New Spyderco-Exclusive Steel CPM SPY27

DeadboxHero · Jan 17, 2020

Volume is not the only factor for fine carbides.

The answers are in the questions I layed out for you to answer.

This thread needs some eye candy.

Since I don't have a para 3 LW in SPY27 yet and we both like Vanax Superclean.

Here is a sweet picture of a handmade custom I did from Vanax steel that I bought from @alphaknifesupply and heat treated myself to 61rc

Its sitting on one of Larrin's 1000x micrographs that I printed out. It's from a piece of steel I donated to him from the same bar used to make this knife.

Love those fine Nitrides at volume

tyyreaun said:
?

I'm asking what benefits you expect to get from SPY-27 that CPM-154 doesn't already provide? The formula appears to be a mix of the two - is a blend of the two really that big a deal that you're excited about it?

Edit: sorry, this was meant to be a question to you, not a statement:

So SPY-27 has an advantage over S30V etc., because of less carbides improving the edge stability?

cistercian · Jan 17, 2020

Thank you Larrin for the great article. I really appreciate it as always.
I hope you can score a sample so we can enjoy some sweet micro-photographs
of the grain structure. I really love those...
Thanks again!

cistercian · Jan 17, 2020

DeadboxHero said:
Volume is not the only factor for fine carbides.

The answers are in the questions I layed out for you to answer.

This thread needs some eye candy.

Since I don't have a para 3 LW in SPY27 yet and we both like Vanax Superclean.

Here is a sweet picture of a handmade custom I did from Vanax steel that I bought from @alphaknifesupply and heat treated myself to 61rc

Its sitting on one of Larrin's 1000x micrographs that I printed out. It's from a piece of steel I donated to him from the same bar used to make this knife.

Love those fine Nitrides at volume

Both the Knife and the grain structure look tasty!!
Great work man.

DeadboxHero · Jan 17, 2020

cistercian said:
Both the Knife and the grain structure look tasty!!
Great work man.

Thanks man, it was crazy thin. It went to a very happy customer

Yea Larrin does some killer work. We'll have to see what the Micrographs he does of CPM SPY27 look like especially at +2000f Austenitizing to dissolve those chromium carbides down

Eli Chaps · Jan 17, 2020

DeadboxHero said:
Volume is not the only factor for fine carbides.

The answers are in the questions I layed out for you to answer.

This thread needs some eye candy.

Since I don't have a para 3 LW in SPY27 yet and we both like Vanax Superclean.

Here is a sweet picture of a handmade custom I did from Vanax steel that I bought from @alphaknifesupply and heat treated myself to 61rc

Its sitting on one of Larrin's 1000x micrographs that I printed out. It's from a piece of steel I donated to him from the same bar used to make this knife.

Love those fine Nitrides at volume

Preach it brother!

afishhunter · Jan 18, 2020

Twindog said:
But the cynic in me sees it as mostly a marketing ploy.

Agree.
Plenty of good steels available out there already. Why bother/mess with an "exclusive" steel that is going to raise the cost of production, and hence the cost of the knife?

100% marketing ploy.

Danke42 · Jan 18, 2020

afishhunter said:
Agree.
Plenty of good steels available out there already. Why bother/mess with an "exclusive" steel that is going to raise the cost of production, and hence the cost of the knife?

100% marketing ploy.

A steel like this is a near perfect example of the golden mean; the desirable middle between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency.

And yes it does tickle me a bit that it's coming from a coincidentally named location of Golden.

017 · Jan 18, 2020

afishhunter said:
Agree.
Plenty of good steels available out there already. Why bother/mess with an "exclusive" steel that is going to raise the cost of production, and hence the cost of the knife?

100% marketing ploy.

$140 (MAP) for this SPY27 variant. 30% more expensive than the standard BD1N version. More expensive even than the upcoming FRN Rex45 Sprint...

rxavage · Jan 18, 2020

017 said:
$140 (MAP) for this SPY27 variant. 30% more expensive than the standard BD1N version. More expensive even than the upcoming FRN Rex45 Sprint...

spyderco figured out a way to print money. I have to admit that the whole sprint steel things baits me at times. It’s a great idea honestly.

