(s30v) (154cm) whats the diffrence

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Eroc162

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Can someone quickly tell me the main diffrences between the s30v and the 154cm besides the cost of the metal. Just curious. Thanks.
 
For me, and putting aside chemistry class, 154cm sharpens easier but doesn't hold an edge quite as long as S30V.
 
Another good place for info on the various knife steels is over at Joe Talmadge's sticky in the Maintenance, etc. sub-forum here:

Link


It hasn't been updated since 2005, so some of the newer steels aren't covered.
 
DallasSTB said:
For me, and putting aside chemistry class, 154cm sharpens easier but doesn't hold an edge quite as long as S30V.
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Funny, my experience is exactly the opposite. The knives in question were a Manix2 (154cm), Native and UKPK (S30V). IIRC S30V is supposed to be less brittle than 154CM, so it would make sense that for it to act a little softer.
 
Actually it's the other way, S30V is harder and more brittle than 154CM. I cant really offer anymore in the way of difference between the two, as I only recently aquired my first 154 blade
 
My experience is with a Benchmade's Griptillian (154cm) vs a 940 (S30V). The grip got a killer edge very quickly but I have to touch it up regularly. Once I reprofiled the edge on the 940 to a keen 15º per side (no easy task), it has held up very well.

Sorry for the blasphemy, but I don't have two Spyderco knives with these steels to compare.
 
Much depends on the final hardness of the steels. A RC 60-61 S30V will have more wear resistance than the CPM 154/154cm at any hardness. Likewise, a RC 61-62 CPM 154 ( you will only see this hardness in customs in CPM 154, and not at all in 154cm) will out wear a RC 58-59 S30V blade.

If they are both equal the higher carbide percentage, and harder vanadium carbides in S30V will out wear S30V.

They are both pretty tough for the high wear stainless class, but this in no way compares to the carbon/alloy tool steel or high speed steel classes.

S30V will not finish as fine, or as pretty as CPM 154 will. If you are a maker, you will probably not go through as many belts and abrasives making 154cm/CPM 154 knives, and can make a better looking steel finish than S30V takes. ( note D2 has that same trouble. You can only do so much with it)

As users they are both excellent steels, and more or less in the same class, though as stated S30V can slightly out perform 154cm if heat treated to the same hardnesses. To be honest I don't really have a preference between CPM 154 and S30V. I do prefer either to the non powder steel classic 154cm.
 
Kenix said:
In my experience, S30V takes a toothier edge than 154CM.
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I also find this to be true, with all my s30v knives, including spyderco, benchmade and kershaw. Stropping works to get rid of some tooth but it seems to lose its bite after that.

As for 154cm, it is also great. Seems very fine grained and takes super smooth, biting edges. s30v will outlast it in edge holding.

Anybody have experience with rust resistance on both? My 154 has never rusted in humid maine summers, while s30v seems to get tiny spots overnight.
 
I cut a couple of slices to get in some boxes and the s30v is still sharp but when I run my nail along the blade I feel a kind of bump. Is that what you guys call a tooth. I stroped it but its still there. Knife is sharp thou.
 
As Mastiff mentioned, performance between these 2 steels depend mostly on heat treat but S30V is the better steel.

S30V is tougher than 154CM, it has to do with having fewer carbides and the CPM process. Even with fewer carbides, S30V's vanadium carbides are harder so wear resistance is better. S30V is more chip resistant when heat treated well.

S30V will significantly outcut 154CM at the same hardness. In my cardboard cutting, they both lose shaving sharpness at about the same time but S30V just keeps cutting while 154CM gets duller and duller. The result is that S30V can cut nearly twice as much cardboard before I determine it really needs to be sharpened again.

Corrosion resistance also depends on the heat treat, especially with S30V. Both steels have around 11.5% free chromium making them borderline stainless steels, but S30V is not really a stainless steel on some knives. Both these steels and VG-10 have rusted on me.
 
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