thining S30V

V

VTguy

Joined
Dec 11, 2006
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I am wondering if any of you have much experience thing S30V steel. I have a mini rukus that I would like to take down to a max of 15 degrees a side. i have heard all the talks of microchipping and so i am a little worried about it, however, this steel is sold as a "super steel," in VG10 there are knives coming out direct from the factories (shun series) ground at these angles, so the question is if S30V will preform at these angles with little danger of chipping. I am very careful with my knives, I use them alot, but only as a knives, no prying, subbing for screwdriver or an ax it will not be in dirt but it will be used on game (gutting and skinning) so how thin is too thin?
 
According to my protractor, I have my S30V Spyderco Paramilitary at 11 degrees per side. I have had no problems with chipping on a macro scale. As for micro chipping, I don't give a rip. It still cuts just fine. And I use it a lot harder than it sounds like you are planning to use yours.
 
VTguy said:
I am wondering if any of you have much experience thing S30V steel. I have a mini rukus that I would like to take down to a max of 15 degrees a side. i have heard all the talks of microchipping and so i am a little worried about it, however, this steel is sold as a "super steel," in VG10 there are knives coming out direct from the factories (shun series) ground at these angles, so the question is if S30V will preform at these angles with little danger of chipping. I am very careful with my knives, I use them alot, but only as a knives, no prying, subbing for screwdriver or an ax it will not be in dirt but it will be used on game (gutting and skinning) so how thin is too thin?
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing last evening and you beat me to the post. ;)

Not to take away from your post, rather to enhance it with more beta:

I've got a Mini Manix which I like but feel the blade is too thick. It's S30V and I'd like to thin it down a bit.

Anyone do it (or similar) and if so, did you use a stone like 1000 waterstone or sandpaper? How long did it take to do a good job?

I'm not too concerned about scratching or scuffing the blade... would like to get it thinner w/o chipping it to smitherines.
 
A 1000 grit water stone will take a looooooong time to thin out the edge on an S30V knife. I used a coarse diamond stone in my Edge Pro to thin the edge on my Paramilitary and it still took a while.
 
My Mini Rukus is scary sharp with the original edge profile so I won't be thinning it. I find it responds perfectly to an ultra fine (green) DMT home. I used the medium (red) once, when I first got it. No problems with chipping, and I have cut hard wood, plastic, cardboard, sisal and some dirty vines so far.
 
All of the Rittergrips - folders and fixed - are S30V with 15 degrees per side. Though some have reported chipping, most - including myself - have not had any problem with it.

It is my understanding that Benchmade will replace knives that have chipping.
 
My Manix came at 12.5 degrees per side and only chipped on metal with poor technique. My Native chipped on very light cutting at first (it was around 12 degrees, also), then the chipping went away after several sharpenings. I now have the Native at around 7.5 per side with a 15 degree microbevel. I used a DMT X coarse and sharpened it flat to the stone, and it still took a while. I now have a DMT XX Coarse, and it cuts way faster than the DMT X coarse, so I would recommend it for reprofiling as it will significantly decrease the time it takes.

All that said, The full size Rukus I used in a passaround was well under 15 per side with a very thin edge bevel, so the mini Rukus hopefully would be similarly acute and thin. The edge touched up to being really sharp with only a few passes on the sharpmaker in the 15 degree setting. If you have calipers you can measure the width of the edge bevel and the length of it and use some trig to get a good feel for what the angle is. I am involved in a passaround/lotto for a mini Rukus and mini Skirmish, and I will post what angles and thicknesses the edges of those 2 knives have whenever they get to me, but I would hope the mini Rukus is under 15 per side.
 
VTguy said:
... however, this steel is sold as a "super steel,"...
Click to expand...

Thye hype about is being a "super steel" is meaningless. This is just as useful as someone telling you they have an "excellent" knife. Would that enable you to infer if it would be useful to fillet fish. No, you need specifics. S30V has the exact opposite set of characteristics which are required to hold very acute edges. The optimal refinishing is to adjust the primary grind which will increase cutting ability and ease of sharpening without lowering edge stability. If this isn't an option then apply a heavy edge relief and add a suitable secondary edge bevel. The exact final angles will depend on your skill and demands, but it takes extremes in either way to deviate a lot from 15 degrees.

-Cliff
 
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