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Spyderco Rc for VG10

R

Raw Custom

Joined
Aug 24, 2013
Messages
4
Anyone know what Spyderco sets their VG10 in Rc? I have been packing a delica for awhile with the VG10 blade. It won't hold an edge at all. I contacted their customer service and dropped it in the mail for them to inspect, however when I asked what the Rc should be on it they wouldn't disclose the info. I picked up this pocket knife simply to see what I thought of VG10 and I wish I knew if it was a bad HT or if the steel is that lackluster for performance.
 
I'm not sure but around 60rc. Odds are that the problem is with your sharpening and not the heat treatment. Spyderco VG-10 in the Delica and others holds a great edge in my experience.
 
bad sharpening can make the best of steels into bad ones. Spyderco is very very very good about their HT. I've lot count of how many VG-10 Spydercos that I've owned, and none of them under performed.
 
If you live by a heat treater, odds are they will test it for cheap if not free. Metalex in berthoud colorado does all of the golden made spydies, and he tests my blades free of charge. It takes him literally 1 min of his time.
 
Their VG-10 is really good steel. Many people feel it is similar to (give or take) 154CM and ATS-34, and I personally agree. It's not class-leading in edge retention, but it gives very good edge retention with the added bonus of excellent toughness, excellent corrosion resistance, and extreme ease of upkeep. I personally think it's one of the best steels for a general usage folder, and especially one seeing harder usage.

As others have noted, the sharpening itself can play a huge role. Depending on what you are using it for, and what you want from it, the sharpening aspect can work for or against the user to a very major degree. While the factory angle is excellent, I think the true potential for Spyderco's VG-10 can only be seen after the user sharpens it and sharpens it well for their usage. So...

Is this a gen 3 or gen 4 Delica?
Is it plain, part serrated, or fully serrated?
What are you using for sharpening?
What angles are you setting the blade at?
Are you using a micobevel or have you cut a relief angle into the edge?
Are you finishing with something such as a strop or steeling?
What materials do you cut the most?
 
Did you coat the edge with a Sharpie and check if any steel is being removed at the edge?

Did you check for a 'wire edge'?
 
My guess would be 57-59.

VG-10 at 60+ is not going to be very common in folding knives.
 
AGRussell on-line catalog lists a delica VG10 at 60-62 Rc
 
brownshoe said:
AGRussell on-line catalog lists a delica VG10 at 60-62 Rc
Click to expand...

They are just not that hard, that's near peak hardness and you will only find that with a handful of Japanese knife makers. Even at 60 VG-10 can start to get a little chippy if your not careful.
 
brownshoe said:
AGRussell on-line catalog lists a delica VG10 at 60-62 Rc
Click to expand...

They might have made a booboo there! I have VG-10 on a few Shun knives at around 60.5 HRC IIRC and they have all sorts of issues with terrible chipping from things that place only small amounts of stress on the blade. On the other hand, I find the VG-10 Delica to be one of the best steels to resist chipping with harder usage (in most cases, it rolls instead of chipping which I absolutely love given how easy it is to revive compared to chipping). My guess would be around 58 HRC as I have read ideal toughness is going to be in that 57-59 HRC ballpark, and the Delica/Endura designs do seem to favor toughness in the entire build.
 
"They are just not that hard, that's near peak hardness and you will only find that with a handful of Japanese knife makers."

What is your source of information for the VG10 hardness of Spdyerco's knives?

If you do a simple search, the values vary, but I chose AGR's site because in the past it has lined up with manufacturer's statements. At the multitool site, the 2001 dealer catalog lists it as 60-62Rc. However, that's real early in VG10's history, so it may have changed over the years.

Remember, kitchen knives are usually a little softer than pocket knives due to what they are used for and how they are sharpened (e.g. steeling).
 
AF said:
I'm not sure but around 60rc. Odds are that the problem is with your sharpening and not the heat treatment. Spyderco VG-10 in the Delica and others holds a great edge in my experience.
Click to expand...

This. I had the same problem a while ago with a Delica ffg. I sent it to Spyderco to be tested, and the hardness came back fine. I find that vg-10 can develop quite a burr if you sharpen it on ceramic rods.
 
I base my opinion on experience.

I have sharpened thousands of Tojiro DP, Saki Takayuki Damascus, and a boat load of smaller makers that take great pride in their knife making.

Buy a Tojiro DP, it's VG-10 at hrc 60 and you will see very quickly that spyderco VG-10 is not that hard. VG-10 at high hardness feels more like 154cm and takes a while to grind.

Remember, kitchen knives are usually a little softer than pocket knives due to what they are used for and how they are sharpened (e.g. steeling).
Click to expand...

This is not true of Japanese knives and is exactly the opposite of your quote.
 
gglotz83 said:
This. I had the same problem a while ago with a Delica ffg. I sent it to Spyderco to be tested, and the hardness came back fine. I find that vg-10 can develop quite a burr if you sharpen it on ceramic rods.
Click to expand...

Even with most of the ultra-fine ceramic rods, I dont think one can ever fully remove the bur without that final stropping or polishing finishing stage. Like almost every steel I have ever used, I find finishing with a strop or polish finishes the razor sharpness. There are some ultra-ultra-ultra x 100 fine ceramics that can do super fine finishing, but they arent going to be common on most standard sharpening systems.

Supposedly the Chosera 5000 and 10000 grit stones give an absolutely amazing finish. I've been toying with buying them for my EP.
 
pnsxyr said:
Even with most of the ultra-fine ceramic rods, I dont think one can ever fully remove the bur without that final stropping or polishing finishing stage. Like almost every steel I have ever used, I find finishing with a strop or polish finishes the razor sharpness. There are some ultra-ultra-ultra x 100 fine ceramics that can do super fine finishing, but they arent going to be common on most standard sharpening systems.

Supposedly the Chosera 5000 and 10000 grit stones give an absolutely amazing finish. I've been toying with buying them for my EP.
Click to expand...

Either that or the stropping reduces the burr to the point where you can't detect it. I used to strop all my knives. Now I usually just finish on a Spyderco Ultra Fine stone. Steep angle, light pressure, alternating sides. This reduces the burr to where I can't detect it.
 
The burr never really goes away it's just minimized in size. By the time it gets so small a edge starts splitting hairs the edge by most everyone's standard would be "burr free".

This can be done at coarser grits than often thought but finer grits do make it easier. I would like to point out that it's not necessary to strop to achieve a "burr free" edge.

Here is a edge from my 6k Arashiyama waterstone, no stropping.

image.jpg
 
knifenut1013 said:
The burr never really goes away it's just minimized in size. By the time it gets so small a edge starts splitting hairs the edge by most everyone's standard would be "burr free".

This can be done at coarser grits than often thought but finer grits do make it easier. I would like to point out that it's not necessary to strop to achieve a "burr free" edge.

Here is a edge from my 6k Arashiyama waterstone, no stropping.

View attachment 437899
Click to expand...

Are stones in that class of ultra-fine ceramics very affordable? The reason I haven't gone to the Chosera for my EP is the cost, although it seems these stones eliminate a need for polishing completely and often have even better results.
 
Chosera stones are some of the very best and very worth the price.
 
Do not get caught up in HRC values, there is a big difference between a blade that reaches HRC 60 with good soak, quenching, deep freeze treatment, temper and a HRC 60 with an ok soak, quenching and secondary hardening while tempering. The performance results will be easily noticeable with the latter suffering from chipping and poor corrosion resistance.

Spyderco does VG-10 well IMO.
 
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