Ranking of Steels in Categories based on Edge Retention cutting 5/8" rope

The Mastiff said:
BG42 was always pretty wear resistant especially getting north of rc 60 to 62. It doesn't have the numbers of some others but it had performance as noted by the charts latrobe used.

http://www.latrobesteel.com/assets/documents/datasheets/Knife_Steels.pdf

http://www.latrobesteel.com/assets/documents/datasheets/Blade_Steels.pdf

http://www.latrobesteel.com/assets/documents/datasheets/BG42.pdf

I know manufacturers sell steel but I found these charts to be pretty accurate IME. At 60-62 I always felt it was above the VG10/154cm/ATS 34/VG1, even S30V@ rc 59 levels of wear. I should dig you out one of my old Buck customs in BG42, or find someone to lend a BG42 millie for testing. They should place higher than the B75P did. The B75P is a powder steel variant. I know it helps toughness but does it reduce wear resistance at the same hardness?

Interesting.

Joe
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Joe,

It did well is I said with a coarse edge. :)

S90V - 460 - Military - 60 RC
CTS 204P - 420 - Para 2
M390 - 380 - Military - 61 RC
S30V - 300 - Military - 60 RC
CTS-XHP - 240 - Military - 60.5 RC
CTS-B75P - 240 - Mule
Dozier D2 - 220 - Dozier K2
ELMAX - 220 - Mule - 58.5 RC
VG-10 - 160 - Stretch
AUS-8A - 160 - Recon 1
 
Jim,
What do you think if cold steels AUS8 and VG1, they seem to know what they are doing heat treat wise, at least compared to spyderco's VG-10?
 
gine said:
Jim,
What do you think if cold steels AUS8 and VG1, they seem to know what they are doing heat treat wise, at least compared to spyderco's VG-10?
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They are good user steels, all of them. :)
 
Thanks Jim. I'm still learning and it makes sense. Better explanation in PM. Let me know your opinion on my theory. :)
 
Jim,

I probably missed this somewhere but what grit are you using for your coarse edges? How are you finishing the edge? Same question for the polished edge. Just curious.

Thanks,

Kevin
 
richstag said:
Jim,

I probably missed this somewhere but what grit are you using for your coarse edges? How are you finishing the edge? Same question for the polished edge. Just curious.

Thanks,

Kevin
Click to expand...

400 grit Congress Mold Master (SIC)

6000 Grit Polish Tape (Edge Pro)
 
Hey Jim, any plans for Maxamet? I heard a lot about Kershaw's interpretation but lately it's sort of flown under the radar. Interesting for it's hardness, at the least.
 
I didn't find the K390 mule particularly hard to sharpen with SiC and ceramics, either. Impressive numbers!
 
Wow! Imagine getting that performance out of a $70 knife! Of course, you have to add handle slabs and sheath, but still....
 
Did the results surprise you? I knew it would be good, but that is above what I was expecting. Almost doubled up the green Para 2, and that impresses me.
 
Wow.

Alright, amateur arm-chair metallurgy query:
How much of K390's 2.5% Carbon is martensite vs non-ferric carbide when the steel possesses 9% vanadium by weight?! How strong is that carbide-forming affinity? Is all that 62-64 Rc martensite? If ALL of that vanadium formed carbides (VC), it would hold 2.12% carbon, leaving only 0.38% for the Fe, Cr, Mo, & W...

I ask because K390 has more than twice the V-content of M390 but only ~30% more carbon...
 
It will be interesting to watch which other companies will use K390 based on these real-world results. I'm betting that quite a few will want to jump on this train and ride.
 
I think the native S110v will fit in between the S90v and the K390 on what's been tested so far on the toothy edge category.
 
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It was only a matter of time before someone released an A11 class steel, now we have it in K390. :)
 
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