s90v in a bushcraft user knife

B

Bayoubshcrft

Joined
Jan 30, 2016
Messages
99
Anyone else out there have any experience with s90v in a Bushcraft knife? I've found it pretty incredible. Just looking to see others opinions!
 
Not idea IMHO. It's a great steel tho. Just I don't see it fit for bushcraft. Sharpening alone is the major contribution to that opinion. Toughness another. Its a great steel for cutting and cutting for a long time.
 
I think it would be nice if you carry a pocket diamond stone and know how to freehand sharpen. S90V isn't terrible with diamonds. I've wanted to pick up one of the Spyderco South Forks but hardly ever carry/use a fixed blade.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mo2
I think it Could work. If the user carried a small diamond stone and knew how to free hand sharpen. 2) If the user didn't want to mallet with it.
3) If the user could find some maker that used this steel in making a blade with the correct profile for bush-crafting. DM
 
Hi! I only have one knife in S90V, the ZT 0095. My experience with this is it’s a great steel for someone who would like to have a basically care-free EDC, at least when it comes to sharpening :). This one went on literally for months without losing its cutting capabilities in my daily use :thumbsup:. Finally, putting it down to work on hard wood for few sessions, it was not shaving sharp any longer but still was cutting paper. To sharpen this one (more because I wanted to try rather than because it was really needed :)), I had to use a power tool (a.k.a. the grinder :D) and finishing it with fine diamond hone on the Lansky. Simply too hard for me to sharpen by hand with my current equipment.

I personally would not chose this steel for an outdoor/hiking/camping, “bushcrafting” knife, if I’m planning to be out e.g. for some days with no specific sharpening bench tools at hand. It’s not something I am able to maintain with my DC4 filed stone, for example. Also, I prefer steel types which are a bit more “forgiving” in terms of potential chipping/snapping, etc. repairing in the field, when it comes to an outdoor knife. If we’re instead talking about a one day hike/hunting and of a proper, careful use of the blade, I think it can perform very well.

2A1os.jpg
2A1ot.jpg
 
Herlock said:
SNIP
I personally would not chose this steel for an outdoor/hiking/camping, “bushcrafting” knife, if I’m planning to be out e.g. for some days with no specific sharpening bench tools at hand. It’s not something I am able to maintain with my DC4 filed stone, for example. Also, I prefer steel types which are a bit more “forgiving” in terms of potential chipping/snapping, etc. repairing in the field, when it comes to an outdoor knife. If we’re instead talking about a one day hike/hunting and of a proper, careful use of the blade, I think it can perform very well. SNIP
Click to expand...

For me, that sums it all up nicely. I wouldn't hesitate to use a knife with that steel or another really hard steel for a day or two out where I hike with as little gear as possible. Might actually prefer it. But with possibly unknown tasks at hand I would like a more easily maintainable steel, even softer since the harder steels can be damaged inadvertently. In a real pinch many years ago I used my old hiking companion a lot and it got a little dull. While idling away some time by a creek, I found a small, very smooth river rock and very carefully cleaned up the edge on my knife. (Mostly just to see if I could!)

Good old 1095. That old Shrade I had was probably hardened to somewhere latter 50s, and it actually sharpened pretty well with some patience. But there wouldn't be enough time on the hike to touch up an edge on my S110V steeled knife. A snap with diamonds, but I don't like carrying a sharpening rig when hiking/camping.

Robert
 
I have a CPM M4 bushcraft/camp knife that I'm fairly fond of. It was never intended to be brutally batoned as I carry a hatchet or boys axe with me if I think I'll need to chop up a lot of wood, there's usually a lot of dead stuff around for me to use.

I have a pocket buck edgetek, the flipstick, for sharpening which has 3 different grits of diamond in a small package (well priced to boot). I usually only do weekend trips and haven't had to sharpen the M4 in the woods yet as it seems to never go dull. It blasts through wood for carving and really has worked well in all of the tasks I've used it for. I will baton it with a smaller stick but I'm not going to wail on it like I would 1095 as the knife maker ran the hardness of the M4 high so that it has incredible edge retention.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mo2
One of my favorite knives is an S90V Spyderco Manix CF. Great knife, excellent steel.

However, my back country knife is an Old Ontario Rat 3.5 fixed blade... 1095 Carbon steel.

It's easy to resharpen 1095 Carbon steel on a flat rock in the back country. Carbon steel is my choice always for the off beaten trail.
 
If you want a good stainless fixed blade with toughness, I would go with Elmax, S35VN, or lower hardness 20CV(M390). I have a 5.5 inch blade in Elmax that is surprisingly thin behind the edge and I can beat on it, and it takes it, really well! That surprised me a lot! I also got a 3.5 inch one for EDC and they are perfect knives for hard use knives in wet conditions.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top