What is the most cost effective "premium" steel?

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AXwFS0OIUDoE

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I want to buy a fixed 4-7 inch blade that is very durable, retains an edge well, corrosive and wear resistant and tough for a reasonable price ($150 - $200).

After doing a lot of research, I came to the conclusion that the following steels provide the features I am looking for to varying extents.
Which of the following steels offers the perfect balance between quality and cost?

  • CPM S90V
  • CPM 3V
  • M390
  • Elmax
  • CTS-XHP
  • ZDP189
  • CPM S35VN
  • CPM S30V
  • N690
  • VG-10
  • 154CM (not premium)
  • D2 (not premium)
 
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Of the steels you listed, I'd say S30V is probably the one that will meet your requirements the best. For the most part, I don't see the higher end steels in fixed blades that fall within your price range. S30V when done correctly is a really good steel even if it's not as fancy. It's corrosion resistant and reasonably tough with a good heat treat.
 
From your list it looks like you are going stainless. If that true, S35-VN or Elmax would be mi choices. Your list does included D2 though, which is semi-stainless. Soooo, if we are including semi stainless, 3v must be in that list. It is the steel right now for fixed blades. I love it in the knives I have with it.
 
craytab said:
From your list it looks like you are going stainless. If that true, S35-VN or Elmax would be mi choices. Your list does included D2 though, which is semi-stainless. Soooo, if we are including semi stainless, 3v must be in that list. It is the steel right now for fixed blades. I love it in the knives I have with it.
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Oh man, I don't know how I forgot CPM 3V. Just added it :)
 
I'd vote for S35VN given your quote reasonable parameters. It's not ridiculously expensive, fairly common in both production and handmade knives, and it performs very well. CPM-154 and S30V would be a close second in my opinion.

I like Elmax and CTS-XHP better than any of those, and people seem to hold M390 in very similar, very high regard... but they're more costly and not as widely available.

D2 and 154CM don't even belong on the list :) They're both fine steels indeed, but hardly "premium" by today's standards. Rather, they are the standards by which other alloys are judged, and in fact form the starting points for improvements made in newer steels. Having said that, all the steels you listed range from perfectly serviceable to really excellent... if you find a design you really like, from a maker/manufacturer you trust at a price that fits your budget, in any of those alloys, don't pass it up. :thumbup:
 
james terrio said:
I'd vote for S35VN given your quote reasonable parameters. It's not ridiculously expensive, fairly common in both production and handmade knives, and it performs very well. CPM-154 and S30V would be a close second in my opinion.

I like Elmax and CTS-XHP better than any of those, and people seem to hold M390 in very similar, very high regard... but they're more costly and not as widely available.

D2 and 154CM don't even belong on the list :) They're both fine steels indeed, but hardly "premium" by today's standards. Rather, they are the standards by which other alloys are judged, and in fact form the starting points for improvements made in newer steels. Having said that, all the steels you listed range from perfectly serviceable to really excellent... if you find a design you really like, from a maker/manufacturer you trust at a price that fits your budget, in any of those alloys, don't pass it up. :thumbup:
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Thank you very much for this reply, very informative.

I am really liking S30V and M390. M390 seems like the perfect steel for me but it is expensive.

I included D2 and 154CM because they are cheap and very good. They aren't as good as the other ones on the list but they are cheap.
I don't necessarily want a "premium" steel. If I can find a knife that satisfies my needs, that is, very durable, retains an edge and corrosive and wear resistant for a low price, then I have no problem buying that even if it wasn't a premium steel.
The only problem I have with D2 is that it is more prone to rust than the others on the list, which is a problem for me because I want the knife to last for as long as possible.
If there was a version of D2 that is more corrosion resistant and costs the same, I would definitely be getting that.
 
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Can you guys please quickly rate CPM 3V out of 10 (10 being best) in terms of:

edge retention
hardness
wear resistance
corrosion resistance

For example, CPM S90V would be 10 8.5 10 5.

I am making a data base of steels with rankings like these to make my research more convenient.
 
AXwFS0OIUDoE said:
I just realized that it costs less than $150... damn.
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One just went on the exchange for $85 I believe. Watch there!

AXwFS0OIUDoE said:
Can you guys please quickly rate CPM 3V out of 10 (10 being best) in terms of:

edge retention
hardness
wear resistance
corrosion resistance

For example, CPM S90V would be 10 8.5 10 5.

