What have you thrown at ZDP-189?

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

After last night's experience with how amazing ZDP-189 is toughness wise, i really want to know what you guys do to your ZDP-189 knives. What damages them and what doesn't? How often do you sharpen? How do they compare with knives you had in the past that you thought were amazing.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I never abused my ZDP blades, since they are all folders with thin blades made to be good slicers.

 

[Vivi]

I reprofiled a Caly Jr to a full convex grind with a microbevel. Behind the edge it was probably something like 6 degrees per side. It did everything I'd typically use a folding knife for, and did it so much better than others with thicker edges and softer steels. It really was an amazing cutter, penetrating materials so easily, taking a very sharp edge and doing tons of work before it thought about dulling to the point it wouldn't shave.

I also had a ZDP Endura that I turned into a scandi grind by taking it flat to the stone on the saber grind. I gave it a tiny microbevel as well, and proceeded to not just use it, but abuse it. I ended up breaking the lock by batoning with it through various pieces of wood, but not once did the very thin ZDP edge damage during this usage. I also sliced through metals and other tough materials, with the worst damage being some slight dulling. No chips or rolls in the edge.

It remains one of my favorite steels for small knives.

 

[dantzk8]

i really want to know what you guys do to your ZDP-189 knives.

I own 3 ZDP189 Calypso jr. One is my EDC since 3 years, i use it for all the tasks a sub 3 inches folder can take. I did to it the same Vivi did:

I reprofiled a Caly Jr to a full convex grind with a microbevel.

What damages them and what doesn't?

It takes and holds an acute edge angle ( sharpening freehand, can't measure the angle), doesn't roll; the edge chipped badly 3 times at the beginning, after the third sharpening it didn't happen again.

How often do you sharpen?

Not often. But take in count that being a bit obsessed with edges i touch it almost every day with an EEF DMT stone.

How do they compare with knives you had in the past that you thought were amazing.

My previous EDC was the same knife in VG10. I still like it and use it but i can't put the same angle without getting edge rolling. Great steel though.

dantzk.

 

[THG]

What damages them and what doesn't?

Cardboard liked to put microchips in the edge of my ZDP E4. ZDP seems to like to chip out a little rather than roll, at least in my experience.

How often do you sharpen?

I sharpened mine after every time I used it (to cut cardboard.) But I sharpen every knife after I use it, anyway.

How do they compare with knives you had in the past that you thought were amazing.

It held an edge quite a bit longer than my D4 in VG-10, probably 75% to 100% longer. But it took about 3x longer to sharpen.

It's a great steel. For my hard-use knives, I'd choose ZDP-189 over VG-10.

 

[DennisStrickland]

vivi your report was interesting, my zdp endura was shipped today. i hesitated getting this alloy for a long time since some guys mentioned it was brittle at times.did'nt spend alot of money so if its a loser i'll just put it in with my trade collection.

 

[SPXTrader]

Interesting comments. I have several knives in ZDP, all being Kershaw. And I admit I have abused one of the Mini Cyclones a bit. I opened a soup can with it once. I've stripped 12 ga. copper wire with it. It has never chipped, and even after the soup can thing it was still extremely sharp. This was with the factory bevel. I have another one that Tom Krein worked his magic on, and it will make your eyes bleed just from looking at it. I haven't stripped wire or opened cans with this one, and I don't intend to. My ZDP Leeks have the factory bevel and one of my ZDP Shallots has been thinned a little.

So from my experiences, I'd guess the chipping issues have to do with the profile (thickness) or the manufacturer.

 

[Franciscomv]

I've been using my Spyderco Loom Chinese a lot lately, it has done anything I could expect a knife of its type to do. I'm happy with it.

I've cut food, leather, lots of cardboard, whittled wood and even had to cut a whole in a drywall pannel at work yesterday. No chipping or any other issues.

Since I strop my knives frequently, I can't really see a big difference between ZDP189 and other good steels like S30V. It does take a very high polish.

