m390 or elmax

As always ... it depends.

Tougher at what task? What brand and model of knife? Blade profile/grind/bevel?

M390 or Elmax from one vendor may not be the same from another.


Both are very good steels and you can't really go wrong with either.
 
A zt specifically. Which one is going to be less likely to chip? I mean if its the same knife and same circumstances of course.
 
M390 will hold an edge much longer but will be harder to sharpen, Elmax is a bit easier to sharpen but also will not hold an edge as long. I think as far as chipping go the M390 might be more likely to chip, simply because it is harder and thus more brittle. I've used Elmax for EDC and it is a great steel, I've only had an M390 blade for a couple weeks, so not enough data to really make a comparison.
 
They are going to be about the same toughness wise, that is in general, but M390 will be more stain resistant.

Sharpening between the two will be about the same also.
 
Elmax is a durable steel that seems to need touch -ups now and then... But will still shave hair after quite a bit of work. Not likely to chip.
 
I've got some experience with ZT's Elmax, and it is awesome. The only ZT I have in M390 is my 0801CF. It's gotten a few weeks of use, but not nearly as much as my Elmax blades. It worked great during my use. I've also used ZT's CTS-204P for several weeks in my 0392, and that too has performed like a champ.
 
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