Southard & CTS-204P

[RetiredGuns]

While I have been collecting and using knives for over 40 years, I am certainly not a steel expert. I have however used enough different steels and read enough to form an educated opinion. I never intentionally sought out stainless steel knives and always figured it was "cheap crap" for the most part. If it didn't patina or rust I thought it was surgical junk. The Case knives I had in SS while being plenty serviceable never got the use that my CV knives did. My very first modern folder was CPMD2 and that led to many, many more modern knives. Without elaborating for eons I just want to fast forward to my latest knife the Spyderco Southard.

I've had/have plenty of knives of S30V and they are without a doubt great but this CTS-204P is something else. I acquired the Southard in a trade for a knife that I won in a contest so essentially it was free. I decided to use the hell out of the knife since I had no money in it and decided from day one that it was a keeper. I have whittled, cut, chopped, sliced and just a bit ago punctured and scraped a hole in plastic. I use it at work scraping wire, cutting zip ties and cardboard on a daily basis. This knife/steel has not only performed well but it has not even gotten dull yet! I did manage to get a couple light scratches on the tip but looking at the edge with a magnifying glass there is zilch for deformations. I did not get the same results with S30V. I recently bought a set of paper wheels and sharpened every knife in the house but haven't had to touch up the Southard. It still cuts figure eights in paper! Maybe I am preaching to the choir but this steel is really, really good. Spyderco hit a home run with this knife and it's the first flipper/framelock that I actually want to keep.

Thanks Sal & company.

 

[devgru66]

Great to hear. There isn't a huge sample of comments on the 204P. Glad you like it.

 

[jstn]

Haven't tried the Southard yet, but I have a few in M390 which is similar, and it is just amazing stuff. Makes one wonder what steel will be like 20 years from now.

 

[Vivid Blades]

I think the Southard is great no issues with steel holds a edge really well. I have to say spyderco first flipper is a home run.

 

[LonnyRS]

I got the Southard just a few days ago, and I can say I REALLY like this knife! It's so super smooth..I highly recommend it to everyone..

 

[Nemo]

Hi,

The Southard is my favorite Spyderco so far. And I got a huge collection.
Taking number 1 position from my beloved Techno and Gayle Bradley.
I love everything in this knife but the clip.
What a knife! My Flipping Beauty!

Cheers Nemo

 

[whp]

If the Southard has durability with moderately heavy use as time goes by, it will start to be compared with semi customs and some customs. The initial impressions are excellent.

 

[CrimsonTideShooter]

Hmm. I've had different results with mine.

 

[RetiredGuns]

Hmm. I've had different results with mine.

Elaborate a bit so we can watch out or be aware of something.

 

[powernoodle]

What RG said.

 

[TheModernNeanderthal]

Nothing but good to report here. I haven't used it a ton but from what I can tell, it's pretty stellar.

 

[CrimsonTideShooter]

Elaborate a bit so we can watch out or be aware of something.

I've only used one example so far, the and with only one edge angle. Too soon to pass any accurate judgements.

As time goes on I will definitely check back in.

 

[Nemo]

Mine is a very high performance knife.
This is thin ground. Nice belly.
Push cutting in any material is a child play.
I'm very impressed by the belly of this blade.

 

[Pilot1]

I just bought one off the sales forum here, and received it yesterday. I've been carrying and using mostly a ZT 0560 in recent months so the Southard seems really small to me, almost too small, but I guess I will get used to it. It certainly is a high quality, well made knife and I'm glad to hear good things about the steel, as I've never even heard of it before now.

 

[TotinCh1p]

I had a mattress tied to the top of my wife's SUV with nylon twine. My Southard lasered through the twine, however, when I looked a the blade later, there with small chips in the edge. Not sure if it was the fact that the twine was super tight or if it was the twine material itself, but the edge got hammered.

 

[RetiredGuns]

I had a mattress tied to the top of my wife's SUV with nylon twine. My Southard lasered through the twine, however, when I looked a the blade later, there with small chips in the edge. Not sure if it was the fact that the twine was super tight or if it was the twine material itself, but the edge got hammered.

Not normal. I cut through several nasty zip ties with zero damage and the same zip ties ruined the factory edge of a Sage. I guess the factory sharpening job could have a lot to do with it.

 

[TheModernNeanderthal]

Not normal. I cut through several nasty zip ties with zero damage and the same zip ties ruined the factory edge of a Sage. I guess the factory sharpening job could have a lot to do with it.

I suspect some of the negative reports may be due to that. I'm mostly hearing issues from the factory, all the ones that have been resharpened seem to be doing well. I guess time will tell.

 

[TotinCh1p]

Not normal. I cut through several nasty zip ties with zero damage and the same zip ties ruined the factory edge of a Sage. I guess the factory sharpening job could have a lot to do with it.

I have already sharpened out the chips (they were quite small BTW, however, you could feel them with your nail). The steel sharpens really nice. Hopefully you guys are right and the factory edge was the culprit for the chipping.

 

[CrimsonTideShooter]

I have already sharpened out the chips (they were quite small BTW, however, you could feel them with your nail). The steel sharpens really nice. Hopefully you guys are right and the factory edge was the culprit for the chipping.

I didn't want to say anything, but this is exactly what I am experiencing. I've resharpened once already, going to try it again soon.

204p is an extremely temperamental steel to heat treat. I'm wondering if some of the blades somehow had some grain overgrowth that resulted in the tendency to chip.

Again, I haven't used the knife enough to know if there IS a tendency to chip.

 

[JNewell]

I didn't want to say anything, but this is exactly what I am experiencing. I've resharpened once already, going to try it again soon.

204p is an extremely temperamental steel to heat treat. I'm wondering if some of the blades somehow had some grain overgrowth that resulted in the tendency to chip.

Again, I haven't used the knife enough to know if there IS a tendency to chip.

I have had individual Benchmade knives that had a tendency to chip that I believe were the result of sharpening at the factory. With varying but relatively minor resharpening, the issue went away.