Toughest Steel EDC for under $100

V

V10011011

Joined
Apr 2, 2003
Messages
291
I'm looking for an EDC that I will rarely need to sharpen and will hold a shaving edge for as long as possible. Is S30V stronger or VG-10 or 154CM or ATS-34? Whats the strongest steeled EDC under $100 that you would recommend?
 
S30V holds an edge the longest. That's the rumor. You can get Spyderco's Military around $100 or their Native around $60 on the net.
 
I think that D2 would offer better edge holding than S30V.

D2 is available in the Camillus EDC and some Benchmade products.

If you don't require one hand opening or a locking blade a good carbon steel slipjoint would probably do the job nicely. You can get many of them in 1095 and Queen has some in D2.

Out of curiosity, what do you want a super edge-holding knife for?
 
Just annoyed that my Leek gets dull after a few days. I keep it at a 17 degree bevel, I like the way that feels, but it just doesn't hold up as well as I would like..

Maybe my laziness has gotten the best of me :P
 
A Spyderco Military in S30V would be a good choice.
 
I like the Leek design, *sigh* if only they made a Leek custom with a S30V blade...

Whats the price tag on a spydie military?
 
V10011011:
That fine edge (wire) you put on your Leek is bound to bend easily since it doesn't have much metal behind it to stand on. Try stroking it with a small steel or burnisher and see if the edge wire just needs straightening, rather than honing it right away.

Get a leather strop or just a hunk of heavyweight leather that you can rub some abrasive on (like Zam green AlOxide). I find that stropping can do a lot to straighten an edge too.

My $.02.

TT2Toes
 
I bought my millie for 95usd+6usd shipping...

if you want a 100cdn one, look at the endura and delica line up.

Old slipjoints still do a great job on edge retension, considering the technology at that time. super thin blade, full flat grind, high carbon steel... Just put a 40deg edge on it with 1200grit sandpaper, strop on bare leather to pop the wire and not polish it, and it'll slice for a long time(provided you're not cutting cardboard 24/7).
 
I would rank them as S30V. A close seconed is VG-10. Followed by 154cm. ( ATS-34 is just a japanese variant of 154cm I beleive).

Good knives with great steel for under a hundred bucks are all Spyderco's and Benchmades mostly and the Camillus EDC. I would go with a Spyderco Delica or Endura personally. Light and great steel.
-Kevin
 
Originally posted by V10011011
Whats the strongest steeled EDC under $100 that you would recommend?
Click to expand...

this one:

ba02296.jpg


www.bladeart.com has them for $94. S30V steel. Dual nested liners unlike the military that only has one. It is also drilled and tapped for tip up or down carry on both sides. It has nested radius ramp liner lock & eccentric pivot.

Or for $119 you can get this one:

ba01717.jpg


I like this knife so much that production folders no longer have the appeal they once did. This is the perfect folding knife for me and I highly recommend it.
 
For $90.62, you can find a 910HS Stryker in M2 steel, which will hold an edge longer than S30V, D2, or 154CM (in my highly limited experience). You can find them here. If you'd rather an axis lock, you can get the 710HS for between $112-120.
 
I have several knives made from all of the steels mentioned above. However, the one I've found from my experience holds an edge longer than any of those is CPM420V...aka: S90V.
 
That is probably true, but can you get S90V for under $100? I thought it was mainly used in custom knives.
-Kevin
 
Originally posted by Morgoth412
That is probably true, but can you get S90V for under $100? I thought it was mainly used in custom knives.
-Kevin
Click to expand...

Kevin...good point. I picked this thread up near the end and was not aware we working with a maximum cost.
That said, it would seem to me if S30V is available for under 100.00 then S90V should be, too....this is just a guess. :)
 
Don,
It don't beleive s90V could cost that much more than S30V either, but it still seems that only custom makers are using it. Also, I think I read somewhere that S90V wasn't as well rounded (read:focuses more on edge retention) as S30V.
-Kevin
 
From what I've read, S90V is very hard to work with, and for that reason isn't used much at all in production knives.

Also, S90V apparently has better edge retention than any of the steels mentioned above, but is consequently much harder to sharpen as it is more resistant to abrasion.
 
Originally posted by sph3ric pyramid
From what I've read, S90V is very hard to work with, and for that reason isn't used much at all in production knives.

Also, S90V apparently has better edge retention than any of the steels mentioned above, but is consequently much harder to sharpen as it is more resistant to abrasion.
Click to expand...

Which, I 'spose, is one of many reasons most of us have different types of knives with different types of steel for a variety of applications. :)
 
Sere 2K. VG-10 blade steel. It's very good stuff. Holds a super sharp edge a very long time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top