Police 4 K390

GB940Rookie

GB940Rookie

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Does anyone own this in the serrated version?
I was wondering if the serrations would be more apt to chip than say a VG-10 model? I’m a little wary of super steels and their chippyness. Been wanting a newer version of the POLICE model, with serrations, and like the idea of the lightweight version. It would be my new go to for an out on the town blade when my wife and I go out to dinner and such.
It won’t be used for anything else so that it will stay super sharp, so maybe my question is a moot point anyway.
I have an older, plain edge ats-55 version, but that stainless handle is pretty slick, and I prefer serrations for this particular application.
Who knows, maybe I’m just bored and wanted to talk knives with someone.😁
 
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I have two of them, one that I reprofiled to 15°, the other at the factory 20° setting. I have had teeth break off on VG-10 blades, but no such damage with K390. I have, however, accumulated far more rust on K390 than on VG-10. Not too surprising since K390 isn't stainless but I tend to treat it as though it were.

Snag one while you can, it is a beast. A regular pocket chainsaw. My daily carry went for almost a year without so much as a touchup. It probably would have gone longer if it weren't for the tip hitting rocks and concrete when I was cutting down volunteer trees, pigweeds and Russian thistles (a.k.a. tumbleweeds).
 
Thanks for the reply.
Non stainless doesn’t bother me. I grew up with 1095 and treat every knife as if it will rust and should be cared for after use. OK, maybe I’m a little hard on my work knives. Probably why I choose stainless for those applications.
A question about that. I’ve read that the liners are also not stainless. Are they treated from the factory with some type of protectorate or should I treat them myself when I receive it?
I have a special place in my heart for the POLICE model. It was my first Spydie as well as my first modern blade, and a gift from my wife.
I’m very protective of my wife as I’m sure many of us are. I believe the POLICE4 SE would make a better rescue type knife ( ie. seatbelt cutter ) than the plain edge version. Will probably make a good SD blade as well, though not my top priority as I always have a handgun on me.
 
I don't know where you read that, but to the best of my knowledge and belief the liners on the K390 models are the same as the liners on the VG-10 models, and are crafted from some series of stainless steel.
 
yablanowitz said:
I don't know where you read that, but to the best of my knowledge and belief the liners on the K390 models are the same as the liners on the VG-10 models, and are crafted from some series of stainless steel.
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I believe I read it in a discussion on the Spyderco forum, but don’t hold me to that. I’ll try to find it again.
 
yablanowitz said:
I don't know where you read that, but to the best of my knowledge and belief the liners on the K390 models are the same as the liners on the VG-10 models, and are crafted from some series of stainless steel.
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GB940Rookie said:
I believe I read it in a discussion on the Spyderco forum, but don’t hold me to that. I’ll try to find it again.
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I never could find the exact conversation I found last night, but found a few others.
The main topic of these conversations/questions was why the liners on the POLICE 4 K390 knives were rusting so heavily compared to other versions. Mainly earlier POLICE versions, in particular models that had other scale material besides stainless, such as G10 and CF. While the G10 P3 versions did exhibit rust on the liners, it was not as severe as the FRN P4 versions. Pictures were given to show said rust, and it was quite severe.
I’m talking about rust after use, not new in the box. One or two people said their knives showed the beginnings of patina/rust NIB, but I found no way to substantiate that claim.
Suggestions were made as to what was causing these situations. Salty air, salty sweat, galvanizing of different materials for one reason or another. Speculation that the liners were not SS was also strongly suggested by a couple of folks.
Sal was present and interacting with the discussion and did mention that they don’t have answers for everything going on but they we’re looking into it.
I was a little surprised that he didn’t just come out and say what steel was used for the liners. That could have at least stopped the speculation of non stainless liners. Maybe he did and I just missed it.
This is just my research and I could have interpreted something out of context, so take all of this with a grain of salt. If anyone is interested in these discussions, it is probably best to do your own research.
These discussions were found on the Spyderco forum, not on BF.

Wow that took a long time to write. I would never make it as a writer.😁
 
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GB940Rookie said:
I never could find the exact conversation I found last night, but found a few others.
The main topic of these conversations/questions was why the liners on the POLICE 4 K390 knives were rusting so heavily compared to other versions. Mainly earlier POLICE versions, in particular models that had other scale material besides stainless, such as G10 and FRN. While the G10 P3 versions did exhibit rust on the liners, it was not as severe as the FRN P4 versions. Pictures were given to show said rust, and it was quiet severe.
I’m talking about rust after use, not new in the box. One or two people said their knives showed the beginnings of patina/rust NIB, but I found no way to substantiate that claim.
Suggestions were made as to what was causing these situations. Salty air, salty sweat, galvanizing of different materials for one reason or another. Speculation that the liners were not SS was also strongly suggested by a couple of folks.
Sal was present and interacting with the discussion and did mention that they don’t have answers for everything going on but they we’re looking into it.
I was a little surprised that he didn’t just come out and say what steel was used for the liners. That could have at least stopped the speculation of non stainless liners.
This is just my research and I could have interpreted something out of context, so take all of this with a grain of salt. If anyone is interested in these discussions, it is probably best to do your own research.
These discussions were found on the Spyderco forum, not on BF.

Wow that took a long time to write. I would never make it as a writer.😁
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I own many FRN knives and have owned many others as well. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced rust on any of the liners.
 
I would also like to say that all the participants in the discussions gave a hardy thumbs up on the POLICE 4 Lightweights. Some said it was the best POLICE version to date.
 
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GB940Rookie said:
I would also like to say that all the participants in the discussions gave a hardy thumbs up on the POLICE 4 Lightweights. Many said it was the best POLICE version to date.
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I agree. It carries so well for such a large knife and punches well above its weight.
 
91bravo said:
I’ve owned many Police models, P3 and P4 and no rust on any of those liners either. I also cut a lot of fruit and veggies with my knives as well. Just sharing my experience.
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Have you had the K390 version and actually disassembled it?
 
GB940Rookie said:
Have you had the K390 version and actually disassembled it?
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Scale swapped P4
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The only time my k390 has rusted is after living in my pocket all day working in a very hot and humid building with me sweating so much all day my pants were drenched. I realized at the end of the day there was some spotting, just a little surface rust spots that came right off. I've carried it 6 months before with no rust at all. I then pulled out my leatherman from the same pocket and it too had rust on it in a few spots. If it took enough sweat and heat to rust 420 stainless to get my k390, I'm ok with that. K390 is very low maintenance to me. I spray a little silicone lubrication for rust protection in the pivot once a week or two and otherwise just treat it like a knife.
 
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