- Joined
- Dec 29, 2021
- Messages
- 4,133
So, as a recent Spyderco fan, I have a few new steels that I have and some I want. My favorite knife from them is the PM2, and with that, for utility purposes, I am usually carrying an old-school carbon steel folder ala Douk-Douk, Opinel, K55, Higo, or something like an R2D2, though it varies sometimes as what my "side utility knife" is.
I try to have purposes for the steels I buy, and not buy redundancies, like, I would not buy a package deal of three PM3s in S35VN, S45VN and SPY27, but I would think about the same deal with S110V, Cruwear and LC200N.
I have a PM2 in Black G10/S45VN and Micarta Cruwear, an Endura in ZDP-189, which I understand to be very sharp for a long time but brittle, so I intend for the Endura to be a "gentleman's slicer" type knife, and I intend to be very careful what I cut with the ZDP. For this reason, I was considering something in K390 as a more general purpose light cutter, something I've heard great things about. This would effectively make VG-10 redundant, correct? The only reason to buy something in VG-10 after that would be if it was saber-ground for a stronger tip.
I want to know what steels make what redundant, like, because I have S45, does that make SPY27 (and Elmax, I've heard) a bit redundant? My Cruwear for example, which I hear has qualities of many other high-end steels but with waaay better sharpenability, like, it doesn't need diamond stones, what steels would that effectively make redundant to get? There are certain steels that exceed all the qualities of another steel, like a "____ Killer" steel, a steel that is just a pumped up and better version of another. I know some still have their uses, like H1 is extremely tough even if it has no edge retention, saw one where someone was prying and bent the whole handle up instead of breaking the tip. What other steels out there are essentially completely improved versions of another steel, that make a certain steel redundant?
I have a Matriarch 2 in VG-10 which will soon become a mushroom-type knife as soon as I have another, and a 3cr Bug that is a "wallet knife", smaller than an Opinel no. 2.
Also, about my PM2 scale predicament, this is just a matter of folks's opinions: I intend to get some beautiful custom-designed wooden scales for the PM2, and am debating whether to use the Cruwear or S45VN for it, I would assume the one going on wooden scales would see more delicate use. Which would be more ideal for that? So, there I am with a CruCarta and S45 G10 PM2 blade, and the options of Black G10, Micarta, and custom wood handles, last of which would be treated gentler. What blades would you put on what handles if it was you?
Also want to know, what would be the best uses for a Wharncliffe, like, what tasks does it excel at? Thanks for your replies!
I try to have purposes for the steels I buy, and not buy redundancies, like, I would not buy a package deal of three PM3s in S35VN, S45VN and SPY27, but I would think about the same deal with S110V, Cruwear and LC200N.
I have a PM2 in Black G10/S45VN and Micarta Cruwear, an Endura in ZDP-189, which I understand to be very sharp for a long time but brittle, so I intend for the Endura to be a "gentleman's slicer" type knife, and I intend to be very careful what I cut with the ZDP. For this reason, I was considering something in K390 as a more general purpose light cutter, something I've heard great things about. This would effectively make VG-10 redundant, correct? The only reason to buy something in VG-10 after that would be if it was saber-ground for a stronger tip.
I want to know what steels make what redundant, like, because I have S45, does that make SPY27 (and Elmax, I've heard) a bit redundant? My Cruwear for example, which I hear has qualities of many other high-end steels but with waaay better sharpenability, like, it doesn't need diamond stones, what steels would that effectively make redundant to get? There are certain steels that exceed all the qualities of another steel, like a "____ Killer" steel, a steel that is just a pumped up and better version of another. I know some still have their uses, like H1 is extremely tough even if it has no edge retention, saw one where someone was prying and bent the whole handle up instead of breaking the tip. What other steels out there are essentially completely improved versions of another steel, that make a certain steel redundant?
I have a Matriarch 2 in VG-10 which will soon become a mushroom-type knife as soon as I have another, and a 3cr Bug that is a "wallet knife", smaller than an Opinel no. 2.
Also, about my PM2 scale predicament, this is just a matter of folks's opinions: I intend to get some beautiful custom-designed wooden scales for the PM2, and am debating whether to use the Cruwear or S45VN for it, I would assume the one going on wooden scales would see more delicate use. Which would be more ideal for that? So, there I am with a CruCarta and S45 G10 PM2 blade, and the options of Black G10, Micarta, and custom wood handles, last of which would be treated gentler. What blades would you put on what handles if it was you?
Also want to know, what would be the best uses for a Wharncliffe, like, what tasks does it excel at? Thanks for your replies!
. I just got a Maxamet Para 3 that I really love. I haven't done a ton of testing on it yet but the edge retention is pretty amazing according to some of the cut tests I've seen. There's a dude on youtube Outpost76 that does a ton of edge retention and toughness testing, you'd probably be interested in checking out some of his videos. He tests everything from inexpensive Petrified Fish and Civivis to the other big production companies. There's rumors that maxamet isn't very tough but he has a video where he batons through a brass rod with a ball peen hammer and it held up pretty dang good.
The ZDP-189 is a steel I am determined to use, but is chip-prone. 
