S30v Trouble

Thanks Luong, I always value your knowledge and experience with blade steels.

As for Bucks s30v, I'll try it out.
 
:thumbup:J!

This weekend, if convenient - I will piggyback ht a s30V w/ maximum grain refinement - target for 64rc. If it performs at or better than Elmax 64rc level, then s30v could earn a spot in my lineup.

jpm2 said:
Thanks Luong, I always value your knowledge and experience with blade steels.

As for Bucks s30v, I'll try it out.
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I bet Dick Barber would have a conniption over some comments in this thread! LOL! I'm with the "not the best stuff on the market" crowd! I will say if it is heat treated by Paul Bos, it can be ok. But honestly, I would take D2 over it. To say all CPM steels should be scrapped though, which was mentioned earlier in the thread, is nonsense! Crucible CPM steels are the best! While S30V is found wanting, there are CPM wonders like M4, 3V and 20CV, to name a few. Particle Metallurgy is NOW, and THE future standard.
 
I just used savings to buy a PM2 and now I'm regretting my decision because of the steel. Why is the knife so highly rated then?

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Gman66707 said:
I just used savings to buy a PM2 and now I'm regretting my decision because of the steel. Why is the knife so highly rated then?
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S30V std ht is fine for a lot of uses, 99% of buyers will never know the difference. That's why you see so much of it. It's only the few of us that stress our edges that whine about it.
 
Gman66707 said:
I just used savings to buy a PM2 and now I'm regretting my decision because of the steel. Why is the knife so highly rated then?

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In double blind cut testing I doubt many people could distinguish S30V from D2 or even 440C. There are many variables including geometry and heat treatment that can have a bigger impact than the steel. There's nothing wrong with S30V for most uses.
 
This is why I like the cheaper softer steels. After years of buying high end super steel folders I realized that less expensive steels are a lot easier to sharpen and are always razor sharp. I am having fund with the cheap Chinese knives now.





I am no fan of S30V either.
 
colubrid said:
This is why I like the cheaper softer steels. After years of buying high end super steel folders I realized that less expensive steels are a lot easier to sharpen and are always razor sharp. I am having fund with the cheap Chinese knives now.

I am no fan of S30V either.
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Well, I would take S30V over any "cheap" steel. And absolutely over any cheap Chinese steel!! No thank you! My knives all use good steel. And all of my knives are always razed sharp as well.... BECAUSE I DONT LET THEM GET DULL! I just strop after use. Only have to resharpen maybe every few months, or if damaged. So you have fun with your cheap Chinese steel.
 
Fanglekai said:
In double blind cut testing I doubt many people could distinguish S30V from D2 or even 440C. There are many variables including geometry and heat treatment that can have a bigger impact than the steel. There's nothing wrong with S30V for most uses.
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This is essentially my view as well. I keep discovering that thinning the blade and edge geometry will fix many of the things making it difficult to sharpen them, regardless of the steel type. All this being done with abrasives well-suited to the steel type and it's carbides, of course. Occasionally, I do find some that don't respond to it, or won't hold up well when thinned. But even that can usually be blamed on (individually) poor manufacturing of the steel or bad heat treat, or maybe both.

I've yet to find one steel type that responds equally well, or equally bad across the board, from any and all makers. As a prime example, 1095 is supposed to be one of the most universally easy steels to sharpen. But, the best example of ease of sharpening, and the worst examples in my own experience, were all steels called '1095'. They demonstrated vast differences in edge-taking and edge-holding when sharpened by essentially the same means, to similar geometry. All those differences could easily have been the result of heat treat; one being expertly stellar, and a couple others leaving me wondering if the blades had been hardened at all.


David
 
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S30V should be better than kitchen steel like VG-10. Sharpen with diamonds then add secondary with you sharpmaker. Just the brown stone. Make it pop your hairs of left and right the same. Strop a bit just on leather and off you go
 
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Just finished testing S30V 64rc CWF HT 1.2 (maximum grain refinement). Edge geometry 14dps, 0.015" behind edge thick, DMT F finished grit.
Whittle bamboo cane: passed.
Chop ebony, katalox, lignum vitea argentine: passsed.
Chop cooked pork rib bone: visible with 5x loupe - 3 -4 ripples (bacon bends not rolled nor chips).
Hard whittle 0.25" dia nail: Passed with light pressure. Ripples with moderate pressure. Chips (~0.02"/0.5mm tall) when push hardest with thumb.

This sort of reconfirmed my earlier suspicion (not enough empirical data) s30v via std ht has coarse grain. So my refined grain S30V 64rc is now inline with the rest of my stainless steels performance.

nJxuBCa.jpg
 
bluntcut said:
Just finished testing S30V 64rc CWF HT 1.2 (maximum grain refinement). Edge geometry 14dps, 0.015" behind edge thick, DMT F finished grit.
Whittle bamboo cane: passed.
Chop ebony, katalox, lignum vitea argentine: passsed.
Chop cooked pork rib bone: visible with 5x loupe - 3 -4 ripples (bacon bends not rolled nor chips).
Hard whittle 0.25" dia nail: Passed with light pressure. Ripples with moderate pressure. Chips (~0.02"/0.5mm tall) when push hardest with thumb.

This sort of reconfirmed my earlier suspicion (not enough empirical data) s30v via std ht has coarse grain. So my refined grain S30V 64rc is now inline with the rest of my stainless steels performance.

nJxuBCa.jpg
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It's been interesting reading all the different opinions on this steel. Certainly cannot argue with this. Thanks for doing and sharing such a detailed test.

I'm still a novice sharpener and s30v has proven to be a bit beyond my skill level. I seem to have the hardest time deburring it. I do enjoy the challenge though and will use all the great advise offered.

Also, scouts honor, I didn't chop anything hard with my blade. I assure you that edge deformation was done solely trying to cut through juniper branches. Which leads me to my next question.

Anyone familiar with Cliff Stamp knows his method of blunting the edge, then back beveling and applying a micro bevel every time you sharpen. I know that in it's self is a debated topic and probably best for another thread, but it got me thinking. I had done around 2-3 touch ups with brown and white stones since my last back beveling when that edge deformation occurred. Does anyone think that could be a contributing factor?


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If you are using corner/edge of the SM stone, that would be most likely culprit micro-cracks at/near the edge (unseen, points of initiating deformation upon moderate force while in service). Also apexing with coarse stone can also micro-cracks near apex, especially for blade with low impact toughness.
 
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