Revolverrodger · Jan 18, 2020

I don’t see how this new steel has any definitive benefits over steels that already exist.

sabre cat · Jan 18, 2020

Revolverrodger said:
I don’t see how this new steel has any definitive benefits over steels that already exist.

And most people will not be able to see a difference. Just us knife guys.

I seriously doubt if most people can see any real difference between 154CM and S30V.

I own both but, IMHO, S30V is not better enough to pass up a purchase of a knife in 154CM with the hope that it will be offered sometime down the road in S30V.

And the difference between 154CM and CPM154 is even less.

Probably the same with S30V and S35VN. Most people probably won’t notice a difference.

afishhunter · Jan 18, 2020

017 said:
$140 (MAP) for this SPY27 variant. 30% more expensive than the standard BD1N version. More expensive even than the upcoming FRN Rex45 Sprint...

Only a 30% premium for their proprietary/exclusive blade steel?!?
Give them time. It will go up significantly after word gets around how "good" it is compared to say 420J2.

afishhunter · Jan 18, 2020

sabre cat said:
And most people will not be able to see a difference. Just us knife guys.

Chances are quite a few of us "knife guys" will fail to see any real world differences between this new proprietary steel, and the numerous already out there "high end" blade steels, either.
IMHO, There is also an excellent probability that any perceived "improvement" is only "between their ears" to "justify" spending extra to have it.

Yes. I admit it! I am a cynical (and ugly) old man.

sabre cat · Jan 18, 2020

afishhunter said:
Chances are quite a few of us "knife guys" will fail to see any real world differences between this new proprietary steel and the numerous already out there "high end" blade steels, either.
IMHO, There is also an excellent probability that any perceived "improvement" is only "between their ears" to "justify" spending extra to have it.

I agree but, I was giving all of us a benefit of the doubt.

sabre cat · Jan 18, 2020

afishhunter said:
Only a 30% premium for their proprietary/exclusive blade steel?!?
Give them time. It will go up significantly after word gets around how "good" it is compared to say 420J2.

I am curious as to which knives they will offer in this new steel.
It would be cool if they offer it across the board with their Colorado line.

ReignChaser · Jan 18, 2020

bikerector said:
When reading Larrin's article, I couldn't help but ponder if it was an attempt to get a semi-VG10 like steel from a US maker, but I'm probably over-reading into the cobalt addition.

You are correct. Sal said on Spyderco's forum... "SPY27 is a USA made variation of VG-10"

Larrin · Jan 18, 2020

100 new knife models come out every month and no one complains. We get two new steels within a few months and the response is, “The knife steel market is oversaturated with choice.”

Revolverrodger · Jan 18, 2020

afishhunter said:
Only a 30% premium for their proprietary/exclusive blade steel?!?
Give them time. It will go up significantly after word gets around how "good" it is compared to say 420J2.

lol exactly !

Danke42 · Jan 18, 2020

Larrin said:
100 new knife models come out every month and no one complains. We get two new steels within a few months and the response is, “The knife steel market is oversaturated with choice.”

More like;

tHE knIfE stEEl MARkEt iS oVErSaTuRaTeD wITh CHOiCe

OrangeBlueOrangeBlue · Jan 18, 2020

017 said:
$140 (MAP) for this SPY27 variant. 30% more expensive than the standard BD1N version. More expensive even than the upcoming FRN Rex45 Sprint...

afishhunter said:
Only a 30% premium for their proprietary/exclusive blade steel?!?
Give them time. It will go up significantly after word gets around how "good" it is compared to say 420J2.

I saw the same thing regarding the Para3 LW prices and was confused at why SPY27 was 15% higher than REX45. Even harder to explain is the Manix 2 LW pricing: MSRP for S110V is $205, and it’s $200 for SPY27. Won’t know for sure until folks have it in-hand, but performance at the S30V-S35VN level for S110V price seems like poor value.

sabre cat said:
I am curious as to which knives they will offer in this new steel.
It would be cool if they offer it across the board with their Colorado line.

Since it’s an American steel, I could definitely see them using it in every model included in their latest REX 45 sprint (Native series, Manix 2 and LW, Para 3 LW).