VG-10 Question

danthaman1980

danthaman1980

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Forgive me if this question has been asked before... I'm new here.

I'm contemplating the purchase of one or two Spyderco knives with VG-10 blades - but I have no experience with that steel. I do have some experience using and sharpening knives with 154CM, 14C28N, 13C26, 440C, AUS8, and some lower grades like 420HC. (I also have a ZDP-189 but I haven't used it much, or sharpened it at all).

I'm very comfortable with 154CM, 14C28N, and 13C26 - I'm fairly proficient at sharpening and/or quickly touching them up, and I can get them shaving sharp without too much effort. I sharpen with ceramic rods, then strop on leather and/or denim (rotating the blade over the spine, not over the edge).

On the other hand, I cannot get AUS8 or 420HC to a shaving sharp edge (I'm getting closer with AUS8, though).

For those of you who have owned 154CM, 14C28N/13C26, and VG-10, how do they compare?
 
vg-10 is considered essentially equivalent to 154cm if not slightly better due to the addition of vanadium.
 
The VG10 is in direct comparison to CPM154. VG10 takes a killer edge, has decent edge retention and is easy to maintain. My Strider in CPM154 is more difficult to get hair shaving sharp than the Spydercos I have in VG10
 
Captain Howdy said:
As far as sharpening goes I find vg10 is similar to 154cm
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That's been my experience too. VG10 takes a great edge with little effort.

I don't have any 420HC knives, but have found AUS8 to be slightly easier to sharpen than 154CM and the like. Seems like you shouldn't have trouble with it. Have you tried coloring the edge with sharpie to be sure you're hitting the apex?
 
VG10 is easy as pie......you should have no problems at all. It takes a great edge with ceramic.
 
Ive got 2 SERE 2000's and a Spyderco Civilian all in VG-10. I havnt gotten the chance to defend myself with the Spidie but use the SEREs regularly and have had nothing but great usage out of them. My sharpmaker rocks the SEREs to above razor sharp in less than 20 minutes. I have cut through old fashioned wire hangers with the SERE with no issues as well as endless amounts of near half inch thick cardboard(I work in a warehouse)and at the end of a work day I just strop my SERE and its good to go all over again...
 
Ajack60 said:
The VG10 is in direct comparison to CPM154. VG10 takes a killer edge, has decent edge retention and is easy to maintain. My Strider in CPM154 is more difficult to get hair shaving sharp than the Spydercos I have in VG10
Click to expand...

I think you have confused "154CM" with "CPM 154". Not the same thing.

For those of you who have owned 154CM, 14C28N/13C26, and VG-10, how do they compare?
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VG10 has very similar edge retention characteristics to those of 154CM, assuming both are hardened to the same hardness (Spyderco's Japanese subs do a great job with VG10. All of my Spyderco VG10 blades have been at 59 HRC.) The alloys sharpen with about the same effort and technique.
 
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I have found, for me, that my Spydercos in VG10 take an amazing edge. Like really, really sharp and fine. I am QUITE fond of the steel, and would not ever hesitate to buy a knife made of it. I find it does great on the Spyderco Sharp Maker.
 
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VG10 is also one of my favorite steels. So easy to keep hair popping sharp all the time. I just touch it up 3 times a week on my ultra fine ceramic stones.
 
VG10 is an excellent steel. It is harder to sharpen than 154CM (or ATS34), but it will retain an edge for a good long time. A friend of mine bought a Sere2K because he liked mine. He just asked me a couple of days ago if I could sharpen it again. I told him "sure, no problem. Just bring it to me". The last time I sharpened his knife was in early 2011, and he uses the sh!t out of that knife.

The short answer - VG10 is great!
 
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Just a quick update - I pulled the trigger on a VG-10 blade. I was out at the annual Badger Knife Club knife show yesterday looking around for Delicas... Lo and behold, I happened upon a brand new in box Delica G10/FFG (C11GPFG). Not sure how the vendor still had one, since they have been discontinued for some time. So I asked to see it, along with a couple of other FFG/FRN Delica 4s. Comparing the FRNs to the G10, there was no way I could walk out of there without the G10. The fit and finish was approaching perfect. I had no choice, really. For $100 cash, it would have felt wrong not to buy it ; )
 
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My Delica takes an easy edge from my 220 and 1000 grit stones. It holds an edge well too. If you're comfortable with those others, you can handle some VG10.

The other steels you mention tend to get various heat treatments and processing in general as they're considered "budget" steels. You likely have a stubborn burr hanging on there. I'd recommend removing it with a stone before stropping. If your coarsest stone is a ceramic rod, that may be the source of your trouble as well.
 
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