- Joined
- May 26, 2000
- Messages
- 1,922
Unless you stab your knife into dirt or cut on a ceramic plate or concrete or something that'll truly dull/wear/round the edge, for most people, in normal daily use, the harder the blade, the longer the edge will last, because edge rolling is usually what takes the sharpness down. Cardboard and carpet and rope will surely abrade down an edge, but I don't cut lots of these daily, just once in a while.
The hardest factory production blade you can get is an M2 blade from Benchmade, since they target a range of Rc 60-62 with M2. On average, that'll be the hardest blade you can get, and therefore, less likely to roll. There is not another production blade with that high a target hardness... the hardest would be ATS-34 / 154CM with an Rc 60-61 target (which on average is really damned close).
Turns out M2 is also quite abrasion resistant, so for all you just aching to chime in that "hardness isn't the end-all of edge holding", spare your typing... M2 steel has about as many or more hard carbides (Moly, Vanadium, & Tungsten) as any production folder. (yeah, I know S30V has 4% vanadium, and it has nitrides, etc, but I start at harndess and am working through from there... and S30V isn't coming available past Rc59 generally).
M2 is also the toughest factory production steel you can get in a folder at such high hardnesses. Period. Tough means it resists chipping better than all the stainlesses. And that likely includes S30V.
Downside: M2 isn't stainless. That is the big tradeoff for such a great combination of hardness, toughness, and abrasion resistance. And you can only get from Benchmade in production clothes. Few custom makers use M2 either, too hard to heat treat.
M2 will slightly exceed all the others in overall, all around performance, and if you have diamond stones, it's easier to get a good scary edge onto than most steels since it isn't a stainless, it's a high alloy tool steel. If you don't have diamonds, well, get 'em, or get good Norton synthetic water stones.
If you want stainless, the steels go in this order in terms of performance assuming they are all at the same hardness:
Best @ top:
S30V
BG-42
154CM / ATS-34
VG-10
Problem is you can't find S30V at Rc60 very easily, but I wouldn't sweat it. I'd take S30V at Rc 59 since it is also tough, and fine grained, and abrasion resistant. Close call on S30V at Rc59 or BG-42 at Rc60-61. Depends on the use/application as to which I'd prefer.
Stick with any of the top 3 above and you have a good blade.
VG-10 is fine too, lest anyone get their panties in a wad. :yawn: It's just got fewer carbides than all those above, and I don't recall seeing it run at Rc60-61.... usually VG-10 is Rc59.
Buy from a quality production outfit and you tilt the odds that you'll get a good heat treat. I tend to end up at Benchmade or Spyderco it seems. YRMV.
The hardest factory production blade you can get is an M2 blade from Benchmade, since they target a range of Rc 60-62 with M2. On average, that'll be the hardest blade you can get, and therefore, less likely to roll. There is not another production blade with that high a target hardness... the hardest would be ATS-34 / 154CM with an Rc 60-61 target (which on average is really damned close).
Turns out M2 is also quite abrasion resistant, so for all you just aching to chime in that "hardness isn't the end-all of edge holding", spare your typing... M2 steel has about as many or more hard carbides (Moly, Vanadium, & Tungsten) as any production folder. (yeah, I know S30V has 4% vanadium, and it has nitrides, etc, but I start at harndess and am working through from there... and S30V isn't coming available past Rc59 generally).
M2 is also the toughest factory production steel you can get in a folder at such high hardnesses. Period. Tough means it resists chipping better than all the stainlesses. And that likely includes S30V.
Downside: M2 isn't stainless. That is the big tradeoff for such a great combination of hardness, toughness, and abrasion resistance. And you can only get from Benchmade in production clothes. Few custom makers use M2 either, too hard to heat treat.
M2 will slightly exceed all the others in overall, all around performance, and if you have diamond stones, it's easier to get a good scary edge onto than most steels since it isn't a stainless, it's a high alloy tool steel. If you don't have diamonds, well, get 'em, or get good Norton synthetic water stones.
If you want stainless, the steels go in this order in terms of performance assuming they are all at the same hardness:
Best @ top:
S30V
BG-42
154CM / ATS-34
VG-10
Problem is you can't find S30V at Rc60 very easily, but I wouldn't sweat it. I'd take S30V at Rc 59 since it is also tough, and fine grained, and abrasion resistant. Close call on S30V at Rc59 or BG-42 at Rc60-61. Depends on the use/application as to which I'd prefer.
Stick with any of the top 3 above and you have a good blade.
VG-10 is fine too, lest anyone get their panties in a wad. :yawn: It's just got fewer carbides than all those above, and I don't recall seeing it run at Rc60-61.... usually VG-10 is Rc59.
Buy from a quality production outfit and you tilt the odds that you'll get a good heat treat. I tend to end up at Benchmade or Spyderco it seems. YRMV.
) The stainless Enduras are nice but AUS-6 or AUS-8, whatever they're using isnt exotic enough; I want an edge that will last through three days of cardboard cutting and yet be able to shave after, if that's even possible..
Haha, you are absolutely right. They, and the Delica's are indeed ugly. Appearance wise that is. If you use them for a week though, you will fall in love with them. You will learn to value their form and function over appearance. Alot of Spydies are ugly. All Spydies feel amazing in the hand and perform 100% though. Thats what makes Spyderco stand out. They give beauty a backseat to ergos, and high performance. They are my favorite company all the way. (Benchmade being a close seconed.)
