Same steel, different company

Hickory n steel said:
This is why I don't pay attention to what steel a knife is using.
For example
I buy a standard Buck knife and know what to expect from the blade ( of course I do know what it is ) I have no clue what steel my Vic's use but don't care because I know they work, case is the same thing.
A different company might treat the same steel differently so there's no reason for me to seek out a particular steel.

Call me crazy, but my knives work for me so that's how I am.
Click to expand...
You’re crazy.

B bladeboss - I hear you on the sharpening...My thing is that I prefer to sharpen full flat ground knives over hollow ground knives. I’m assuming it’s because I’m not very adept at sharpening just yet :rolleyes: and that I own a bunch of Spydercos that I’m just more familiar with. We’ll keep practicing and and get it down :thumbsup:
 
ScooterG said:
You’re crazy.

B bladeboss - I hear you on the sharpening...My thing is that I prefer to sharpen full flat ground knives over hollow ground knives. I’m assuming it’s because I’m not very adept at sharpening just yet :rolleyes: and that I own a bunch of Spydercos that I’m just more familiar with. We’ll keep practicing and and get it down :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Maybe.
 
Hickory n steel said:
This is why I don't pay attention to what steel a knife is using.
For example
I buy a standard Buck knife and know what to expect from the blade ( of course I do know what it is ) I have no clue what steel my Vic's use but don't care because I know they work, case is the same thing.
A different company might treat the same steel differently so there's no reason for me to seek out a particular steel.

Call me crazy, but my knives work for me so that's how I am.
Click to expand...
 
bladeboss said:
Howdy folks!

Man, its been forever since I've posted here.

I got a question I'm dying to ask, so here goes.
Mind you, I have NO prejudices in these companies, nor do I work for either. The names are used purely for story-sake.

About 6 years ago, I bought my first CPM-S35VN knife, a Spyderco Native 5 G-10.
I had no issues with sharpening it at all. I could get it to shave on a Cheapo Lansky System.

Fast forward 2 years, and I got my second.
A Chris Reeve Sebenza 21.
I couldn't get this darn thing sharp to save my life. I read, I learned, I asked, I posted threads, you name it.
Did the sharpie trick, bought Diamond stones, stropped, etc.
I tried every method under the sun and I could still run my finger right down the edge.
Long story short, I traded it away for different stuff.

About a year after that, I bought my 3rd. A ZT-0450 in S35VN. No CPM on this one.
A bit hard to sharpen, but I can get it to just barely shave.

At this point after having 3 knives in the same steel, all 3 acted differently.

I decided to never buy S35VN again.

Until about a week ago.

I ended up at "That store for PROfessional BASS fisherman" :D and naturally I gravitated to the knife counter.

I ended up leaving with a Native 5 LW in CPM-S35VN.
Lemme tell you what....
This thing came outta the box ready to split atoms.
I used it to cut tires shortly after purchasing it. (Figured I'd push I hard to see if I had similar results with the steel).
It got a bit dull, so I set off to sharpen it that night, nervously ready to spend hours there.
20 or 30 passes each side with a Sharpmaker and Fine-white stones, and I could shave the eyebrows off a housefly mid-flight with It.

Thats 4 knives, from 3 different companies.
Do I just suck at sharpening, or is Spyderco the only company that knows how to make decent CPM-S35VN?

Do steels really act THAT different between companies? Its like each one was a COMPLETELY different steel altogether!
Click to expand...
Spyderco nailed it with their heat treat on S35vn but if you love CRK’s, I would suggest getting a newer one with the 59-60RC.
Removing that convex edge may help you a lot also.
 
I would say it is the person sharpening in this case. I have owned many knives in many different steels and once I leaned how to properly sharpen and got a good setup, kme, I can get any knife hair splitting sharp. Only difference I notice in steels is that some are harder and I have to use diamond hones while others I can use regular stones on.
 
Hickory n steel said:
This is why I don't pay attention to what steel a knife is using.
For example
I buy a standard Buck knife and know what to expect from the blade ( of course I do know what it is ) I have no clue what steel my Vic's use but don't care because I know they work, case is the same thing.
A different company might treat the same steel differently so there's no reason for me to seek out a particular steel.

