What is your preferred steels on Spyderco knives?

Well, this week... 😄
I was about to buy an S110V, but then the Maramet Mule Team was just released. So I guess the answer is Maramet.... this week.

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To be honest I've never had a steel from spyderco that I've been disappointed with. The one that's seen the most use for me in S30V on my PM2. It holds an edge really well and I don't ever worry about edge deformation, rolling, or chipping. I've sharpened it once in two years of having it, but I strop it once a week with green compound and then on suede. Still shaves hair. The mediums I cut daily are cardboard, burlap, palate straps, cordage, tape, occasional clothing threads, and whatever else the days throw at me. I do have an M4 PM2 that'll see more pocket time once I can get over not using my S30V. It was a gift from my wife when we had just gotten married and we didn't have much money so there's some heavy feels tied to that knife.


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I have zero preference, really. All of them are pretty easy to sharpen and hold an edge. That's what I'm after. I'm not a big fan of steels that rust, uh, I mean patina, but I can deal with it. I'm fine with 8Cr13MoV, though better edge retention is a plus.

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Spyderco Resilience.
 
Hap40, Super Blue, M390 Like the patina of SB and hap and all hold great edges easy to sharpen.
 
I'm not big on the steels or patina.... hell I still carry a traditional carbon blade slip joint in my other pocket with a Spyderco. I can keep them sharp and clean. Doesn't really matter what speciality steel you have, if you can't keep it sharp.
 
I'm all about the H1 in SE right now. So damn hot and it is so damn lite and rust proof! I do like the 3v on my Tuff though. I wish we could see more of that. I am perfectly happy with s30v too.
 
HAP40 is probably my favorite. So easy to get sticky sharp, easier than VG10 in my experience, but holds an edge for almost as long as S30V. Corrosion resistance is also pretty good for a HSS.

Cruwear is also a favorite and I find it pretty similar to HAP40. When will we get a Cruwear PM2?????
 
At this point my favorites are VG10, S30V, & S35VN. That's mostly because that's what the knives I carry most have. I find those steels easy to sharpen, they seem to have decent edge retention (for my needs), and they're stainless. I also carry a Manbug in ZDP-189 that I like. I have knives with higher end steels (S110V, S90V, HAP40, M4 etc.) but I haven't used them enough to form any kind of opinion.
 
ejames13 said:
HAP40 is probably my favorite. So easy to get sticky sharp, easier than VG10 in my experience, but holds an edge for almost as long as S30V. Corrosion resistance is also pretty good for a HSS.

Cruwear is also a favorite and I find it pretty similar to HAP40. When will we get a Cruwear PM2?????
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Yeah, Hap40 is probably my favorite too. I actually feel like it holds and edge a bit better than s30v but that's just my impression. I haven't done any formal testing or anything. Its definitely a breeze to get it really sharp though.

I also really like Spyderco's s30v. I tend to enjoy steels with more balanced qualities rather than the stuff at either end of the spectrum. I would like to see more releases in steels like that. Maybe rwl-34?
 
I like VG10. It's holds a decent edge, but is easy to touch up. Doesn't seem to rust easy either.
 
Probably CTS-XHP. My Techno might be my most used knife and has always held an edge exceptionally well while being fairly easy to touch up.
 
Imo S110V is the best steel that Spyderco has ever offered. And they recently tweaked their heat treat on it. Performing better now that ever before.

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After trying HAP40, I found I like VG10 and ZDP more.
And Superblue and M4. 8Cr dulls too soon..

Not too reliable opinion :o as I haven't tried other steels from Spyderco, and my light use perhaps doesn't show the difference enough. Anything that gets keener and hold it as good or better than VG10 perhaps is a better description.
 
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I like to focus on the design rather than the steel. I have no interest in owning multiples of the same model in different steels.
 
Something about the CTS-XHP Dice i purchased 6mo ago looses its "hair whittling" sharpness fairly quick but then keeps cutting cardboard and plastic molding like a champ for unbelievable distances. Only since today have i been putting a CPM-M4 PM2 to the test...
 
most of the spydercos I enjoy are in S30V.
my other preferences would be H1 as I spent a lot of time on the salty environment.
I also enjoy their Superblue offerings but kinda dislike the stainless laminate :D
M4 comes in 4th.
 
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