Question about ZDP-189 steel

S

Spydersharp

Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
28
Hello!!

In several posts I read about ZDP-189 steel being employed by Spyderco in some of their models.

Will some advice in which models Spyderco is currentlly being used?
I understand this type of steel has a content of 3% carbon, which is very unusual. Has anybody had some experience with it?

Thank you in advance for your kind assistance in this matter.
Very cordially, Abel
 
Currently, there is the Delica in British Racing Green with a solid ZDP-189 blade available in plain, combo or fully serrated, and a Caly Jr. in black with a laminated 420J/ZDP-189 core blade. New models scheduled for this year include the BRG Endura (the Delica's big brother), the Stretch II and the Caly 3 in ZDP and Carbon Fiber.

The steel is very hard but does not seem brittle. It holds an edge for quite a while in use, and can take a very accute edge angle. I have been carrrying a ZDP Delica since the first batch of the blue handled sprint run came out last year, and I don't baby it (much, I do try to keep it off the concrete). I don't even carry my VG-10 Delica any more.
 
Thank you Yablanowitz for your kind and complete answer.

Unfortunately, the source from which I buy (internet) my knives (Bestknives.com) do not stock these models.
Spyderco, as most foreign brands, are not currently comercially being imported here.

I´ll try to get some other internet source stocking the latest models and versions, and that also ships internationally. Any suggestions??

Thank you again for your answer,
Very cordially, Abel.
 
I've been carrying a Burgundy Calypso Jr which was the very first Spyderco to have ever had the ZDP-189 blade steel. I was lucky enough to get one of the very first ZDP Caly juniors available.

I have been carrying it for almost 20 months now. The blade holds a razor edge for longer than any other blade steel I've used up till now. If there is a blade steel out there that can outperform ZDP-189 I have yet to use it.

One curious property that I even find to be a mystery is that I have found 2 other blade steels that are much harder to sharpen than ZDP-189. You would think that with that much carbon and Chromium that it would be a bear to sharpen but that's not the case. Now it is harder to sharpen than a lot of blade steels but not nearly as hard to sharpen as CPM 440V ( S-60V). Also I find D-2 also much harder to sharpen. And I am truly baffled by that :confused:
 
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