I am making a data base of steels with rankings like these to make my research more convenient.
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That is really hard to do. Different people are going to have different interpretations of those ratings. I would rate the corrosion resistance of 3v much higher than some because in a hard use fixed blade I simply don't care as much about corrosion resistance. The only way to get a rating representative to you is get some 3v and use it!
 
I have a question of the OP......How do you intended to use this knife? You stated you wanted it to last for as long as possible....it would help to know what uses it will see and in what environment again you are looking for corrosion resistance so will it be used near salt water? The 3v is a solid choice...I look for ease of sharpening in the field and will pass on a super steel if its going to take forever to sharpen.
 
Busto said:
I have a question of the OP......How do you intended to use this knife? You stated you wanted it to last for as long as possible....it would help to know what uses it will see and in what environment again you are looking for corrosion resistance so will it be used near salt water? The 3v is a solid choice...I look for ease of sharpening in the field and will pass on a super steel if its going to take forever to sharpen.
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I do multi-day hikes and I mountain/rock climbing and rappelling and a good reliable knife is important to me. I want the knife to hold an edge so I don't have to sharpen it often and I want it to be corrosion and wear resistant so that it is durable and reliable.

I don't want the knife for a particular task but I want it to be a reliable all purpose tool that I can use when the need arises. It could be used for cutting rope, cutting wood, skinning animals, or whatever else.

I haven't been paying attention to my knife so I've just been using a cheap knife but it has recently been chipped and I don't want that to happen when I am in the middle of nowhere. I have come to realize that my knife is on of the most important tools so having something durable and reliable is very important to me.

I don't like to take many tools with me when I go hiking, I like to keep the weight to the minimum, so the knife serves as the primary tool.
 
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I am not sure I understand "premium steel" however, in my experience, steel is rarely the big deciding factor in the price of a knife, unless you are building it....

You can buy a knife that uses CPM-154 or S30V for $50 or for $1500.00.

I think what you need to focus on is what you need the knife to do?

If you are going to beat through Cinder blocks, then 3V.

If you need really good edge Retention, M390

If you want a good all around steel, all of the above are still fine....M390 is not overly lacking in toughness, and 3V holds a very decent working edge for a long time.

To summarize, I would be happy with a blade out of either steel, unless I had a very specific task in mind.

Same goes for 154/XHP/S30 whatever....these steels are all very good, but in my experience, excel at really nothing.
They are very good all around EDC steels. They do have differences, but again, depending on your use, you might not even really notice them.
You're not going to go from one to another and notice anything that will keep you awake at night....
 
JR88FAN said:
You can buy a knife that uses CPM-154 or S30V for $50 or for $1500.00.
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I see, I see.
I was under the impression that the steel determines the cost of a knife but I was wrong. Here is a Spyderco made with ZDP-189, which is supposed to be super expensive but the knife costs only $58.

I will focus my effort on getting a knife that suits me (handle, thickness, grind, price, etc.) with any of those steels.
 
I have been looking around and haven't found a 6 inch fixed blade made with one of these steels that fits the budget (other than the Master Hunter 3V). If you know of any, please let me know.


I found [Link removed] and this one. They are a bit small for me but they are within the budget and they seem good. Do you have any experience with them?
 
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I don't have too many knives and steels. VG 10 s30 s35vn and cts 204p. My favorite steel would be the cts.
My comparison to the s35vn, is I can get s35vn to a finer edge, but it takes much longer to get that sharpness. Cts is much better at keeping it's edge as well, many times it's struck stainless steel tables while opening boxes and didn't even roll.
 
After much thought and research, I am fully convinced that CPM 3V is the perfect steel for my needs.
The only downside it has is that it is not perfectly corrosion resistant, which can be easily overcome with a little bit of care.

According to my research, I believe that CPM 3V is the best steel for fixed blade knives. S90V is close second, followed by M390 (folders), S35VN and Elmax.

Thank you guys. Now all that is left is finding the perfect CPM 3V knife for me. I like the Cold Steel Master Hunter but I don't like the handle and the blade is a bit short for me.
Micarta or circular Kraton handle + duracoat or powder coat + 5 or 6 inch blade + CPM 3V + less than $200 price = perfect knife for me. I will definitely need to make a sacrifice in one of those areas. Hopefully not the money :D
 
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