M4 vs m390?

I don't have experience with M4 but mostly because corrosion resistance matters for me. That said, M390 has excellent corrosion resistance. Even if it only matters once, years down the road, it could end up mattering. I tend to view more expensive knives as tools that can be passed down, as opposed to more disposable budget beaters.

I prefer "warmer" materials like Micarta, G10, or wood for scales. If I'm going with metal, titanium is the way to go. It's a nicer material than aluminum overall. It also tends to hold up better to long-term wear and looks better than anodized aluminum over time.
 
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Personally I'd get M4, stain resistance isn't something I need to worry about to much and it's less common than M390, which to me makes it slightly more interesting. That being said if you have a smaller collection or this will be your primary user M390 may end up being the better choice.

Handle material is also a toss up for me, cost would factor into it I'd guess.
 
I have 1 knife in m390. I don't own any m4. I need to check it out asap.
I love my guardian 3 in m390! I lost it briefly and was going to buy another to replace it. Seems like I might need to order another guardian 3 in m4. And another in m390 just in case. And maybe a 2nd in m4 too. Hmm...
 
Going strictly on competition blades, I’d go with M4 for a fixed blade. For a folder, M390 is offered in just about every brand and is probably the most popular steel if I had to guess.
 
M390 if you need corrosion resistance. Otherwise, M4 is likely the better choice. Titanium is better than aluminum IMO but Ti usually costs more.
 
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