S30V: What are your experiences with this steel?

[Cliff Stamp]

Glad you found them useful, if there is anything you would like to see or just comments on content/style in general then you can drop me an email.

-Cliff

 

[Habeas Corpus]

I'm starting to have my doubts if S30V is worth the hassle. Is chipping just something that one has to put up with or will the problem ever be solved? And if one wants to buy an nice high end knife, so many use S30V that there isn't really much of a choice.

You make an interesting point here. I totally agree, so many of of the more interesting knives are *only* made in S30V nowadays that it's pretty difficult to avoid this steel until, well, until the hype dies down and knifemakers and manufacturers turn their attention to the next supersteel (which may well have its own set of problems). But this means that those who for one reason or another don't like S30V very much are quite limited in the type of knife they can buy.

But I very much doubt we'll ever a range of interesting, modern folders in an "old-fashioned" toolsteel, despite the very real advantages such steels have to offer - no problems with toughness, no chipping and so on. Really, the only advantages steels like S30V have to offer are wear resistance and corrosion resistance. That's it, but that's what most users want, and manufacturers like Spyderco and all the others would be foolish to ignore their customers' wishes.

Sad, but that's the way things are.

Hans

 

[Cliff Stamp]

But I very much doubt we'll ever a range of interesting, modern folders in an "old-fashioned" toolsteel ...

Knives are made for mass appeal, production wise anyway, and most people think stainless steel is just "better". Being "new" is also a major selling point so it is hard to push a steel which has been around for a long time unless you give it a new name. Spyderco has been really responsive to small runs though so hopefully they will use some tool steels in their folders so a Paramilitary with a bandsaw steel blade, Calypso Jr. with a M2 blade, etc. .

-Cliff

 

[DFW_Dave]

I like the steel. I've had good luck with putting a great edge on it and it holds as good or better than my ats 34 steel. I have not had any problems with chipping or breaking. I should say that I take pretty good care of my knives though. I've never used them as pry bars and such.

 

[Greg]

New Lone Wolf Harsey Double Action arrived on Friday. Fantastic knife. Sharpened it at 40 degrees just the smooth the edge. Everything seemed fine until today. Pretty good size chip showed up about an inch from the tip. All I've done with it so far is "play" with it while watching TV.

Hmmm, this sounds as though it chipped while cutting air! If so it was definitely faulty.
Greg