Try walking in my shoes...

tacticaloperator · Nov 4, 2005

Hello every_1! I need a suggestion. I only have room in my belt pouch (where i'm going to carry everyday a Swisstool Spirit, an Inova T1 flashlight & a 4" mini wrench) for a pocket knife. The three knives i chose have G-10 scales; but i'd like you to help me picking the "better" steel blade among S30V, CPM-440V (A.K.A. S60V) & VG-10. Would you? Thanks in advance.

freddy1 · Nov 4, 2005

the steel is not that much important considering the heat treatment and the blade shape...
Do you have some knife in mind, it woudl help us, and what you intend to do most with it?

Ritt · Nov 4, 2005

tacticaloperator said:
i'd like you to help me picking the "better" steel blade among S30V, CPM-440V (A.K.A. S60V) & VG-10

You can't make a bad choice among those three. I'd say you can move on to think about lock designs and ergonomics.

DGG · Nov 4, 2005

S60V if you don't mind the pain of sharpening it. It is getting very hard to find from what I hear. The upside is that you rarely have to sharpen it. Isn't VG-10 the primary steel that Spyderco uses?

HoB · Nov 4, 2005

They are all excellent steels. Especially S30V and VG-10 together hold probably the majority share of votes for "favorite steel" on this forum. Since you can not really tell without using it, what the heat treat is, I would suggest going with a source of high repute. I would suggest basing your decision on handle ergonomics, bladeshape, locking mechanism.

Chett · Nov 4, 2005

I would probably pick s30v

T.K.C. · Nov 4, 2005

I would pick S30V as well.

bquinlan · Nov 4, 2005

There is no "best" of those three. They each have advantages and disadvantages and they are all exceptionally good steels overall. Figure out which design works the best for you and buy it.

--Bob Q

destroythealter · Nov 5, 2005

Ussualy I would pick S30v but handle and blade shape are also very important. Pick the one you like, if you can't deicide or have the choices narrowed down go by the steel you like.

tacticaloperator · Nov 5, 2005

The two knives i already own are a Spyderco "Manix" & a Kershaw "Avalanche" that i like specially because of the assisted opening. I was thinking to buy an Al Mar "SERE 2000", after all my attempts to get an Emerson "SOFCK" failed. As you can see, i like knives i can carry & use, & i like G-10 for a great grip.