s30v vs. D2 sharpness

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dantheman4114

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Nov 14, 2010
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I've been doing research and I'm getting mixed reviews about s30v and D2 steels. can anyone ell me which steel takes the sharper edge, I don't care about how hard they are to sharpen or corrosion resistance, I just want to know which one takes the better edge.

Thanks, dantheman4114
 
I've found that S30V (i.e., CPM-S30V -- they're the same thing since there's no non-CPM version of S30V) takes a slightly finer edge than regular, non-particle-metallurgy D2. But CPM-D2, as found for instance as the cutting edge on many of Kershaw's composite blades, takes an edge that's at least as fine as CPM-S30V.

EDIT: Just to clarify the above, with all three steels (CPM-S30V, D2, CPM-D2), I'm comparing edges that I've rebeveled to 30° inclusive on the Edge Pro, polished to a mirror edge, and then stropped. I'm not talking about factory edges.
 
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They will both take an edge better than many people can give it.

I don't think there would be a differance in sharpness if both sharpened the same way by the same person.

Take Bob Dozier for instance. His D2 edge feels sharper than many makers S30V, but his S30V and D2 edges feel the same.
 
The only D2 knife I own right now is a Benchmade 710. The only S30V knives I own right now are a Benchmade 940 and 943. To me, the S30V takes a "finer" edge. That's not to say I don't like the D2, I do like it. But I think I prefer S30V.
 
In my experience, the edge on a D2 blade lasts longer. S30V takes a wicked edge (as does D2, perhaps even better) but it wears off relatively fast.
 
Thanks for the help everyone.

Just to clarify I am deciding between a benchmade 940 in S30v or the same knife in D2. I am planning to sharpen the one I end up choosing to a 25 degree edge with a lansky diamond clamp system.
 
I have them both and still prefer S30V over D2. There are a lot of variables to answer suh a question as Neuron and Ken44 started to touch on - and more.
 
They both will get a lot sharper than most people can sharpen them.
 
dantheman4114 said:
Thanks for the help everyone.

Just to clarify I am deciding between a benchmade 940 in S30v or the same knife in D2. I am planning to sharpen the one I end up choosing to a 25 degree edge with a lansky diamond clamp system.
Click to expand...

Are you talking 25 degrees inclusive or per-side?
 
Ankerson said:
They both will get a lot sharper than most people can sharpen them.
Click to expand...

Agreed. It's like the old handgun accuracy question of which one is more accurate. The answer is often that the gun is more accurate than most people who need to ask that. :D
 
I'd recommend 20* per side 40* inclusive. 40* is my new & favorite edge angle.
 
I have my Benchmade Kulgera sharpened to a 20* per side 40* inclusive. On second thought thats most likely what I'll be putting on the 940.
 
My rehardened (64HRC) Benchmade M2 710 is 12 per side and doing fine, although, that's not the stock knife, still, for those who are afraid of high hardness steel brittleness, those rumors are greatly exaggerated :)
Around 60-61HRC, 15 per side is quite durable and cuts a lot better than 20 per side, including things like aluminum and copper wiring, which hardly represents average EDC cutting material. IMHO no reason to have such loss of cutting ability,i.e.by using 20+ per side edge angle...
 
If you sharpen at 15 degrees inclusive (that's usually flat with the primary bevel), D-2 will have issues. Otherwise it shouldn't make a difference.
CPM D-2 is another story, oh boy that's some nice stuff.
 
Just being okay at sharpening, both get very sharp, but with my skills I get S30v sharper, but it could just be coincidental
 
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