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.