Super Steels are they the way to go?

C

cddogfan1

Joined
Jul 15, 2008
Messages
320
I am a big fan or O 1 and A2. And probably A2 the most. But I have been thinking lately about a new knife and going the super steel route. I think alot of us are stuck on the carbon because it is hopefully the best of both worlds in sharpening ease and edge holding. Here is where my train of thought has started to change. Ease of sharpining. Most people talk about ease of sharpening in the field. How often do these guys sharpen out in the field. I am lucky enough that I hunt and fish probalbly 100 plus days of the year with some camping thrown in. I can not tell you the last time I sharpened in the field. With the good sharpeners on the market now one can sit at home a put a razor edge on a super steel knife fairly quickly that will last through there next outing and longer. So if that is the case why not go the super steel route.

Been thinkng about a polaris of mini tusker in CMP-154 by the way.
 
I'd go for it, especially if you're thinking of a smaller sized blade...which I feel IF you were going to sharpen in the field is much more manageable. If I had to sharpen something in the field like a blade that is 10inches and weighs close to 1.5 lbs I'd probably want something easy to sharp since I'd only have a little handheld sharpener.

Just my thoughts.

Edit: And while I'm hardly experienced in the field or anything, I've been thinking about it a lot lately...if you are sharpening in the field (especially if you're only out for a short time, maybe a few days) I don't know how necessary the hair splitting mirror polished edge is. Seems like you may just be going for a solid working edge, which is easier to attain regardless of the steel. Maybe some people who go out a lot will also weigh in.
 
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CPM steels are amazing at edge holding. Way better then simple steels. They are tougher then they get credit for. I've beat on 154CM (not a CPM steel), CPM S35VN, CPM S90V and CPM 154.
I've only had to sharpen on occasion in the field and that was an axe that hit the ground. Never needed to sharpen my knives. I do hit them with a honesteel after butchering deer but honestly it's not necessary, just a habit.
I've found if you head out with a sharp knife, it should stay that way unless you hit rock or dirt. I still carry a sharpener just in case the need would arise.
Scott
 
You might ask, are they hard to sharpen? No, not any harder then A2 or O1. CPM steels are fine grained steels that hold an edge and are easy to sharpen.
Scott
 
My new UNK is cpm154. I have other blades with this steel and very happy with it.

Cody
 
Supersteels are, by and large super. I find zdp189 a bit over the top - but the edge it holds is miraculous, and I like VG10 a lot

Like lots of people, the way around sharpening problems that I found has been to put a convex edge on everything and take three sheets of micromesh out with me - good for axes and knives alike - it is a fabric-backed abrasive

I usually establish a convex on a knife using a 1500 grit on a leather pad, and polish it up through a 3200 grit then a 6000 (a bit of flitz or autosol if I am feeling in a shiny mood)

A sheet each of those will fix any outdoor disaster that resharpening (rather than regrinding) can fix :)
 
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