Right steel for the right job and reducing redundancies + PM2 handle decision

POCEH KOCEB said:
I have PM2 in Cruwear, M4 and Endura in ZDP189. I don’t have Spyderco heat treated S45VN but I have CS S35VN.
First, I would not dismiss VG10. It’s a great steel, easy to sharpen, could be fairly hard depending on the HT and it takes excellent edge. Won’t rust as M4 or stain as Cruwear or ZDP189.
About the steels, I would put the ZDP189 to be the hardest one, followed by probably Cruwear and S45VN and VG10 being the “softest” sort of speak.
Toughness would go probably in opposite way as VG10 being the toughest or maybe share same place with S45VN for what I can observe from my S35VN use of the Cold Steel blade, Cruwear and last - the ZDP189.
‘With this said, I don’t find my ZDP Endura to be brittle… Factory edge is very sharp and I still didn’t need to put new edge on it. I’m not too much into charts and such technicalities but it does have such a thin stock behind the edge that I think if I give it 15-16 degrees angle per side, it will outlast the factory edge…
‘However im in the same page as you, but for different reasons, and will probably give her sharper angle, like 14 per side…
K390 will probably top all of those steels in terms of toughness and hardness, the two things I care about.
Ill get soon Police 4 in K390 and then I’ll have some impression how it compares to the rest of the steels Mentioned.
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I have CS S35VN, too, my Espada XL :) I dinged the tip just the tiniest, tiniest, bit and was looking to fix it recently, seems a decent sharpen will do it, just must learn to do it!
Oh, I have not dismissed VG-10, I have it in a Matriarch 2 and intend to get a Centofante slicer with a saber grind so the tip is stronger than most Spyderco knives! It seems like quite a good steel, and the stainlessness. I was under the impression that Cruwear was a great all-rounder, that actually is stainless enough for a non-stainless and easy to sharpen while taking the qualities of harder steels like S110V (not THAT much edge retention). But it is hard for me to see becaue there are not a ton of charts, just peicing together info.

I would LOVE a Police in K390, the ones that say SOLD OUT on BHQ are those from a past release, or are there ones coming? Someone said that my ZDP would make it redundant to get a K390, but I am unsure of that, see brittleness.
Spey said:
Curious, what do you plan on doing to a Matriarch to make it a mushroom-type knife, besides harvesting mushrooms with it (kinda assume blade grind modifications) ?
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Oh, I didn't mean modify it, I meant just adjust it's purpose once I get a second one. It already has the hawkbill (well, reverse S) shape conducive to mushroom slicing and those insane serrations would make it a great mushroom slicer. Got my girl an Opinel 8 mushroom knife, and I want to, for a laugh, have the baddest mushroom harvesting knife ever. Going to get a black DLC one so I might use that, just for the added "black knife" factor, just the most intense mushroom knife ever :) Maybe put wooden scales on it from a custom maker I know if I ever decide to beautify it.
Though, once I learn the stones better, I wonder if there are any modifications to be made!
 
ZDP189 isn’t “way more brittle” but yes, it is more brittle than K390.
‘The K390 Police was available till like last week or so in all major outlets, strange that is sold out…
Centofante and Starmate are favorite designs that I’ll get hopefully soon.
‘I think they are both in VG10 and I love it.
 
Dergyll said:
Spyderco is actually quite good with their prices on steels. I'm thinking more terms of, when 440c was big! Then its S30V! Then its M390!

Spotlight steels (right now, magnacut) are probably going to get a little mark up, despite (educated guess) not costing significantly more in terms of material and overhead. Maybe I'm wrong, but just my thoughts.
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Actually, they're even good with Magnacut!! The one I'm looking at from a licenced retailer is 140! I have to wait a week or more for my new card though so I cannot buy it now! Argh, maybe I'll have my girlfriend do it for me and pay her back.

But I totally believe Magnacut will be marked up by other folks.

Damn, I wasn't around for all of that with the steels, I get to choose Buck heat-treated 440 and Magnacut, haha. And Vascowear! I'm going to start calling my Cruwear that, by it's old 60's name. Must have been an interesting time, I love watching that "Ultimate Survivor" hollow Rambo knife commercial (had one as a kid, too!) and the review by PREPAREDMIND101, hilarious! 420 Molecular steel!
 
JAF1973 said:
Go big or go home. S110V has 65 more VN than S45V. And 75 more than S35V. Your life may depend on that extra 65 VN. Is your life worth an inferior S35V?
WWRD= What would Rambo do
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I've got a pair of Manix 2 models in S110V, and a Military in S90V. all 3 knives have shown to be tough and durable. 👍
As far as Rambo: he'd go full-auto...
 
