Opinion on 5Cr15MoV steel?

[Ten4leader]

Thinking about picking up a minimalist, but I'm new to steels and I'm curious how 5Cr15MoV holds up. What's it similar to? Thanks

 

[Freman Bloodglaive]

To be honest I wouldn't.

5Cr would probably be equivalent to something like 420HC, but that requires very careful heat treatment to be a good knife steel.

Buck and Leatherman can do it, but a Chinese manufacturer? Probably not.

 

[Gator97]

Thinking about picking up a minimalist, but I'm new to steels and I'm curious how 5Cr15MoV holds up. What's it similar to? Thanks

Officially it is Chinese GB standard equivalent of the German X50CrMoV15(1.4116) steel which is used in majority of German kitchen knives, Henckel, Wusthof, Victorinox, etc...
Here - 5Cr15MoV steel composition and reference data.

 

[grownstar]

I was actually interested in the Minimalist at one point. The steel was a little off putting, but really, what are you going to use that tiny knife for other than small, EDC-type tasks? From the vids I've seen and the reviews I've read, it does a DECENT job at the little things.

And on the bright side, I'm sure the steel is soft enough that you can probably sharpen it just by yelling at it

 

[mcrow]

It will sharpen up to a razor sharp edge but will be dull half way through a cardborad box. It is easy to sharpen, so that's a plus and it's cheap. It all depends on what you'll use it for. If you just open boxes, maybe breakdown a few a day and that sort of thing, it might be perfectly fine. You may have to sharpen 5x as often as a quality steel but it will get as sharp or even sharper than some of the super steels and is easier to sharpen. If it is a knife you will use a lot, I'd avoid it like the plague.

 

[crom]

It's probably similar to aluminum

 

[Tyler.Bachman]

it is great i have the Bowie version but I only use it for small tasks. I usually carry my kershaw leek as my main blade.

 

[Gator97]

That isn't the steel you'd want on cardboard, softness aside..