M4 vs M390

Lenny

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OK, I have a Gayle Bradley 2 with M4 steel.
That stuff really holds an edge.
I've been wanting to try a Knife with M390 for quite some time.
What's your recommendation for a good Spyderco with M390 that's still available?
How do the 2 steels compare, other than one not being Stainless.
Thanks all.
 
OK, I have a Gayle Bradley 2 with M4 steel.
That stuff really holds an edge.
I've been wanting to try a Knife with M390 for quite some time.
What's your recommendation for a good Spyderco with M390 that's still available?
How do the 2 steels compare, other than one not being Stainless.
Thanks all.

Bento box shop still has Delicas in M390. I liked that knife so much I bought two of them, and have not regretted it.
 
M4 is significantly tougher than m390 even at higher hardness. M390 is more wear resistant at the same hardness, but m4 is usually heat treated to higher hardness, so might be a wash or at least very close. Like was mentioned above for hard use m4 is better if you don’t need it to be stainless.
 
Bento box shop still has Delicas in M390.

M390 Para 3s too as well as the brown M390 Manix 2 from the recent restock. For increasing sums, mind - their ask on the Manix 2 is about twice what I paid at retail a few weeks back. But if you gotta have it, everywhere else I've looked is out of stock.
 
I wouldn't pay the high prices I see for a lot of the older more desirable M390 knives I see floating around, rather wait for them to making something in M390/20cv/204p I want down the road, or find a different steel entirely

I also adore M390, it's an all around great EDC steel, but I must say I never understood why it is as popular as it is, considering how many amazing other steels there are out there

the only thing M390 have on M4 in my imperfectly informed opinion is stainlessness. if you like stainless steels, M390/20cv/204p are absolutely wonderful, at least as long as you don't need something even more stain resistant like h1/vanax/lc200n/zfinit/etc

you might find this helpful in choosing your next knife: https://knifesteelnerds.com/2020/05/01/testing-the-edge-retention-of-48-knife-steels/
 
My 1st m390 family steels will be the pattadese. There's no doubt to me m390 or it's cousins will hold up as well as m4 with hard use, but for home/regular/moderate use I'm thinking it will do well.
 
OK, I have a Gayle Bradley 2 with M4 steel.
That stuff really holds an edge.
I've been wanting to try a Knife with M390 for quite some time.
What's your recommendation for a good Spyderco with M390 that's still available?
How do the 2 steels compare, other than one not being Stainless.
Thanks all.
I personally am much more impressed with M4 for my usage than M390. Both are definitely excellent steels, but the toughness advantage (substantial) of M4 (over M390) more than outweighs the stain resistance. I've seen some ugly chipping out of M390 (not typically from Spyderco however, so HT is critical with this steel).
 
They are both great steels but I think in general M390 is superior to M4

However , as usual, you should not by a knife based on steel... unless it is a really bad steel ;)
Any S30v, bd1n or other basic steels from Spyderco really does the job for an edc

if you don’t like patina or if corrosion resistance is important for you, don’t take M4
Otherwise the GB2 is a great Spyderco
It has a great blade geometry and it is my basic “beater” knife

if you need some great corrosion resistance and better edge retention you better have to pick a m390 blade
The manix 2 or f you can find them, a para3 or a PM2

If you want something that combine the quality of M4 and m390, it seems k390 is an option
Take a look at a k390 PM2 from BBS
 
If you like a Delica then BBS has both M390 and K390 in stock.

One is $115 and the other is $118.

They charge the $15 S&H fee so you might as well get both for the S&H cost.

I am not exactly a BBS fan but they have them in stock and ship quick. I just bought these recently.
 
I agree with Therom, but k390 is better seen as step above M4. But since it has also only 4% Chromium, I would not consider it an upgrade of m390. It does better it in edge retention and toughness, but if you want a stainless blade for your EDC, than k390 is not it.
 
M4 is better for hard use. From what I gather M390/20CV/204P is a great all around steel, probably one of the best for people who carry a knife for EDC.

Personally I think K390 tops all of them.
I've been EDCing an M390 Spyderco C-36 Military model for quite some time now. It's probably a bit big for some people's ideal EDC folder but I've had such great luck with it over the past 4 years with that blade. It sharpens up to a really wicked edge and maintains that edge really well as long as you tune it up occasionally. I've never had it get really banged up which is beyond my expectations for an everyday user. It takes abuse far better than any other mainline blade steel I've ever used. Because I have really put that blade through a lot of hard use and the results are great.

I'm sure that with all the new and highly touted blade steels out there I have no doubt that M390 can be beat in some hard, demanding tests. But I find it so much better than S30V, VG10, and at least a dozen other highly reputable blade steels out there. I would love more folders or even fixed blades with M390. I do know for a fact that M390 is an upper tier blade steel.
 
I’ve found M390 to be chippy, but M4 super resistant to chipping. It will stain though, and M390 is super resistant to corrosion.
Not at all trying to be disagreeable>> but with the great results I've had with M390 I'm wondering if this "chipping" you've experienced might be a "heat treatment" problem of some sort. Because I've used my M390 Military model in some pretty harsh jobs and mine has held up really well.
 
Not at all trying to be disagreeable>> but with the great results I've had with M390 I'm wondering if this "chipping" you've experienced might be a "heat treatment" problem of some sort. Because I've used my M390 Military model in some pretty harsh jobs and mine has held up really well.
That’s possible but unlikely I think. Most has been Spyderco folders and they seem to do well with heat treat of M390. It is no doubt a great steel, but it is empirically not a tough steel. It you’ve seen Larrin’s test data, it corroborates the low relative toughness of M390 and its analogues. That said, it still plenty tough for most anything one needs it to do.
 
I see no disagreement or argument here - y'all essentially in agreement, at least to my eyes :thumbsup:

when Spyderco's heat treats are running as they "should" be (seem like they're pretty reliable), each of them is an awesome steel

and not either/or, like the lady said ;):oops::rolleyes::p:cool:
 
The red/black zome Delica exclusive from DLT Trading in 20CV, an analogue of M390, is still available.

Also, the SpyOpera in M390 is available at various dealers.
 
The red/black zome Delica exclusive from DLT Trading in 20CV, an analogue of M390, is still available.

Also, the SpyOpera in M390 is available at various dealers.
+1
Have the 20CV Delica, Love the steel and the Zome color choice!
I also have an M390 Delica, great choice as well and neither one will break the bank
 
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