINOOK III model. But I'm sure you guys have other great suggestions.

Also I wish you all would give me some testimonies as to how good it cuts on rough cutting jobs?
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I agree on the Chinook but I just want the regular one first, lol.
 
thatguybryan>> I totally agree that the CHINOOK III would be the quintescential model for M390 blade steel. Look how great of blade it was with S30V for crying out loud. There have been so many here that have wanted a Sprint Run of the Chinook III that it makes perfect marketing sense.

Brock O Lee>> Yeah I had thought when I got the XHP Military I had hit a home run but just with a few cutting tests I've done with it today I can tell that it takes a finer and more wicked/toothy edge which penetrates with such ease. Yeah my M390 Military is my king USER and I do plan on giving it plentry of pocket time. I've yet to snag an S90V Military model but seriously I don't see how it could be much better, if any compared to this M390 unit.
 
It seems to me that M390 is showing up on a lot of nicer models these days. And yes...it's a great steel.
I've had quite a few folders with it.
 
I got a Gayle Bradley, sharpest folder I've ever owned. How does M390 compare?
 
Been cuttin and struttin with my new M390 Military today and I'm here to tell you that I may just be using this as my main EDC instead of my AYOOB model which I dearly revere and adore. I'm telling you if they did a C-60 Ayoob with M390 blade steel it would be an EDC from heaven.

Another thing I just love about this M390 Military is how super easy it is to sharpen or just touch it up compared to some of the other knives I've got. And it's super lightweight and super easy to mobilize. The guy I got this from took excellent care of it and lubed it really well.

YeaH I want the following Spyders in M390>> Native, Ayoob, Rookie, JD Smith and Viele>>and I won't stop there>> I haven't been this excited about a new blade steel since ZDP-189 came to Spyderland via the Caly Jr.
 
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JD Spydo said:
Been cuttin and struttin with my new M390 Military today and I'm here to tell you that I may just be using this as my main EDC instead of my AYOOB model which I dearly revere and adore. I'm telling you if they did a C-60 Ayoob with M390 blade steel it would be an EDC from heaven.

Another thing I just love about this M390 Military is how super easy it is to sharpen or just touch it up compared to some of the other knives I've got. And it's super lightweight and super easy to mobilize. The guy I got this from took excellent care of it and lubed it really well.

YeaH I want the following Spyders in M390>> Native, Ayoob, Rookie, JD Smith and Viele>>and I won't stop there>> I haven't been this excited about a new blade steel since ZDP-189 came to Spyderland via the Caly Jr.
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How thin do you have it JD? I have mine at around 13-14 dps and micro(for touchups) at around 18dps.
 
A Military in M390 sounds awesome.

I just finished reading a thread concerning another knife manufacturer's M390 and how people were complaining about it chipping and not holding an edge. Interesting how it can vary from company to company. Must be the heat treat.
 
The steel companies are all chasing that basic formula right now.

Bohler - M390
Carpenter - CTS - 204P
Crucible - CPM 20CV

It provides an excellent balance between edge retention, toughness and stability, and it's very stain resistant, easy for the makers to work with making knife blades.

The trick is getting the HT right for the knives it will be used in as with most steels.

I would expect to see more of it around in both customs and production knives in the future.
 
Ankerson said:
The steel companies are all chasing that basic formula right now.

Bohler - M390
Carpenter - CTS - 204P
Crucible - CPM 20CV

It provides an excellent balance between edge retention, toughness and stability, and it's very stain resistant, easy for the makers to work with making knife blades.

The trick is getting the HT right for the knives it will be used in as with most steels.

I would expect to see more of it around in both customs and production knives in the future.
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I'm very curious to try out M390 (or one of it's counterparts listed above). I have not had any real hands-on time with said steel. But I'm looking forward to changing that soon.

I've been using my Yojimbo2 S90V almost daily for the last 8 months and I have to say that the edge retention on it is the best I have ever encountered. Fantastic steel. It's hard to imagine another steel working better for me.
 
Wolverine666 said:
I'm very curious to try out M390 (or one of it's counterparts listed above). I have not had any real hands-on time with said steel. But I'm looking forward to changing that soon.

I've been using my Yojimbo2 S90V almost daily for the last 8 months and I have to say that the edge retention on it is the best I have ever encountered. Fantastic steel. It's hard to imagine another steel working better for me.
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S90V is tough to beat really, there is a very short list of stainless that will beat it, S110V and S125V.
 
I really like M390, but sadly I have yet to acquire an M390 Spyderco. That too expensive place has been saying for ages more M390 Para 2's are on the way, but it's starting to seem like a myth. Will get one of those it ever does happen.

I guess M390 serrations would work great, but I'm not really into SE, and if I do it will be on an H1 blade.

I would like to see M390, or a US made equivalent, used in the Sage series. I don't think that will happen and I have no complaints at all about my 2 S30V Sages, but the magnificent quality of the Taichung Sages seems to be worthy of a step up in blade steel, IMO.

I do have 3 folders in M390 from other makers, I find it has better edge retention than S30V, fairly easy to maintain the edge and great corrosion resistance. M390 was my favourite steel for a folder.
Then I got me some S90V.
 
Buffalohump said:
I think everything should be in M390. :D
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I like M390, but I don't want to pay $150 for my Opinels!

Slightly more off-topic, I doubt we'll see a Chinook sprint run, but Mr. Glesser confirmed that a new Chinook with the Powerlock is in the works. Maybe we'll see some M390 or CTS-204P on it! (Though, I'd probably buy that one if it was 440A, so whatever they decide on I'll work with.)
 
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