Spyderco choices of steel

[Jack Goertz]

I'm new to the "affliction" so this topic may have been flogged to death previously, when I was not yet available to watch. Spyderco uses several different steels, two of which are similar to ATS-34, those being GIN-1 and ATS-55. Looking at the composition, they have slightly less C, and in one case a bit more Cr. I have several questions:

- Did either of them predate 34 or were they concocted to improve on 34?
- How do they compare to 34 in edge holding and corriosion resistance?
- Is the 55 as brittle as 34 is reported to be when taken to the same hardness?
- How long has Spyderco had them is use?

Jack

 

[Sal Glesser]

Jack - GIN-I (Gingami I, means sliver paper in Japanese) has been around longer than either ATS. Specifically a knife steel, it was the primary steel that Spyderco used since the first Clipits in 1981. Most of our knives were made with it. It is an excellent steel. It seems to be more reistant to chipping than either of the ATS versions, better in corrosion resistance, not a good in edgeholding as the ATS versions.

ATS-34 (a Japanese version of 154CM) preceded ATS-55 by more than 10 years.
ATS-55 was recently developed ('97) as an alternative to ATS-34 but with some ingredient modifications to make the steel more knife specific. They are similar in edge retention and corrosion resistance.
sal