Steel choices for medium size fix blade

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fields_mj

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Nov 29, 2015
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Short version of my question: For a medium size fixed blade hunting/camping knife (4"-6" blade), is there a big (realistic/noticeable) difference between D2, 154CM, and S30V? I have some 154CM and some S30V that I could use for a blade, but I'm really not sure where to send it for HT. I wouldn't mind buying some D2 and using that instead depending on what I'm giving up vs the S30V. The up side of the D2 is that there are multiple shops in the area that are familiar with its HT process. None of them specialize in dealing with knives, so I'm a little uncertain about how well they will do with the other steels.

Long version of the story: Been a long time since I've been on here. I was surfing for info on here a lot about 10 years ago and made a few knives out of O1 that turned out pretty good (by my standards anyway). Built a KMG and started the process of making some camp knives, but then I got married, changed jobs, bought a house, had kids, and basically got to busy to do anything "fun". Finally changed jobs again in 2014, and after a year of getting caught up on all (okay, most... probably more like some) of my to-do list it seems to be opening up some time for me this winter. I still have the blanks that I started on all that time ago, and I'll likely take the time to finish shaping (75% done) them and grinding the bevels, but I notched the tang for a bolster just for decorative reasons, and my current job doesn't afford me as much access to mills and surface grinders as what I had when I started them so long ago, so it's going to take me a while to do what I want to do on those. In the mean time, I'd really like to build myself a couple of more functional blades (basic shape, no bolster). One of those blades will be a 5" fixed blade from some 3/32" S90V, and it's purpose will be for skinning deer, so if anyone DOES have a recommendation on a good source for heat treating super steels, I'd love to hear about it. I know that S90V is said to be a little brittle for a fixed blade, but this is a special purpose blade for me that won't see abuse. I have some O1 blades that I use when I need to hammer through bone.

Thanks,
Mark
 
Where are you located? Here in the states Peter's Heat treating (PA) is highly recommended. Also Texas Knife Maker's does excellent work from what I hear. As far as the local shop you mentioned that heat treats D2....they may be heat treating it for other applications than knives, and the heat treat for a die is not the heat treat for a knife. I would ask those local guys what their experience is heat treating D2 in knife applications. Any one of the steels you mentioned are great. If you go with 154CM, definitely choose the CPM 154CM instead. ESPECIALLY with D2......choose CPM D2 over D2 if you can. The CPM process really "shrinks" those large carbides that are problematic for fine edges.
 
I already have the 154cm and the s30v as well as the 3/32" s90v. It's all left over from the knives that I started back when I was still single. IIRC I bought them directly from Crucible Steel but I can't really remember. I thought that I bought it all at the same time in the same order but that's as much as I can recall. Am I correct in saying that the only thing special about CPM 154 CM is that it's made by Crucible Steel using their CPM process? Is there any way to look at a raw piece of bar stock and know if it's the CPM version or not?

Good point on heat treating D2. I'll make sure to check on that if I go that route.

I'm in Indiana. If I do anything locally it would be in Terre Haute or possibly Indy.

Thanks for the info!
 
The reality is any modern knife steel will make a fine blade, if the geometry and heat treat are right. :thumbup:

We spend too much time thinking about what would be the "best" steel for any given application, but within reason, most steels will work very well for the average use knife.
 
I agree. I almost didn't ask .fr that merry reason. The only steel I've used so far has been O1 and I did the HT myself using nothing more that a charcoal grill and a pan of olive oil. IMHO the results are better than any fixed blade that can be purchased for noticeably less than $100. I'm convinced that the performance lies in the geometry of the blade and a good HT. Having said that, I do think that with the right HT, there will be a noticeable difference between my O1 blades and one made of S30V.

I have 2 really good steels already on hand. Only reason I was considering D2 was the possibility of more easily finding a place to get a good HT. The more I think about that the more I agree with the advise above. I should send it to a shop that specializes in blades regardless of which steel I choose.
 
S30v will have much better wear resistance compared to O1, but it won't get nearly as fine of an edge. It will get sharp enough for most applications. You really can't go wrong with s30v or cpm154. Both are great steels.
 
Willie71 said:
S30v will have much better wear resistance compared to O1, but it won't get nearly as fine of an edge. It will get sharp enough for most applications. You really can't go wrong with s30v or cpm154. Both are great steels.
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I have to politely and respectfully disagree with my friend, here. S30V can take just as fine of an edge, but you need the right equipment and technique to do so. While O1 can be taken to extreme keen and sharp with more simple stones, to get that same refinement on S30V and the like, you need something that will cut that steel at the very to ultra fine levels.....like fine diamond stones and then diamond spray on balsa, CBN, etc.
 
samuraistuart said:
I have to politely and respectfully disagree with my friend, here. S30V can take just as fine of an edge, but you need the right equipment and technique to do so. While O1 can be taken to extreme keen and sharp with more simple stones, to get that same refinement on S30V and the like, you need something that will cut that steel at the very to ultra fine levels.....like fine diamond stones and then diamond spray on balsa, CBN, etc.
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Thanks for the tip. I find the S35VN that I use will get very sharp, but it becomes toothy as it wears, as the carbides are larger than the finer grade steels. I won't try to sharpen S35vn without my diamond stones. :thumbup:
 
I generally use a spiderco sharpmaker for sharpening followed by a few stokes on a piece of leather that's glued to a flat piece of oak. For dull knives I have some cheap diamond plates mounted to wood blocks that fit on my spyderco stones. Would that same setup work to maintain these steels (S30v, s90v, 154cm)? I use a KMG style grinder for everything else.
 
Willie71 said:
The reality is any modern knife steel will make a fine blade, if the geometry and heat treat are right. :thumbup:

We spend too much time thinking about what would be the "best" steel for any given application, but within reason, most steels will work very well for the average use knife.
Click to expand...

Right on Warren! Also, a lot of people concentrate on H/T but forget how important geometry is. When both are properly tailored to a specific type of knife, wonderful things can be accomplished.
 
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