 

[Gotsouthern]

I'm fairly gentle with my ZDP Stretch, got it thinned down nicely and stropped senseless. It's a really incredible slicer, very pretty polish, I like to keep it that way for any light work. Friends see me use it or borrow it they generally laugh a little with a trailed out expletive of some sort. Love the stuff. Got a used Caly Jr in the mail, so it goes.

 

[THG]

Got a used Caly Jr in the mail, so it goes.

You weren't the one who scored it off eBay earlier today for some $138, were you?

 

[So-Lo]

Hahahaha..,


What have I thrown at ZDP?

A hammer (click me!!!!!)

 

[So-Lo]

Also had Tom Krien thin a ZDP Caly3 down to nothing then I reprofiled the edge waywayway down on an edgepro.

She started to chip... (click me) NOT BAD HEAT TREAT, just me having a little fun!! (click me)

Here some chip pix, click the thread to see the whole thread and the story. Remember this was thinned way down by Tom Krein.. then reprofiled to a stupid low angle. After the mirco bevel was put on it, the edge was very stable.

 

[THG]

Started to chip cutting what?

 

[So-Lo]

Started to chip cutting what?

Two ply cardboard, remember... this was Krien'ed then reprofiled stupid low. I wanted to push it to see when it would start chipping... then back up just a little. This way I knew what the breaking point was while still pushing ZDP to highest performance possible.

 

[THG]

Two ply cardboard, remember... this was Krien'ed then reprofiled stupid low. I wanted to push it to see when it would start chipping... then back up just a little. This way I knew what the breaking point was while still pushing ZDP to highest performance possible.

Ah, I hate that cardboard. It did nasty things to my ZDP Endura even at 40°. They were microchips, but that's still not as "good" as an edge rolling.

 

[tiguy7]

I put a pocket clip on my William and Henry, Tom Brown Quest folder and carried it in the placket of my shirt (a highly corrosive evironment). The edge and the action held up just fine. The finish acquired some surface rust but not as much as the two outside layers in the laminated blade. The bread in the sandwich (410 SS?) corroded more than the bologna(ZDP 189). The bread was chosen for its corrosion resistance, so I am overly impressed with the bologna.

 

[Dave Rishar]

It's probably not the best thing in the world for shucking oysters.

If you look closely, you can see a number of small chips further down the blade that were not shellfish related -- it just seemed to pick up tiny chips whenever I wasn't looking. My other knife in ZDP had (and has) the same problem. As a consequence, it no longer goes to work with me and I'm very careful with how I use it around the house.

I understand that my experiences are atypical. That having been said, I'm going to give the industry a few more years to work the kinks out before I try it again. It takes a fantastic edge and I really want to like this stuff, but I just haven't had much luck with it.

 

[Halfneck]

I carried my ZDP-189 SE Delica at my old job. Mostly I used it to cut standard cardboard, open boxes and cut those plastic packing strips. The plastic packing sticks did cause edge chipping if I opened them the way I did with my previous VG-10 Rescue EDC. Normally I would just slide the blide under the strap, parallel to the box, and torque it sideways. After I did this a couple of times with the ZDP-189 SE Delica I noticed some chips at the apex of some of the large serrations. Stopped doing that and chipping stopped.

Personally I'm not the kind of person to touch-up the edges of my knives after use so hard to sharpen steels are not my favorites.

 

[DennisStrickland]

folks looks like i'll try the factory bevel & see if it holds up on cardboard. my rebeveled d2 & 1095 gec did'nt chip out on double thick cardboard & if the zdp doe'st stand the fire i'll let you know. i'm experienced with cutting so twisting cuts wo'nt be taken.

 

[abnwag]

I have used my William Henry Quest to remove carpets in two rooms and other chores. No chipping, only minor dulling. The edge returned quickly using a sharpmaker. I have also used this knife to dig in flower beds and such. It retains an edge for a very long time and, in my experience, is no more prone to chiping then other premium steels. I have maintained a 40 degree (inclusive) edge for the last 5 years and am very happy with its performance.