The K390 Thread - Photos and Experiences

[BMCGear]

Spyderco is one of the few makers capitalizing off of K390 these days. They are producing Bento Box's exclusive PM2 and Para 3 and now are offering it in the production line up.

Cypress first turned me onto K390 (his Mule Team loves to be used) and the more I'm using the steel the more I'm liking it. I thought it would be cool to have a thread dedicated to this steel.

What's your experience with K390 so far?

Police 4 LW

 

[Colorodo]

I carry these two during the work week and my Police 4 on the weekends. Holds a great edge.

 

[91bravo]

Been using K390 a lot lately too. Very impressed with it!

 

[BMCGear]

I have the following blades in K390:

PM2
Endela
Endura (on the way)
Police 4

 

[91bravo]

I need a Police 4 in my life. Where can I get one in K390?

 

[Brett Sisco]

I have the following blades in K390:

PM2
Endela
Endura (on the way)
Police 4

Where did your purchuse your k390 pm2 at?

 

[yablanowitz]

I need a Police 4 in my life. Where can I get one in K390?

Check your regular Spyderco dealers. I've seen the K390 lightweight showing up on fleabay, so they are out there. The G-10 model is gone, so the secondary market is all you have for that one. This one is a factory second that ran into my belt sander.

 

[BMCGear]

Where did your purchuse your k390 pm2 at?

Bento Box.

 

[oldmanwilly]

I've only got a Delica in K390 but I'm waiting for Knifecenter to fulfill my preorder for a Police 4. So far I am really enjoying K390, it held an arm-hair-shaving edge for a month of cutting through food, twigs, and a LOT of cardboard. After 5 minutes with a fine diamond plate and a strop with green compound it came back to screaming sharp. Definitely looking forward to getting my Police 4 and those extra inches of slicing power. I would be overjoyed if Sal released the Street Beat in this stuff.

 

[Officer's Match]

I wonder if K390 will be made in something other than FFG, such as a Yojimbo2?

 

[Evany]

I have an Endura in K390. Fantastic performer. Wish they would make the Kapara in that steel.

 

[BMCGear]

I have an Endura in K390. Fantastic performer. Wish they would make the Kapara in that steel.

Kapara = K390 + Micarta!

 

[Retired UPS Driver]

I need a Police 4 in my life. Where can I get one in K390?

Check your PM brother.

 

[91bravo]

Check your PM brother.

I appreciate it brother, just placed an order for one!

 

[hhmoore]

My k390 Endela, pictured with a delica (not mine) and a PM2 for size comparison. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with it, yet. As soon as I took it out of the box, I realized it wasn't for me - not a fan of the lightweight scales, or the backlock, on a knife this size. Nothing wrong with the knife itself, so I'm not sending it back...but, short of sticking it in my pack as a just in case knife, I'll never carry it. I suppose I could revisit rear pocket carry (but my previous experience with that wasn't great).
I might grab a k390 Delica (and one of the zome handled ones, for a swap)

 

[BMCGear]

I appreciate it brother, just placed an order for one!

You're gonna be super happy with it man. I love mine. I actually love the Police 4 so much I bought a VG10 version to have a stainless option for when I need it.

 

[TRfromMT]

To me, K390 is what Maxamet was supposed to be, as an improvement over M4. It's possibly my favorite hard-use folder steel.

Just rocking a PM2 with it.

Man this thing holds an edge!

 

[91bravo]

Yes it does.

 

[Ajack60]

So far, I’ve had good luck with the steel. Pretty much what everyone else has already stated about the performance of the steel. I like it and will continue to be on the lookout for more knives made with it. Here’s mine.

 

[Cypress]

K390 is the best steel currently available in production knives.

I bought a Mule Team 17 the minute they dropped back in the day. That knife became my go-to kitchen beater. It’s seen more abuse than any knife I’ve owned and it’s still going strong, even though I’ve had to thin the blade behind the edge a few times. Because of how well the Mule treated me, I jumped on the K390 PM2 and haven’t looked back. It’s my EDC when I’m not at work, and I genuinely can’t envision what would replace it.