Bob Denman said:
I've got a pair of Manix 2 models in S110V, and a Military in S90V. all 3 knives have shown to be tough and durable. 👍
As far as Rambo: he'd go full-auto...
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I was looking at a Manix in SPY27 (but it's redundant if I'm getting VG-10 and have S45VN, isn't it?) but the ball lock kind of puts me off the same way Benchmades do, how are they? Or is the Manix 2 not a ball lock?

Oh, and no, Rambo would go for the biggest folding knife out there. What are you thinking, the Boker Kalashnikov, 4.75? Nah, must be the Espada XL, that beast is 7.5"! No way. That's your backup knife. The biggest, baddest folder out there is by Opinel High-Speed Weapons Systems. The Opinel 0013 or "no. 13" weapons system has a blade length of almost 8.9 inches. That is the largest folding knife that is not some custom-made Navaja.

LOLOL for real though I do love large folders and have a collection of big'uns, the Kalash XL is actually my fifth biggest knife, I need the Opinel 13.
 
Dergyll said:
Spyderco is actually quite good with their prices on steels. I'm thinking more terms of, when 440c was big! Then its S30V! Then its M390!

Spotlight steels (right now, magnacut) are probably going to get a little mark up, despite (educated guess) not costing significantly more in terms of material and overhead. Maybe I'm wrong, but just my thoughts.
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Oh, and good job Dergyll, this comment has directly lead to the preorder of a Magnacut Native 5 Salt. I was thinking how you were right that it would be marked up, how cool it was that the Native 5 Salt Magnacut was only 140, pre-ordered it, and now there I am. 😂
 
Man, you need some hands on with those locks… Both Axis and Spyderco’s Ball lock or whatever they call it, are solid performers !
 
I don't have experience with S45VN but based on testing and user reports, it looks like an improved S35VN. Some people don't notice the difference. A little extra corrosion resistance is nice, although I've never had an issue with S35VN rusting.

Everyone has different circumstances and therefore different corrosion resistance needs. For instance, I can carry D2 three seasons out of the year. When the humidity creeps up in summer and sweat becomes a fact of life, so do spots on my knife. :( Over the years, I've also seen summer rust on 8Cr13Mov and AUS-8. That's with preventative maintenance. With the same preventative maintenance, I've had no issues with satin or stone-washed blades in VG-10, N690, 14C28N, M390, or S35VN.

Bead-blasting radically increases surface area and can lower effective corrosion resistance. I usually avoid it unless a steel is very stainless. For instance, I have a WE in 20CV with what looks like a blasted finish. It's not as rough as what I used to get from Kershaw, but 20CV is stainless enough that I don't care. The whole thing with corrosion resistance is having a tall enough hedge that you don't have to worry about it under your normal circumstances.
 
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Hashishiin said:
... and those insane serrations would make it a great mushroom slicer. Got my girl an Opinel 8 mushroom knife, and I want to, for a laugh, have the baddest mushroom harvesting knife ever. Going to get a black DLC one so I might use that, just for the added "black knife" factor, just the most intense mushroom knife ever :) Maybe put wooden scales on it from a custom maker I know if I ever decide to beautify it.
Though, once I learn the stones better, I wonder if there are any modifications to be made!
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What about serrations make them "great mushroom slicer" ?

My comments were made from perspective ..., thinking you might be removing the serrations, and/or referring to the plain-edged version Matriarch, etc. (personally believing pain-edge better served in roll).
Also, I have been considering removing 1/3 - 1/2 of the serrations fwd. of ricasso on a Matriarch that I currently have (so, your comment peaked interest).
 
Spey said:
What about serrations make them "great mushroom slicer" ?

My comments were made from perspective ..., thinking you might be removing the serrations, and/or referring to the plain-edged version Matriarch, etc. (personally believing pain-edge better served in roll).
Also, I have been considering removing 1/3 - 1/2 of the serrations fwd. of ricasso on a Matriarch that I currently have (so, your comment peaked interest).
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Actually nothing about the serrations in particular, just the fact that is an extremely sharp, sharp knife. Thin VG-10.
 
Chronovore said:
I don't have experience with S45VN but based on testing and user reports, it looks like an improved S35VN. Some people don't notice the difference. A little extra corrosion resistance is nice, although I've never had an issue with S35VN rusting.

Everyone has different circumstances and therefore different corrosion resistance needs. For instance, I can carry D2 three seasons out of the year. When the humidity creeps up in summer and sweat becomes a fact of life, so do spots on my knife. :( Over the years, I've also seen summer rust on 8Cr13Mov and AUS-8. That's with preventative maintenance. With the same preventative maintenance, I've had no issues with satin or stone-wahsed blades in VG-10, N690, 14C28N, M390, or S35VN.

