We are bored with S30V

I thought of something concerning Spyderco and their use of S30V. It doesn't seem like it'd be in their best interest to put out steels in the regular line up that couldn't be sharpened on their own signature sharpener. I understand that you can get diamond rods for the sharpmaker, but it still has limitations. Like I said, just a thought....
 
ShannonSteelLabs said:
i have used CPM S30V on a pair of kitchen knives. I used peters heat treat and went to 61HRC. I was a really impressed with how they held up. I had one come back for sharpening after over a year of use. Not too tough to work with. Easier than the kitchen knife i made in CPM 20CV. But the 20CV holds a razor edge much longer at the same hardness.
My first benchade has S30V and i did like it. Back then i had kind of a tough time sharpening it, but i got pretty good at it and got a mirror polished edge eventually. I did go from sharp to dull one-time xutting carboard at a job i worked at. I cut a lot of cardboard that day, it dulled enough that i had to switch knives because it went totally dull. But i did and impressive amount of cardboard.

I will admit that im a total steel snob. I typically work with CPM 3V, 20CV, Z-Finit, Z-Wear, CPM 154. I have used CPM 4V and plan on trying, CPM M4, CPM Rex T15 and Vanax eventually. But having used S30V in my own knives i was impressed with how it held up at 61HRC. Peters has an exellent heat treat recipie for it.


How do you like spydercos CPM M4? Ive never used it and been itching to try it out. Same with their Cru-Wear. But im not paying 300 bucks for a cruwear para 3 from bento box.

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Spyderco M4 is probably my favorite EDC steel. If you don’t mind some character in the form of a patina, I bet you could still find a Military or GB 1 at a reasonable price. It’s pretty magical in my book.

It’s a treat to sharpen. Maintaining the edge is almost as easy as 154cm. I’ve heard some words or caution from the big guys on YouTube that M4 is a bear to sharpen. I have yet to experience that with Benchmade and Spyderco M4. It’ll maintain a razor edge for almost as long as 20cv that I’ve had from Benchmade, but it will hold the following working edge for WAY longer. I have yet to create an unusable edge with M4. Conversely I have with 20CV, S30V, and many more.

Plus it’s extremely tough, I in fact had to open a can once with my Military M4. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again if needed. I’m sure I don’t have the steel experience of some around here. Though I would be an advocate of Spyderco M4 all day long.
 
P2P said:
I’ve heard some words or caution from the big guys on YouTube that M4 is a bear to sharpen. I have yet to experience that ...
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Ahh ..., that goes a ways to explain some of the views;)

IMO one would be better off absorbing knife knowledge from some of the pros here (not nesessarily me) than some of the windbags on YT.
 
Personally, S30V does little to peak my interst anymore also. It’s a good steel I guess I’m bored with it too.

I seem to prefer CPM 20v or M390 as my favorites. Have some 90v blades and 110v blades also which are nice.
 
P2P said:
Spyderco M4 is probably my favorite EDC steel. If you don’t mind some character in the form of a patina, I bet you could still find a Military or GB 1 at a reasonable price. It’s pretty magical in my book.

It’s a treat to sharpen. Maintaining the edge is almost as easy as 154cm. I’ve heard some words or caution from the big guys on YouTube that M4 is a bear to sharpen. I have yet to experience that with Benchmade and Spyderco M4. It’ll maintain a razor edge for almost as long as 20cv that I’ve had from Benchmade, but it will hold the following working edge for WAY longer. I have yet to create an unusable edge with M4. Conversely I have with 20CV, S30V, and many more.

Plus it’s extremely tough, I in fact had to open a can once with my Military M4. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again if needed. I’m sure I don’t have the steel experience of some around here. Though I would be an advocate of Spyderco M4 all day long.
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Awesome thanks man. I have no problem sharpening stuff like that. I have diamond sharpening stones and im getting bastardbeadsandstrops diamond emulsion. So im sure i can get to laser beam sharpness in no time. I have also heard its very tough. Not quite as tough as 3V but still a very tough steel.
Im gonna look around and try to grab one. I would like to do a forced patina though. I love the look.
 
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I favor stainless steels with decent to excellent corrosion resistance. Edge retention is a close second. I'm not overly concerned with toughness since 99.9% of my collection are folders for light to moderate use. Nothing too severe. I have fixed blades for outdoor hard use.

So I'm happy with the likes of S30V , S35VN , 154CM , S90V , S110V , XHP , Elmax and of course M390/204P/20CV. All are fine with me.

I am not a fan of high carbon non-stainless steels on folders like M4. Too corrosion prone. Even D2 (a semi-stainless tool steel) I've lost my taste for. I'd just rather have a nice full-on stainless steel.
 
