"New" CPM steels - what are they and where do we use them?

S

Sid Post

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Oct 14, 1998
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Lately, I've been hearing about some new CPM "specialty" steels.

I am familiar with 3V, 420V and, 440V but, have gotten lost with the new names and the new steels.

S30V seems to be the new rage and all I really know about it is that it is the "stainless" CPM 3V. It has strength similar to A-2 but, is stainless.

CPM 10V and 15V seem to be speacialty cutlery steels. What the heck is CPM 125V? Or am I just numerically confused ;)

Thanks! My steel book is a couple of years old and only has the older CPM steel designations in it.
 
Kit,

I appreciate the info on Crucible web site....

I had been looking for THE BEST wear resistance steel for a new knife and decided on CPM-10V by Doug Mondt, the info on this site confirms my decission to go with CPM-10V.

Currently have blades in D2, VG-10,and a number of "lesser"steels....can't wait for my custom CPM-10V to arrive and have a chance to try its wear resistance in relation to D2 and VG-10.

GH
 
CPM-10V, CPM-15V and CPM125 V are all high alloy steels with extreme wear resistance, they are essentially carbide replacements. As you walk up that ladder you trade impact toughness for wear resistance. Machinability drops off rapidly as well, and is low for 10V to begin with.

Note while CPM promotes wear resistance = edge retention for knives, this isn't the case for most materials that people cut. Hardness is in fact far more critical and is so dominant that even a few points can swamp out huge alloy changes. Those CPM grades do allow a high hardening though, 64-65 RC.

-Cliff
 
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