Bead-blasting radically increases surface area and can lower effective corrosion resistance. I usually avoid it unless a steel is very stainless. For instance, I have a WE in 20CV with what looks like a blasted finish. It's not as rough as what I used to get from Kershaw, but 20CV is stainless enough that I don't care. The whole thing with corrosion resistance is having a tall enough hedge that you don't have to worry about it under your normal circumstances.
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Oh yeah, like I said, I carry carbon steel like the Douk-Douk or K55 with no issue, so I am sure things like my Cruwear or REX45 copper PM2 will not be an issue. Bought my girl an M4 Sage 4. Loving the S45VN so far, super smooth. I wonder, between REX45, S45VN, and Cruwear for the wooden scales, though, which is the most delicate of those, do you think? I suppose REX45 is the least stainless.
 
Hashishiin said:
Oh yeah, like I said, I carry carbon steel like the Douk-Douk or K55 with no issue, so I am sure things like my Cruwear or REX45 copper PM2 will not be an issue. Bought my girl an M4 Sage 4. Loving the S45VN so far, super smooth. I wonder, between REX45, S45VN, and Cruwear for the wooden scales, though, which is the most delicate of those, do you think? I suppose REX45 is the least stainless.
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I'm just guessing based on my experiences with S35VN but S45VN is probably a good "all-rounder" for EDC. Unfortunately, I don't have experience with the other steels. I've seen both of them discussed favorably. If you like watching videos, Outpost 76 has testing and discussion on both of them up on YouTube. If you prefer reading, several articles discuss those steels over at https://knifesteelnerds.com
 
A wharncliffe is just a strong utility knife that's easy to sharpen. It is great for hobbies, crafts, around the house, opening packages.. it will destroy cardboard. I always have one on my Minichamp on my keychain, and I also love it on my Swayback and SE Caribbean.
It is also good for SD if you are into that sort of thing.

 
Chronovore said:
I don't have experience with S45VN but based on testing and user reports, it looks like an improved S35VN. Some people don't notice the difference. A little extra corrosion resistance is nice, although I've never had an issue with S35VN rusting.

Everyone has different circumstances and therefore different corrosion resistance needs. For instance, I can carry D2 three seasons out of the year. When the humidity creeps up in summer and sweat becomes a fact of life, so do spots on my knife. :( Over the years, I've also seen summer rust on 8Cr13Mov and AUS-8. That's with preventative maintenance. With the same preventative maintenance, I've had no issues with satin or stone-washed blades in VG-10, N690, 14C28N, M390, or S35VN.

Bead-blasting radically increases surface area and can lower effective corrosion resistance. I usually avoid it unless a steel is very stainless. For instance, I have a WE in 20CV with what looks like a blasted finish. It's not as rough as what I used to get from Kershaw, but 20CV is stainless enough that I don't care. The whole thing with corrosion resistance is having a tall enough hedge that you don't have to worry about it under your normal circumstances.
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Very true on the bead blasted finish corroding much more easily than satin or stonewashed. I used to have a ton of Kershaws back when 13c26 was their main steel. I kept getting little spots of surface rust on my Kershaws, but all the rest of my knives were always spotless. In fact I was just thinking about that this morning. Apparently it was enough of a problem with enough people that they introduced 14c28n. When you look at a bead blasted finish under manification it's just a rough finish with thousands of peaks and valleys and each of those valleys holds water and acidic fluids just like a reservoir. Anyway.. Just something I was thinking about.
 
kobold said:
A wharncliffe is just a strong utility knife that's easy to sharpen. It is great for hobbies, crafts, around the house, opening packages.. it will destroy cardboard. I always have one on my Minichamp on my keychain, and I also love it on my Swayback and SE Caribbean.
It is also good for SD if you are into that sort of thing.

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That's very true, I forgot about the wharncliffe question.

OP, I've been a huge fan of wharnecliffes since I tried my first one many years ago. I think the first one that I actually used was a Kershaw Needs Work. Before using it I thought that they were lame but then I noticed that the tip is just always right there for yea ready to be used. The lower the tip the more naturally you can grip the knife when doing delicate tip work. It's more ergonomic for me. Also, the cutting media tends to just lead right into the edge instead of sliding up the belly. And just as importantly, they are a god send when it comes time to sharpen. They are just so much easier, especially if you're not super experienced in sharpening yet. It's just so much easier to keep that angle the same throughout and keep that bevel nice and even, and to keep your point from getting rounded with repeated sharpenings.
 
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