What makes a "super steel"???

[Maximumbob54]

We've done some serious steps upward in steel quality from my younger days. I lusted for VG10 back in the late 90's thinking that was pretty top shelf. Then after that I could only laugh at spending what it would take to get a knife in S30V. Now I have to laugh at myself for yawning at yet another new knife in S30V or S35VN when those are still great steels but we are so spoiled for choice.

Getting to the point, I remember when VG10, 154CM, or D2 were talked about like super steels. Harder to sharpen, but stays sharper longer. They were and still are superior to any 400 series stainless or 1000 series carbon.

But at some point someone figured out spray form and particle metallurgy and suddenly even older alloys of steel were even better. So now are they only super steels if they aren't ingot steels? Does it only apply if there isn't an ingot version like M4 / CPM-M4 or 154CM / CPM 154?

What about the carbides? Those are what makes any steel better, right? So what if we add to the puzzle superior carbides like vanadium or tungsten. Should it only be a super steel if it has a minimum amount of certain carbide forming in the alloy?

Definitely don't expect it to come from this but I do feel like it's going to be the knife community that has to come together to agree what a super steel is even if it ends up being a sliding scale of sorts.

 

[Blues]

Larrin has already published the scales and charts...and we've been down this road multiple times. (Search button will confirm.)

Knife Steels Rated by a Metallurgist - Toughness, Edge Retention, and Corrosion Resistance - Knife Steel Nerds

Steel Metallurgist Larrin Thomas uses tests of knife steels to rate the steels and explains the factors that control performance.

knifesteelnerds.com

 

[DeadboxHero]

Super Steels vs Regular Knife Steels - Knife Steel Nerds

Thanks to Daniel Jackson for becoming a Knife Steel Nerds Patreon supporter! Super Steel I see frequent references to “super steel” online, and I was curious about how long that terminology has been around. I did searches on bladeforums as it is one of the oldest knife forums. The number of...

knifesteelnerds.com

We've done some serious steps upward in steel quality from my younger days. I lusted for VG10 back in the late 90's thinking that was pretty top shelf. Then after that I could only laugh at spending what it would take to get a knife in S30V. Now I have to laugh at myself for yawning at yet another new knife in S30V or S35VN when those are still great steels but we are so spoiled for choice.

Getting to the point, I remember when VG10, 154CM, or D2 were talked about like super steels. Harder to sharpen, but stays sharper longer. They were and still are superior to any 400 series stainless or 1000 series carbon.

But at some point someone figured out spray form and particle metallurgy and suddenly even older alloys of steel were even better. So now are they only super steels if they aren't ingot steels? Does it only apply if there isn't an ingot version like M4 / CPM-M4 or 154CM / CPM 154?

What about the carbides? Those are what makes any steel better, right? So what if we add to the puzzle superior carbides like vanadium or tungsten. Should it only be a super steel if it has a minimum amount of certain carbide forming in the alloy?

Definitely don't expect it to come from this but I do feel like it's going to be the knife community that has to come together to agree what a super steel is even if it ends up being a sliding scale of sorts.

 

[XJ-linux]

Spyderco just needs to make something in it + a new color. Then, it's becomes a super steel.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Larrin has already published the scales and charts...and we've been down this road multiple times. (Search button will confirm.)

Knife Steels Rated by a Metallurgist - Toughness, Edge Retention, and Corrosion Resistance - Knife Steel Nerds

Steel Metallurgist Larrin Thomas uses tests of knife steels to rate the steels and explains the factors that control performance.

knifesteelnerds.com

I did search for a bit and all I found were threads either complaining or boasting about various steels. Any time I look this up there's usually two teams, Team Fudd vs. Team Hype Train.

And I've watched the good doctor's videos including that one several times. The info can be like drinking from the fire hose so I like to re-watch them from time to time.

 

[Blues]

Well the answers are there...so why ask the less qualified to provide the answer? It's not like we need another echo chamber or a running "is too...isn't" argument. It's all speculation and opinion at that point. That's been done to death.

If you have some new information to impart that will move the needle, feel free to open a new discussion and we can evaluate the merits. Otherwise, let's table this pending new data.