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Wolverine666 said:
I favor stainless steels with decent to excellent corrosion resistance. Edge holding is a close second. I'm not overly concerned with toughness since 99.9% of my collection are folders for light to moderate use. Nothing too severe. I have fixed blades for outdoor hard use.

So I'm happy with the likes of S30V , S35VN , 154CM , S90V , S110V , XHP , Elmax and of course M390/204P/20CV. All are fine with me.

I am not a fan of high carbon non-stainless steels on folders like M4. Too corrosion prone. Even D2 (a semi-stainless tool steel) I've lost my taste for. I'd just rather have a nice full-on stainless steel.
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Must admit, that Im a big fan of and often use D2 (and A2 for that matter).

Supposedly D2 'takes a lousy edge but holds it for ever' - some complain about sharpening the steel but I never had problems sharpening D2.

But hey, what the heck does Dozier et al know ...
 
BladeScout said:
Must admit, that Im a big fan of and often use D2 (and A2 for that matter).

Supposedly D2 'takes a lousy edge but holds it for ever' - some complain about sharpening the steel but I never had problems sharpening D2.

But hey, what the heck does Dozier et al know ...
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That’s what I’ve heard. You have D2, then you have Dozier D2. I’ll have to try some.
 
BladeScout said:
Must admit, that Im a big fan of and often use D2 (and A2 for that matter).

Supposedly D2 'takes a lousy edge but holds it for ever' - some complain about sharpening the steel but I never had problems sharpening D2.

But hey, what the heck does Dozier et al know ...
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To each their own.
 
I am going to say this as someone who is still on the threshold between being new to knives and knowing enough to comment on what type of edge will go through cardboard the best (FFG on a thin stock?). I think that when people make their first upgrade in terms of steel, s30v is a nice and balanced entry point or even high-end option. But I can also understand how the saturated the market is with s30v and the desire to get a new standard is definitely an appropriate request. I don't know how much it would cost for manufacturers to increase s30v by 5 and niobium, but I'd like to think that this allows for a variety of models to come out and test the waters, while still making the company enough money.
 
In my meager experience s30v & s35vn seem to last no longer than a Buck in 420hc even though everyone says they're better. I'd like to try something in 390 cuz the specs look so good.
 
BBuser said:
In my meager experience s30v & s35vn seem to last no longer than a Buck in 420hc even though everyone says they're better. I'd like to try something in 390 cuz the specs look so good.
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It’s crazy stuff, literally better in every way than S30V but price. You’ll be amazed at how long the razor edge lasts, I was. Look for 20CV, CTS-204p, M390. With proper heat treat they’ll all give a similarly outstanding impression.
 
Not really bored, but more of disappointed seeing $200+ knives still using it.

I'm not a steel nerd, but for the price some companies are demanding we need some more "premium" options.

Nothing wrong w/ S30V, but Cold Steel is even using XHP now.
 
I've owned and EDC-ed for a time knives in M390 and S35VN. I sold them all off in favor of the only two knives I currently own which are both S30V. I have nothing but positives to say about their sharpness and ability to cut. In my experience it's a good steel and I have no reason to be "bored" with it. Handles the cutting tasks I throw at it with no problems.
 
I know that realistically S30V is knife steel Jesus, and all I should ever need, but I don't like the edges I get from it. I don't use my EDC knife much during the week (2 of 3 currently are S30v), but when I sharpen/freshen up the edge to shave hair on Sunday, I want pretty damn close to that with little touching up on Tuesday or Wednesday, and I don't get that performance. Benchmade or Spyderco, I haven't been happy with them. I think I almost liked my 154 Benchmades and VG10 Spyderco's better. I know I am not a big fan of stainless steels, so new folders for me are going carbon. I like the look of the new Benchmade Bugout, but I won't buy it because of the S30V. 20cv or something I haven't else I haven't tried yet, I'm in.
 
With my knives, I'm more wondering if the springs came off an old Isuzu 10-wheel truck, or a Land Rover or what. The one on the right came with a warranty from the blacksmith. "If you whack and it doesn't cut, bring it back".

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My only experience with s30v is with spyderco... And Id take benchmades 154cm over it. It just seems to not hold a really really sharp edge as long.
 
I am bored with s30v. In my benchmades it chips like mad. My Spydercos
seem to do much better. The steel I love best is M390. Highly stainless and
excellent edge retention. I want to see it a lot more. FWIW...just my preference.

VG-10 seems to get sharper for me than anything...but does not hold it long.
 
cistercian said:
I am bored with s30v. In my benchmades it chips like mad. My Spydercos
seem to do much better. The steel I love best is M390. Highly stainless and
excellent edge retention. I want to see it a lot more. FWIW...just my preference.

VG-10 seems to get sharper for me than anything...but does not hold it long.
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Hap 40 is like VG-10 on steroids. Very similar in sharpening and feel. Holds an edge like a gangsta though. Probably a little tougher as well.
 
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