what is it feel like to use supersteel blade?

I

Iyonk

Joined
Jan 29, 2010
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I live in indonesia... in here the price of imported knives is 3 to 4 times as expeensive there... for example the spyderco endura with FRN handle is $200, cricket is $135 an so on...

the only options for afforable quality knife is on the Victorinox SAKs...

i never experience any VG10, AUS8, S30v, D2 or any supersteel... i've tried some chinese 8cr13mov and its pretty good...

so, since its expensive for me to try to purchase some supersteel here, i really would like to know from you guys who experience with SAKs and also have some supersteel...

so, how "super" is the supersteel compare to saks?



to be honest, i really love the SAKs Blade steel... just want to know what i miss...

ps: i've got advice from some knives expert that the alox soldier is the only knife i would ever need if i want the best price to performance value in the industry... if idont abuse the soldier, its gonna last a lifetime...
i'm pretty shocked since the soldier doesnt use any supersteel!
but i do love the soldier =)
 
A supersteel (or better than Vic steel) knife can go longer between sharpenings. At the prices that you have to pay, practically speaking, I don't think it's worth it. Even if you have to sharpen your Vic Soldier more often because it's not supersteel, at the price of replacing the Vic Soldier when the blade wears down, you'll still get YEARS of use and multiple Vic Soldiers before you reach the $200 you would pay for an Endura. Which you can't turn screws, punch holes or open bottles with.
Your knife expert knows what they're talking about.
 
Supersteels hold a sharp edge for a very long time compared to the SAK steel. Thats about the only thing difference. But the hardness thats gives them the extra-long edge retention, can make them real bitches to sharpen.
If a supersteel is worth it or not, well that depends if you can afford it or not.

Bottomline, is that you can cut anything with your SAK, that you can cut with ZDP-189, D2, S30V etc.
 
kmm said:
Bottomline, is that you can cut anything with your SAK, that you can cut with ZDP-189, D2, S30V etc.
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thanks buddy... you wont have any idea how mind opening answer is for me!


SAKsRcool... you've got it right.... actually, half of the time i draw a sak is for using other tools, not just to cut something with the blade... the screwdriver on the bottle opener and can opener got alots of use!!


one thing that cheers me up with the SAKs blade is, its very2 corrotion resistant... i never got any rust on any of my saks... and also so far they get the job done...


my sincere thanks for you guys...
 
Iyonk said:
so, how "super" is the supersteel compare to saks?
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Frankly, you have to pay attention pretty well to really notice a difference. Lots of users will never notice a difference. Victorinox is an outlier on the cost/quality scale. Paying more brings diminishing returns. Here in the US, you can pay several times the price for a nicer knife, and if you're lucky, maybe get twice the knife.

I know that starting out with Victorinox knives kind of spoiled me. I've rarely been more satisfied with more expensive knives, compared with the satisfaction I get with a SAK. And as far as utility factor goes, almost any SAK offers a great deal of value.
 
iyonk the guys are giving you great info. super steels may cut a little more rope or a little longer on wood but for our everday tasks the sak is just fine. many of us are knifenuts always wanting to try the newest jet scotter of alloys but the mundane nonglamorous tasks like cutting a string or opening a box can certainly be accomplished with the very simplest of alloys.dennis
 
Iyonk, I don't have any experience with supersteels except D2. A D2 blade keeps a sharp edge for an amazingly long time, but it is time consuming to sharpen. Also, in my experience, a SAK blade will actually take a sharper edge than D2, and it is much faster and easier to sharpen.
 
Thanks richard&denis... I know the SAKs is confinient,since i could just spent a couple of minutes to touch up the edge and it would be very sharp again.. I have no idea how hard the super steel to sharpen.. But for my needs,i think i prefer easier to sharpen blade.. But hope someday i could get a super steel,just for curiosity hehe. Once again thanks a bunch guys...
 
Apa kabar Iyonk,
Glad to see another Indonesian here.

shecky said:
Frankly, you have to pay attention pretty well to really notice a difference. Lots of users will never notice a difference. Victorinox is an outlier on the cost/quality scale. Paying more brings diminishing returns. Here in the US, you can pay several times the price for a nicer knife, and if you're lucky, maybe get twice the knife.

I know that starting out with Victorinox knives kind of spoiled me. I've rarely been more satisfied with more expensive knives, compared with the satisfaction I get with a SAK. And as far as utility factor goes, almost any SAK offers a great deal of value.
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I second that, as long as you use, maintain and sharpen your knife well, you won't really notice the difference. I know a guy who use supersteel knife, but he didn't maintain it properly, and his supersteel knife end up just as dull as butter knife.

