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VG-10 Vs. S30V Vs. 154 CM
- Thread starter initb2009
- Start date
- Joined
- May 22, 2009
- Messages
- 103
All are good steels, I would buy any of them. (In a folder of course.)
S30V is in my opinion not too special and will chip if too hard. Remember 1 or especially 2 RC points can change a LOT in performance and a lot of makers give a 3 point variance.
I say this because making blades and testing each and every one with a RW-C tester will show you what I mean, and some steels will be more forgiving than others naturally.
And I think this is true with S30V, as I have better luck with my Benchmade S30V knives than Chris Reeve S30V knives. (others have had opposite experiences though. Although I like Reeve Knives and have owned literally a couple dozen.) One well known maker suggested that both companies (he was just guessing) probably use the exact same HT protocol. He is a knife maker and should know what others here have stated; that they will vary batch to batch, and knife to knife.
Like others have said there is so much more to a blade than the steel. You need to find the knife you like and get it any of those steels will work, and I find them all easy to sharpen. Although I have spent 20 years honing my skills so the whole (is it easy to sharpen equation does not come into play for me like it will for others) not bragging just speaking truthfully. And there is alway someone else better at it than you no matter what it is even if your holding a gold metal at the Olympics.
If you want a steel that should really, really impress you try CPM 154, if possible. When HT'ed right I would say about 62-63 on the Rockwell-C scale.
Of course all the above rules still apply, but it blows every steel I have ever used away for use in a folder or small fixed blade. I would move to CPM-3V for large chopping blades. But a small fixed blade when the HT is 62 or 63 is AWESOME. I think mine tested out at 63, but I can't remember. I prefer it over anything else, and I mean anything. For a large fixed blade CPM-3V is great but only my large knives are made from that.
Getting off point so in closing they all work, and almost all about the same. The kind guys and gals above have picked out the small differences in the steels, but if your ever get a chance to try CPM-154 I would reccommend it.
S30V is in my opinion not too special and will chip if too hard. Remember 1 or especially 2 RC points can change a LOT in performance and a lot of makers give a 3 point variance.
I say this because making blades and testing each and every one with a RW-C tester will show you what I mean, and some steels will be more forgiving than others naturally.
And I think this is true with S30V, as I have better luck with my Benchmade S30V knives than Chris Reeve S30V knives. (others have had opposite experiences though. Although I like Reeve Knives and have owned literally a couple dozen.) One well known maker suggested that both companies (he was just guessing) probably use the exact same HT protocol. He is a knife maker and should know what others here have stated; that they will vary batch to batch, and knife to knife.
Like others have said there is so much more to a blade than the steel. You need to find the knife you like and get it any of those steels will work, and I find them all easy to sharpen. Although I have spent 20 years honing my skills so the whole (is it easy to sharpen equation does not come into play for me like it will for others) not bragging just speaking truthfully. And there is alway someone else better at it than you no matter what it is even if your holding a gold metal at the Olympics.
If you want a steel that should really, really impress you try CPM 154, if possible. When HT'ed right I would say about 62-63 on the Rockwell-C scale.
Of course all the above rules still apply, but it blows every steel I have ever used away for use in a folder or small fixed blade. I would move to CPM-3V for large chopping blades. But a small fixed blade when the HT is 62 or 63 is AWESOME. I think mine tested out at 63, but I can't remember. I prefer it over anything else, and I mean anything. For a large fixed blade CPM-3V is great but only my large knives are made from that.
Getting off point so in closing they all work, and almost all about the same. The kind guys and gals above have picked out the small differences in the steels, but if your ever get a chance to try CPM-154 I would reccommend it.
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2004
- Messages
- 1,477
From a practical standpoint you are going to be pretty hard pressed to notice a difference between those three. They are all excellent.
As long as you are buying a knife from a reputable maker that you know is going to have a good heat treat, you'll be fine.
I'd be willing to bet that the quality of the heat treat probably makes a bigger difference in the performance of those three steels than does their chemical composition.
As long as you are buying a knife from a reputable maker that you know is going to have a good heat treat, you'll be fine.
I'd be willing to bet that the quality of the heat treat probably makes a bigger difference in the performance of those three steels than does their chemical composition.
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2009
- Messages
- 1,014
Wow that's quite a claim. Soaked in salt water?
I suppose if it works for you, bravo. But I just don't have that much trust in S30V. I live a stones throw from a salt water bay and in an environment in which it is normal to have 95+ degree and 90% humidity days. I've used most steels and know which ones have the best stain resistance. S30V is no H1 and is at best on par with the steels it is currently being discussed with.