Suggestions on replacement for CPM S-30V - Help!

TK Steingass

TK Steingass

Troglodyte Knifemaker
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
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Hey fellas -

I started trying to buff 154CM and ended up with the grains showing so I had to make my knives with a satin finish. I then decided to try CPM S-30V as a replacement. I'm working on a run of eight knives and this stuff eats cubitron belts like candy and I'm having a helluva time getting a clean buff.....this shit is like diamonds, and from what Steve Johnson told me, I may as well just leave a Dozier type belt finish on it. I'm never buying this stuff again. :barf:

By buffing, I mean taking it up to a 600 grit cork finish and buffing with black, blue then green chrome using R.W. Wilson's method.

So, who out there has had good experience with getting a mirror buff on the newer stainless steels offered by Aldo? What stainless would you recommend?

TK :grumpy:
 
CPM-154 is tough, holds a great edge and takes a beautiful polish.
I've only made one knife out of Carpenter's CTS-XHP but I found it was very similar to CPM-154, performance-wise, grindability-wise and in taking a nice finish.
They're both pretty wear-resistant, grind and sand them close to finished before HT.
 
You're much more likely to get a mirror finish with CPM-154 than anything with a V in the name(CPM-3V, 90V, S30V, S35VN). Vanadium doesn't polish very well.
 
james terrio said:
CPM-154 is tough, holds a great edge and takes a beautiful polish.
I've only made one knife out of Carpenter's CTS-XHP but I found it was very similar to CPM-154, performance-wise, grindability-wise and in taking a nice finish.
They're both pretty wear-resistant, grind and sand them close to finished before HT.
Click to expand...

yep that and i too will be tring a fw of the offereings from Carpenter steel
 
OK guys - thanks for the help - I'm going to CPM-154
 
Carpenter Cts xhp is great stuff. I've not seen it available in lots of different thicknesses yet but stuff in .140" or so is around. It takes a wicked edge and any finish you want. I like it a little more than cpm154 but that is a great all around steel too.
 
only things that have stoped me from tring it was the facts that i am known for my kitchen knives in cpm154 and that carpanter has not got me a sample in the right thickness (will be fixed next friday at the ECG )
 
Definitely give the CTS-XHP a try, Butch. It's really nice steel, I would put it right next to CPM-154 any day, and CPM-154 is awesome. Basically if I couldn't get one of them, I'd be happy to use the other.
 
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