I have an Endura with VG10, and although I love that knife, I rarely use it, it is just to thick for me. On the other hand I have a Boker Whittler with C70 steel (?), not a supersteel at all, but I really love it, it is thin, flat grind, and can be sharpened very well, just like SAK's steel. So I think geometry is much more important, at least for my need.

As the alox Soldier is discountinued, another option that you have is the Farmer, a bit thicker than the Soldier, but you got a wood saw. I really like this knife.

If you still curious, you can buy Teddy Kardin's knife, he make knives with D2. I have his fixed blade, and the quality is good, and pretty cheap too.

I never really miss supersteel, especially for a folder.
 
Super steels often need super (expensive) sharpening equipment. You can sharpen a SAK on almost anything.
 
Selamat siang. A blade made of super steel gives you longer period of time between sharpenings. Unless you need to cut a lot of material all day long, you're not going to notice the difference. I EDC SAKs and Leathermans for years, and since I don't use them frequently I have yet to sharpen them, even though the blades are made of supposedly "soft" steel.

I own blades made of ZDP-189 and S110V, and at my rate they will probably never see the sharpener in my lifetime.
 
Hai juga daniel! Wah seneng ketemu sesama indonesia di sini! Thanks for your inputs! Btw,do you collect saks? I just glad to know i'm alone,since none of my friends actually collect knives. Yup,the got and like saks,but one or two is more than enough for them. Well,may be i just sick and got sakdictiton hehe.
 
Iyonk said:
do you collect saks?
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NO, I'm not collecting SAKs, I bought them because they all serve for a different purpose, you see.. the classic is for key chain, and the Executive is small enough so it will fit well on dress pants, this Farmer is very good for gardening, and for hiking, and I NEED the GAK for a more serious outdoor activity, and bla.. bla.. bla... well that's what I said if my wife ask about my SAKs or my other knives....:D
 
I have to agree with everyone here so far, super-steels are nice and I have a few but for the versatility and price of a SAK and it's good warranty, your missing little ;)
 
I agree as well.... Spyderco Endura used to have G2 steel and was easy to sharpen. Over the years it has got newer and newer super steel and harder and harder to sharpen. I like the new design but miss the old easy to sharpen steel. SAK steel works fine. I don't care for therir one hand openers as much as my Endura though!! It is not the steel it is the design of the knife for me concerning Endura.
 
Today, as usual, i was carrying my Fallkniven TK4 with the 3G laminated blade which consists of a SGPS core (Super Gold Powder Steel) laminated with VG2. My other knife was a Victorinox Recruit.

Today, so far, ive cut an apple, removed some plastic wrap, and fixed some broken headsets with the SAKs screwdriver. I couldnt help but feeling abit of buyers remorse over the TK4, because the SAK handles the exact same business, at a fraction of the TK4 cost...
 
My only experience would be SV30 on my spyderco chinook III. While its a excellent knife and steel, I find myself using my vic farmer a lot more and I carry both at the same time. Only when I find myself needing one hand opening, or some real hard cutting task ahead of me I use the chinook, and that isnt even because of the SV30, more the design/size of the blade.

If you can get by just find on vic's I wouldnt put out the money unless you can afford to.
 
Thanks alot guys... you all just made me feel better... all these infos are very valuable for me... i just love the humble SAKs community hehehe..

Have a nice day guys...
 
Since everyone else has already provided a useful answer I'll provide a slightly less useful one... it's "super."

In all seriousness though, super steels are pretty cool but I do really enjoy having "ordinary" steels because they're much easier and faster to sharpen. If I gotta take a nick out of CPM 3V or D2 steel it's gonna be a grumpy day for me. For a daily user I'd much rather have softer steels like the SAK since I can just touch it up real fast if I'm a moron and ding the blade (more often than you'd think :().
 
The new supersteels are great they really are. I had a D2 Griptilian and I didn't have to sharpen that for a long time. However, when the time came to sharpen it, I had a lot of trouble. Without diamond stones it's next to impossible to sharpen the harder steels like S30v and D2 in my experiences. It can be done, but it will take a LONG time, like hours. Another disadvantage I find with the harder steels is that they are so hard they are brittle: chipping is very prevalent with supersteels... The Victorinox steel is great because it is softer so it will bend and not break and certainly not chip. Not to mention that SAKs are cheap, non threatening, easy to sharpen, and most importantly useful. The Spyderco knives aren't even really supersteels, AUS8 isn't anything special in my opinion.
 
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