VG-10 vs. S30V

akadave2

akadave2

Joined
Jun 21, 2008
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I have been alternating between my Spyderco Delica and my BM Opportunist as my EDC for the last few weeks. Im finding that the VG-10 of the Delica is holding an edge better than the S30V of the Opportunist.

I sharpened both on a Sharpmaker to a hair popping edge. It seems that the Opportunist loses that edge the fastest. It should be the other way around (all things being equal) right?
 
edge holding is a broad combination of many factors, wear resistance is just one of many.
 
I'd say there is always more things involved than we think. The geometry is not always the same and you could have sharpened on of those a bit more consistently. Then there is always the human perception, we are not CATRA tests. Also, maybe vg-10 is more friendly to your specific needs? Who knows.
 
Could it be that you're getting the VG-10 sharper, and that's why it seems to hold an edge better? I find VG-10 very easy to sharpen, and S30V not so easy.
 
Someone brought this up just a few days ago. They said that the S30V has bigger carbides (compared to VG-10's fine grains), so it will lose a hair-popping edge faster, but you'll have a working edge for a longer time.
 
akadave2 said:
I have been alternating between my Spyderco Delica and my BM Opportunist as my EDC for the last few weeks. Im finding that the VG-10 of the Delica is holding an edge better than the S30V of the Opportunist.

I sharpened both on a Sharpmaker to a hair popping edge. It seems that the Opportunist loses that edge the fastest. It should be the other way around (all things being equal) right?
Click to expand...

That's the conventional wisdom. In my experience, VG 10 holds a better edge, and holds it much longer. I love VG 10. There are knives that I've passed on simply because S30V was the only steel they were offered in.
 
Using knives with thicker edges, like the edges they come from with the factory, S30V seemed to lose a hair whittling sharp edge quickly for me but hold on to a somewhat sharp edge for a very long time.

Since reprofiling the S30V to a very acute edge it's been tremendously easier to get to the highest degrees of sharpness and holds that upper 5-10% of sharpness better.

It might be worth your time to take the Benchmade to 6-8 degrees per side with a microbevel if you're not happy with it's performance.

I can't say I've ever had VG10 outlast S30V in terms of edge holding.
 
S30V is a CPM steel which means small carbides .A big difference is that the 4% V in S30V makes for a very wear resistant blade.Harder to sharpen but more wear resistant. I find the S30V is happier with a microserrated blade. My kitchen VG-10 I steel which works fine !
 
I have two S30V knives made by two different companies. One, a Buck Mayo, I find outstanding for taking and holding an edge. The other, (name omitted to avoid open warfare), is nothing special. My guess is that the difference is due to the heat treatment, since they have similar blade profiles and I sharpen both of them the same way.
 
Ive never owned a vg-10 blade but i can say i have owned several s30v blades and they have never impressed me very much.,,,VWB.
 
I notice the opposite on sharpening: BM Rittergrip and Spyderco Natives in S30V were easy for me to sharpen, while Spyderco Delica and Endura in VG-10 were more difficult for me to put a hair-popping edge to. Dunno why. Maybe because I'm new to VG-10 and taking my time. The S30V does seem to hold a working edge longer, but loses that hair-popping edge quicker than VG-10.
 
yoopernauts™;6041892 said:
Isn't SV30 somewhat prone to chipping? SV30 is more suited to slicing?
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Some users have reported such. I've chopped, batoned, whittled, cut through metal cans, sliced tons of cardboard, cut griptape and more with my S30V knives and they've never chipped during normal use. I think I still have a low quality video of me chopping at a piece of wood with a UK Pen Knife then slicing through a plastic gallon water jug with ease.

A lot of what is said on here about certain steels I've never found to be true.
 
mete said:
S30V is a CPM steel which means small carbides .A big difference is that the 4% V in S30V makes for a very wear resistant blade.Harder to sharpen but more wear resistant. I find the S30V is happier with a microserrated blade.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that S30V carbides were of a size comparable to those of normal D2, which was why the edge it tends to take is rougher.
 
www.crucibleservice.com The CPM steels include S30V ,CPM154,CPM D2. NON-CPM steels include D2,154CM. The chemistry of 154CM and CPM154 is the same but the method of making the steels are different .CPM gives finer and more evenly distributed carbides .Better for the maker and for the user !!
 
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