Recommend me a sprint run steel?

E

Ero2

Joined
Nov 11, 2015
Messages
73
Primary EDC knife. PM2 or Manix most likely.

Will not hack anything with the blade, so "toughness" can be a bit lower, but would like fairly low corrosion, and good to really good edge retention. I am fairly new to the knife world, and the number of steels is making my head spin.

I understand that some steels patina, but isn't that a bad thing? Or just part of using that steel, keep it oiled (light wipe down of mineral?) and it's a side effect of using it?

I was looking at, in no particular order, M4, M390, Super Blue, Cru Wear, and Maxamet. Just when I think I pick the "one", I read, or see something else, and start over lol.

Help a brother out so I can regain some sanity?
 
M4 is great and you don't have to patina it. If you keep it clean it should stay fine. Pretty good choices in M4 for your preferred models too.
 
Danke42 said:
M4 is great and you don't have to patina it. If you keep it clean it should stay fine. Pretty good choices in M4 for your preferred models too.
Click to expand...

+1 for M4 it’s a great Steel that compromises very little except stain resistance. I also like Cruwear but it is harder to find. CTS204p/M390 would be my second choice, I’m not sure why i can sharpen Slyderco’s 204p to hair splitting with a sharpmaker/strop. There are not many steels that we can think of that get that sharp that easily, 14C28N and Superblue come to mind but neither are as tough
 
204P , S90V and S110V are all outstanding from my experience. I realize S110V is a regular production steel. But the steel is just so fantastic I had to mention it.
 
ERO - You might look at ZDP-189 if you can find a sprint with it. Has a very high RC value.



 
Last edited:
52100. Most guys will shy away from it or try their damnedest to keep it looking stainless. But if you embrace its properties, you'll have a special gem few can fully appreciate.

38262050062_3657e12cba_k.jpg
 
Any of those you listed OP. But if you want corrosion resistance, M390. And of those you didn't mention, look for Elmax.
 
silverds said:
52100. Most guys will shy away from it or try their damnedest to keep it looking stainless. But if you embrace its properties, you'll have a special gem few can fully appreciate.

38262050062_3657e12cba_k.jpg
Click to expand...
Does the patina form a thin barrier on the steel and that's it? Or does it continue to corrode the blade unless treated?
 
I wasn't going to post because everyone is tired of my talking about my one true love (M4) but I would ask :
What are you willing to invest in sharpening gear or are you planing to send the knife out to be sharpened ?
S110V etc pretty much demands diamond stones.
By the way for you wanting some stain resistance the M390 is right up there on my list for perfection plus ~easy to sharpen (no diamonds)
I'm passionate about ZDP-189 but takes a certain mentality to use it. Showing off to your buddies how sharp your knife is by cutting wire ties may earn you some edge chips.
 
Wolverine666 said:
Does the patina form a thin barrier on the steel and that's it? Or does it continue to corrode the blade unless treated?
Click to expand...
The patina itself probably does not add much protection and possibly invites further corrosion if not oiled and exposed to moisture, however, the microscopically porous surface created by the patina will hold oil better than the steel itself will. If you rub oil into the patina until it streaks but does not make your finger oily, (feeling almost like wax on the surface) you will have an effective layer of protection against undesirable stains and corrosion. The "desirable" part of a rich and well oiled patina is subjective, so if you are vulnerable to others disapproval, it might not be for you.

Here's a post I submitted in the 52100 Para 2 Thread in the Spyderco forum, with a bit more detail.
 
Last edited:
Wowbagger said:
I wasn't going to post because everyone is tired of my talking about my one true love (M4) but I would ask :
What are you willing to invest in sharpening gear or are you planing to send the knife out to be sharpened ?
S110V etc pretty much demands diamond stones.
By the way for you wanting some stain resistance the M390 is right up there on my list for perfection plus ~easy to sharpen (no diamonds)
I'm passionate about ZDP-189 but takes a certain mentality to use it. Showing off to your buddies how sharp your knife is by cutting wire ties may earn you some edge chips.
Click to expand...

I have a sharp maker, but a very good friend/neighbor has a sharpening set up that would make people drool, and sharpens for a fee...so, while I am not yet a master sharpener, I'm covered while I build that set up. This definitely was a fear/concern for me as a movie sharpener not wanting to screw up a $200 plus dollar blade...and can't realistically always "send it in for sharpening."
 
M390 would be my first choice in stainless, CPM CruWear for everything else.

I do like the mention of Elmax. That steel gets overlooked way too much, it's great stuff. It'll be really damn expensive with Spydies, though.
 
silverds said:
The patina itself probably does not add much protection and possibly invites further corrosion if not oiled and exposed to moisture, however, the microscopically porous surface created by the patina will hold oil better than the steel itself will. If you rub oil into the patina until it streaks but does not make your finger oily, (feeling almost like wax on the surface) you will have an effective layer of protection against undesirable stains and corrosion. The "desirable" part of a rich and well oiled patina is subjective, so if you are vulnerable to others disapproval, it might not be for you.

Here's a post I submitted in the 52100 Para 2 Thread in the Spyderco forum, with a bit more detail.
Click to expand...
Excellent. I shall check it out. Thanks.
 
A Para2 w/ M390/crimson G10 for $150 , a Manix2 w/ S110V and violet G10 for $140 both brand new. Unbelievable. These are incredible times for knife enthusiasts.

Spyderco is a marvel.
 
Wolverine666 said:
A Para2 w/ M390/crimson G10 for $150 , a Manix2 w/ S110V and violet G10 for $140 both brand new. Unbelievable. These are incredible times for knife enthusiasts.

Spyderco is a marvel.
Click to expand...

If you got in on that M390...I missed it...and now, $300 bucks everywhere, or there about :(
 
silverds said:
The patina itself probably does not add much protection and possibly invites further corrosion if not oiled and exposed to moisture, however, the microscopically porous surface created by the patina will hold oil better than the steel itself will. If you rub oil into the patina until it streaks but does not make your finger oily, (feeling almost like wax on the surface) you will have an effective layer of protection against undesirable stains and corrosion. The "desirable" part of a rich and well oiled patina is subjective, so if you are vulnerable to others disapproval, it might not be for you.

Here's a post I submitted in the 52100 Para 2 Thread in the Spyderco forum, with a bit more detail.
Click to expand...
I would actually say quite the opposite. That the Patina will slow the degradation of the steel by a noticeable amount.

See below for a more accurate representation of what I am saying.
Obsessed with Edges said:
'Patina', a.k.a. 'black' iron oxide (Fe[SUB]3[/SUB]O[SUB]4[/SUB] 'Fe304'), is non-destructive to steel. It forms when iron reacts with oxygen.

'Rust', a.k.a. 'red' iron oxide (Fe[SUB]2[/SUB]O[SUB]3[/SUB] 'Fe203'), is destructive to steel, because the compound occupies more space than the steel from which it's created; that causes it to break/slough away, which causes pitting. It forms when iron reacts to oxygen in the presence of water. This differs from black iron oxide, which doesn't occupy more space than the steel it was created from, and therefore won't break/slough off and cause pitting.

Under many circumstances, both will form on a piece of steel simultaneously; but the 'red' rust is the only thing to be concerned about and minimized. Due to the loose & porous nature of red rust, it can also absorb moisture and hold onto stuff that creates more rusting, if it isn't cleaned from the surface of the steel.

Some will describe both black iron oxide ('patina') and red iron oxide as 'rust'. But to me, it's a mis-characterization, due to the extreme differences in the physical properties of each and what each will or won't do to steel, in terms of damage.


David
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top