S30V ?

[Monofletch]

I just use my knives. I quit worrying about the steel and buy designs that I like.
I use to freak out about that, but not any more.

 

[Ironbut]

I like S35VN. It holds an edge well, and is relatively easy to keep sharp. I've had a CRK with S45VN for about nine months now & it seems to hold an edge longer, and I haven't found it any harder to maintain an edge on the Sharpmaker than the S35VN.

 

[tiguy7]

Or try S-125-V or REX-121

 

[luethge]

Benchmade Presidio 2 - S30V. One of the best box cutters I’ve had. Loses hair popping edge pretty quick, cuts cardboard and fibrous materials for a long time though.

If I was going to “upgrade” steel for general edc use: CTS-XHP, Cruwear and PSF27 seem to hold a bite pretty well.

I try to keep a knife from getting dull to avoid sharpening. Crock sticks / ceramic rods are worth investing in.

 

[Chris_Texas]

Speaking only for my own standards of "sharp" (and I am fairly anal about it), if S30v isn't good enough then something else is probably the issue. Either you have unrealistic expectations about how sharp something should be and stay (youtube nonsense about chopping through logs and cinder blocks yet remaining shaving sharp), or you aren't sharpening properly to begin with -- such as not removing the burr. Shaving sharp, in my experience, is as much about blade shape as anything else and isn't really a standard to shoot for.

If a knife will push or slice cut lite advertising paper that's good enough for me, whether it will casually shave or not.

 

[Another Shepherd]

Tests on edge retention, toughness, corrosion resistance, etc.:

Knife Steels Rated by a Metallurgist - Toughness, Edge Retention, and Corrosion Resistance - Knife Steel Nerds

Steel Metallurgist Larrin Thomas uses tests of knife steels to rate the steels and explains the factors that control performance.

knifesteelnerds.com

Cedric and Ada Steel Comparison Ratings

Graphs @dropdown 413 edge retention tests with 112 different materials 261 knives from 100 makers 121 Worksharp edges (20 degree) 115 KME edges 68 Factory edges 109 other edges (Tormek, Edge Pro, stones, or sharpened by others)

docs.google.com

 

[MrStabby7]

I have several knives with S30V steel. Benchmade & Spyderco. I can get a shaving sharp edge on them but with just a few soft cuts the edge is gone. Knife still sharp but not shaving sharp. What steel would be a step up from S30V?

This sounds like a wire burr. Your knife should shave long past that.

 

[DavidABQ]

Knarfang,

That was very well explained.

 

[abcdef]

If you want actual "shaving sharp" then you want the type of steel used for razor blades. That would be a steel without carbides. 13C26 taken to a high hardness would be the thing. Such an alloy will retain it's shaving edge longer, but would then dull much faster than a carbide-containing alloy.

Steels with carbides are like concrete, got chunks of rock in it.
Steels without carbides are like cement, just fine particles.

When you start cutting with a carbide containing alloy, the carbides (bits of ceramic) begin to protrude from the surface as the steel is worn away around it. That means you lose your "shaving edge" relatively quickly. But once exposed, the carbides wear MUCH longer than steel. That means that the somewhat lesser edge is retained much longer.

Steels without carbides do not have chunks. So, the fine edge lasts longer. But then there are no hard particles to resist wear and the edge degrades faster.

Thanks, knarfeng. I might commit this to memory.

 

[Therom]

Spyderco and (especially) Benchmade do a good job with their s30v
IMO of your edge go after a few soft cuts you should have done something wrong with your sharpening

If you are confident with your sharpening skills and really want to upgrade the steel, try s45vn or m390

 

[MrStabby7]

I posted this a couple months ago. Maybe you'll find it helpful. I can get my benchmade bugout (s30v) to split hair and it will hold a shave sharp edge for a while.

Anyways, if you have a wire burr this should solve your problem.

I Purchased a $13 Microscope from Amazon

Hey guys, I just wanted to share a quick tip. I purchased the cheapest microscope on amazon (link below) and its a total game changer for knife sharpening. Before, I could get knives to whittle hair but not nearly and easily or consistently as I can now. I've been experimenting on my bugout...

www.bladeforums.com