S90V vs S110V vs M390 Steel?

Is 440C, 154CM or S35vn going to suit you? (That's a question, not an argument.)
 
JNewell said:
Is 440C, 154CM or S35vn going to suit you? (That's a question, not an argument.)
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Those steels will be fine for most EDC tasks but when you pay $800-$1000 for a custom you naturally would want a higher end performance steel. I wont buy a Ferrari if it had a Ford Focus engine, I can get from A to B but would rather in Style:D
 
ArabianKnight said:
I am looking at a blade steel for my next custom overbuilt folder. Between these 3 stainless super steels which offers best bang for buck, looking for edge retention and toughness. Need to be able to chop wood, typical "hard use" tasks and not chip or get dull to soon.
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Since we are talking about a FOLDER here and 4" blade any of the steels you picked would be fine...

Keeping S90V and M390 in the 59-60 range and S110V in the 61-62 range would be fine...
 
Performance. Funny thing about performance is you have to ignore marketing. The steels you listed have high abrasion resistance, low toughness, low apex stability, and high cost. For your uses they are all bad choices. The method of edge failure will be micro chipping and edge deformation from impact. The abrasion resistance will make edge repairs difficult and time consuming if damage occurs. High abrasion resistance is not the same thing as high edge retention. You would be paying a lot for properties that don't suit your needs.

Pick a steel with high toughness and high apex stability. If a maker won't let you pick the right steel find another maker.
 
Fanglekai said:
Performance. Funny thing about performance is you have to ignore marketing. The steels you listed have high abrasion resistance, low toughness, low apex stability, and high cost. For your uses they are all bad choices. The method of edge failure will be micro chipping and edge deformation from impact. The abrasion resistance will make edge repairs difficult and time consuming if damage occurs. High abrasion resistance is not the same thing as high edge retention. You would be paying a lot for properties that don't suit your needs.

Pick a steel with high toughness and high apex stability. If a maker won't let you pick the right steel find another maker.
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Very much agree here. M390 is one of my favorite steels, but is not good for what you've described. If I was going into something like what you've described, 3V (I know, it's been said a lot here) would be my first choice.
 
Fanglekai said:
Performance. Funny thing about performance is you have to ignore marketing. The steels you listed have high abrasion resistance, low toughness, low apex stability, and high cost. For your uses they are all bad choices. The method of edge failure will be micro chipping and edge deformation from impact. The abrasion resistance will make edge repairs difficult and time consuming if damage occurs. High abrasion resistance is not the same thing as high edge retention. You would be paying a lot for properties that don't suit your needs.

Pick a steel with high toughness and high apex stability. If a maker won't let you pick the right steel find another maker.
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With the folder specs like this....
Were looking at a 4" blade, thickness of .28" and a weight of about 12 oz's and an OAL of about 9.5"
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Any of the steels the OP chose will work fine..... ;)
 
Yeah, I have splitting wedges that are smaller. :D

Not really, but you get the point...
 
Is there a production folder built for his uses? If even busse stays away from building folders its hard to imagine a folder built for chopping. Or one with any sort of warranty.
 
lobo9er said:
Is there a production folder built for his uses? If even busse stays away from building folders its hard to imagine a folder built for chopping. Or one with any sort of warranty.
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One isn't going to chop much with a 4" folder, more like pound it through something....
 
Thread seems to be moving away from intended purpose so let me clarify a few things and get this back on track...

You are dropped on a tropical island with only your clothes on your back and a folding knife with the dimensions stated earlier. You do have the option of blade steel which MUST be stainless only (yea, I want 3V too..) what would you choose from the above steels or even a stainless steel not mentioned in the OP. You do not have a blade sharpener with you....

Think Tom Hanks, in Castaway
 
ArabianKnight said:
You are dropped on a tropical island with only your clothes on your back and a folding knife with the dimensions stated earlier. You do have the option of blade steel which MUST be stainless only (yea, I want 3V too..) what would you choose from the above steels or even a stainless steel not mentioned in the OP. You do not have a blade sharpener with you....
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Sandvik 12c27, VG10, AEB-L
 
ArabianKnight said:
Thread seems to be moving away from intended purpose so let me clarify a few things and get this back on track...

You are dropped on a tropical island with only your clothes on your back and a folding knife with the dimensions stated earlier. You do have the option of blade steel which MUST be stainless only (yea, I want 3V too..) what would you choose from the above steels or even a stainless steel not mentioned in the OP. You do not have a blade sharpener with you....

Think Tom Hanks, in Castaway
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Kinda of unrealistic as you wouldn't be getting on a plane with a knife in the 1st place.....

If in the Military etc you would have gear.....

But anyway....

S110V would be the one to have... In either a folder or like sized fixed blade.
 
S110 gonna be a lot of fun to sharpen on smooth island rock after chopping your way through a stack of fire wood with your 4 inch folder :)
 
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Seems like you are looking for a survival type folder then? In the scenario you have given, and you were to only have a folding knife and no sharpener, edge retention would be the most important property. Being limited to only stainless steels, in this case I would also go with S110V as other have stated. Extreme edge retention is without a doubt the most attractive property of that steel. It's extremely hard steel though and I'm not sure if that will take away from the toughness. For many steels you generally compromise toughness for hardness but as we all know that's not always the case. I'm not sure if S110V is one of the exceptions. Perhaps it's unique make up allow it to be extremely hard and really tough at the same time. The only experience I've had with S110V is with a Manix 2. I have since sold the knife and never subjected it to anything even close to what you would call hard use.
 
If it was a situation where I was stuck on a desert island with no sharpener, I'd probably go with h1 or something easy to sharpen that can take a fine edge easily and hold it for a day or two while also being very corrosion resistant. After all, on a desert island there's no job, no phone, no internet, and no family to take your time. Sharpening on a rock would pass the time and wouldn't be frustrating. I'd be more concerned about the knife rusting out on me.
 
lobo9er said:
S110 gonna be a lot of fun to sharpen on smooth island rock after chopping your way through a stack of fire wood with your 4 inch folder :)
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When I read it I was actually laughing out loud. Back when I had my manix 2 in S110V I found it pretty difficult to sharpen. I pictured myself trying to sharpen it on rock after batoning with it.
 
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