Purchase Choice: BG-42 or S-30V

D

deserthawk748

Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
90
Question:

If you had a choice between two identical Annual Limited Edition Sebenza's with again, identical wood inlay except for one of them having a BG-42 blade and the other having S-30V blade, which would you choose?

I've read several posts with people saying that they would prefer the BG-42 because it is now more difficult to find. I would also like to hear comparisons of the two steels from those who have had experience with both.

Thanks,

David
 
I just got a small sebenza with bg42 and it says it has a rockwell of 61-62 so that must be why it is hard to get an edge but it holds it well. Also have the s30v. Haven't sharpened either yet.
 
One of the reasons that BG42 is so hard to find compared to S30V is because from my understanding, S30V is a better steel and there's not much price difference between them. All the knives I have with S30V hold an edge unlike any of the BG42, 154CM, ATS34, D2 blades I've owned. S30V rocks.

John
 
Personally, I find both, BG-42 and S30V, hard to sharpen. :(


But, if push comes to shove. . . . .go S30V. :D
 
The S30V serves me well for my applications. Both are very good. As most of you know S30V was developed specifically for the knife industry and now just about all the custom makers are doing S30V. :eek: ;) :p :)
 
I have several knives in both steels, CRK's and others. I can find not a single case where the BG42 takes a back seat to the S30V. I've put my Sebenza through some very difficult cutting tasks and it has not lost enough sharpness "since it was new in '97" to make any difference!

My belief is that when someone claims that one steel is better than another, they are seeing the natural variation in the production process, rather than the quality of one steel over another. To see the difference in quality between steels, one would have to own something like 30 of each put through the same paces.

Bruce
 
bruce said:
I have several knives in both steels, CRK's and others. I can find not a single case where the BG42 takes a back seat to the S30V. I've put my Sebenza through some very difficult cutting tasks and it has not lost enough sharpness "since it was new in '97" to make any difference!

My belief is that when someone claims that one steel is better than another, they are seeing the natural variation in the production process, rather than the quality of one steel over another. To see the difference in quality between steels, one would have to own something like 30 of each put through the same paces.

Bruce
Click to expand...
I would have a tendancy to believe that the BG42 would chip easier than the S30V, especially when the BG42 can be as high as 62RC, where the S30V goes as low as 58RC. The S30V will probably be tougher.
 
But as a investment, it might be a better choice to get the BG-42. The supply of BG-42's will dwindle, while the supply of S30V's should remain constant for at least the next several years.
 
You guys can't seriously believe that a semi production knife with BG42 is going to be any more collectable than the same knife with a better steel can you? I mean, if it was a special damascus that would be one thing, but I can't believe it would make a nit of difference in the long term.

Of course, everyone's entitled to their opinions, and that's mine.

John
 
Well I look at it as a supply versus demand situation. As the BG 42's are no longer being made the supply available for sale will probably go down because dealers will no longer be selling them. The only supply will come from the private sector. Kind of like the old ATS-34 Sebenzas that were originally made. Anyway the perfect knife steel probably doesn't exist. The best steel is a subjective decision and if you got your heart set on a BG-42 bladed Sebenza, your options for purchase will be less than that of those who would have the knife in S30V. Yeah I think that it is seriously possible that the BG-42 could be quite collectable. :p ;) :)
 
I agree that in the future, the BG-42 bladed Sebenza's could prove out to be somewhat collectable depending on how well received the S-30V continues to be and, of course, it's super steel successor, providing that it is kept in new and unused condition. If it were to be carried and used as an EDC then any collectible value would be lost and the S-30V model may be the better purchase, prices being equal. The BG-42 bladed Sebenza would have to sell for less than that of an identical Sebenza with the S-30V blade to be the better purchase. I would imagine that ATS-34 bladed Sebenza's are not well sought after and do not command a very high resale price now that it has been superseded by not one, but two blade steels.

David
 
hi,
I have been using a large Sebenza with BG-42 flat ground balde and a small Sebenza with hollow ground S-30-V blade for about one year now. No digging, no cutting of tin cans or wire. just everyday tasks like cutting cardboard, tape, rope, wood, paper, salami, pizza, bread, a bit of glass fibre reinforced package band and so on...
Both the blades had to be resharpened once a bit in the tip area, about one inch long. I felt no difference in performance. The S-30-V seems to be a bit easier to sharpen, but that might be because of the hollow grind - less material to take away...
Needless to say that these two seb's are almost the only knives that I still do use. Maybe not because of the steel, but because of the overall performance and perfection.
have a nife day
arno
 
I have several knives with S30V blades including a Sebenza. But I prefer BG42 and If possible I won't buy a Sebenza in S30V. Just my opinion but I don't think S30V is the better steel. Larry
 
I'm opposite of Larry. I have one in S30V and several in BG42 and wont buy another in S30V if I can help it. I bought an Umfaan just because of the steel.
 
guy g said:
I'm opposite of Larry. I have one in S30V and several in BG42 and wont buy another in S30V if I can help it. I bought an Umfaan just because of the steel.
Click to expand...

No we are the same , I have one in S30V and four with BG42. Larry
 
I have both. But, I am more partial to the BG42 blade. I have not had a problem with either version, I just have gotten use to BG42 in both my customs and my sebs.


Sorry to go against the grain ;)
 
I have over a dozen sebbies in my collection. I have a NIB BG 42 Lg reg seb that I purchased in 1997 that has never been used! That was the year that i started to collect CRK's. Every now and then I get the urge to pul it out and carry it but then I realize I have others to chose from and I let that guy stay sound asleep in the original box!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top