Call me crazy, but my knives work for me so that's how I am.
Click to expand...
They do say ignorance is bliss.

Whereas it is sensible to get to know your knife's limitations in order to carry the appropriate tool for the job at hand, there are certainly occasions in my life when I deliberately pick up a knife because it has far better wear resistance than, say, Buck's 420HC. I'm fond of Buck knives and they do make the most out of their steel, or rather Paul Bos's successor makes the most out of it. However, knowing the difference between 420HC and S90V is as simple as knowing that you will have to sharpen the 420HC several times before even touching the S90V. This isn't wizardry or rocket science, it is practical knowledge relating to knife use. The sort of thing you might pick up from knife forums, for instance.

Victorinox blades are currently made from 1.4110, with a Rockwell hardness of around 56HRC. Hence they are very easy to sharpen, just as they are very easy to dull. A Buck 110 in 420HC will be at 58HRC, holding an edge for longer, while a Manly Wasp in CPM S90V will be at 60/61HRC. The difference is noticeable.
 
I did not want to make a new thread just to ask this question.

Are these gauges and good?

They are cheap, only £5-7 each.

xTNzgE5.jpg
 
The Sharpmaker is a great tool, but you have to match the angle stone to the angle of the edge. I know you said you used a Sharpie, but I'd guess that you missed what was really happening on the apex -- that the stone wasn't hitting the apex.

The acid test is raising a burr. If you're not raising a burr the full length of both sides, you're not getting it sharp.

Those steels -- especially from those companies -- are easy to get sharp, but you have to have the geometry down. The best steel and the best heat treat in the world won't cover up for the wrong sharpening geometry.
 
No, that's a poor tool, especially with narrow edge bevels. You're better off with a laser protractor, which is more expensive.

You can also mount your stones at a precise angle and see where the scratch pattern hits the edge bevel. When the scratch pattern fills the edge bevel, that's the angle of the edge.



PoorUserName said:
I did not want to make a new thread just to ask this question.

Are these gauges and good?

They are cheap, only £5-7 each.

xTNzgE5.jpg
Click to expand...
 
bladeboss said:
Howdy folks!

Man, its been forever since I've posted here.

I got a question I'm dying to ask, so here goes.
Mind you, I have NO prejudices in these companies, nor do I work for either. The names are used purely for story-sake.

About 6 years ago, I bought my first CPM-S35VN knife, a Spyderco Native 5 G-10.
I had no issues with sharpening it at all. I could get it to shave on a Cheapo Lansky System.

Fast forward 2 years, and I got my second.
A Chris Reeve Sebenza 21.
I couldn't get this darn thing sharp to save my life. I read, I learned, I asked, I posted threads, you name it.
Did the sharpie trick, bought Diamond stones, stropped, etc.
I tried every method under the sun and I could still run my finger right down the edge.
Long story short, I traded it away for different stuff.

About a year after that, I bought my 3rd. A ZT-0450 in S35VN. No CPM on this one.
A bit hard to sharpen, but I can get it to just barely shave.

At this point after having 3 knives in the same steel, all 3 acted differently.

I decided to never buy S35VN again.

Until about a week ago.

I ended up at "That store for PROfessional BASS fisherman" :D and naturally I gravitated to the knife counter.

I ended up leaving with a Native 5 LW in CPM-S35VN.
Lemme tell you what....
This thing came outta the box ready to split atoms.
I used it to cut tires shortly after purchasing it. (Figured I'd push I hard to see if I had similar results with the steel).
It got a bit dull, so I set off to sharpen it that night, nervously ready to spend hours there.
20 or 30 passes each side with a Sharpmaker and Fine-white stones, and I could shave the eyebrows off a housefly mid-flight with It.

Thats 4 knives, from 3 different companies.
Do I just suck at sharpening, or is Spyderco the only company that knows how to make decent CPM-S35VN?

Do steels really act THAT different between companies? Its like each one was a COMPLETELY different steel altogether!
Click to expand...
I'd say it's probably not the steel. You can get very crappy steel shaving sharp, it just wont retain the edge.
 
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