Someone brief me on S35VN, as an S30V owner and user, what should I know?

B

Big Algernon

Joined
May 29, 2012
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I plan on buying a Native 5 within the next two weeks as the Native is my most used and favorite knife, even though I have more expensive ones and even a Para 2... I still like rocking my Native everywhere I go because it's more people friendly, so I figure it's time for an upgrade with some g10 class.

There is one unknown, though... What about S35VN? Is this something I should be worried about? What are the qualities of this steel in comparison with S30V? It isn't a dealbreaker, is it?
 
There are small differences but I'd say 90% of people won't be able to tell a difference unless they had the two cutting side by side. It's a great steel just like S30V.
 
Edge holding should be the same, with the S35V maybe being just a bit tougher. I don't think you would really notice any difference in the two though.

Both great steels. If I had to choose I may go with the S35V, but either would do fine.
 
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Yeah but I didn't have a choice really with the Native 5, unless Spyderco does a sprint run in a different steel in a year or so, then again, they haven't been much for letting the Native stay in production in any edition besides the original, I hope they keep the 5th around for a while.
 
S30VN has a little less carbon and vanadium but adds niobium which adds strength and toughness and helps with a more refined grain structure. It should be a slight upgrade to S30V.
 
Big Algernon said:
I plan on buying a Native 5 within the next two weeks as the Native is my most used and favorite knife, even though I have more expensive ones and even a Para 2... I still like rocking my Native everywhere I go because it's more people friendly, so I figure it's time for an upgrade with some g10 class.

There is one unknown, though... What about S35VN? Is this something I should be worried about? What are the qualities of this steel in comparison with S30V? It isn't a dealbreaker, is it?
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Nothing to really worry about, just use and enjoy. :)
 
Baine, Ken44, and Ankerson have said it as well as I could. I have two N5s because it's my EDC and I wanted a backup in case of loss or discontinuation. The N5 is the only knife that I have two of. I do have S35VN in a small Seb 21. Both knives with S35 blades have performed as well as my older ones in S30V. If you can maintain and use S30V successfully, S35VN won't be any problem. I just do it the same way I do S30V
 
Big Algernon said:
Yeah but I didn't have a choice really with the Native 5, unless Spyderco does a sprint run in a different steel in a year or so, then again, they haven't been much for letting the Native stay in production in any edition besides the original, I hope they keep the 5th around for a while.
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I may be mistaken, but I think I remember talk about a sprint run down the road.
I'm with you on hoping the 5th will stay around a while, and think it will.
 
Hauling said:
just be aware the G10 scales almost double the weight over the FRN.
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I'm aware but most of the use this knife will get is around the house and out with friends in urban areas. I don't intend on backpacking it across the Alps as that isn't really my thing.
 
I think they're planning several sprint runs for the Native5. The fluted titanium Native 5 for sure, and a possible carbon fiber with a super steel.
 
Big Algernon said:
I plan on buying a Native 5 within the next two weeks as the Native is my most used and favorite knife, even though I have more expensive ones and even a Para 2... I still like rocking my Native everywhere I go because it's more people friendly, so I figure it's time for an upgrade with some g10 class.

There is one unknown, though... What about S35VN? Is this something I should be worried about? What are the qualities of this steel in comparison with S30V? It isn't a dealbreaker, is it?
Click to expand...

In use you probably would never know the difference. The S35VN is slightly tougher with a negligible difference in edge holding. It resists chipping just a wee bit better than S30V at comparable hardness. Chipping was a gripe that has been mentioned with S30V. IMO its more marketing than reality.
 
I own several knives in S30V and a Native in S35VN. I haven't noticed any difference in performance, even in side by side edge retention testing.
 
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