What 'super' steels do you have?

XM-18 in Duratech 20CV (I think this is a super-steel) and an Umnumzaan in S30V. I'm not sure if my VG-10 Endura 4 G-10 counts as a super steel, but I've also got my eye on some CPM-154 knives---a Kirby Lambert inferno and the mid-tech Ken Onion Ripple.
 
ZDP 189
S110V
S90V
S60V/440V
CPM M4
CPM D2
CPM 3V
CPM 154
20CV
M2
3G ( VG2 outer layers with SG1 inner core)
SG2
SPGS
Vascowear
BG42
R2 ( Itou's name for some steel that's "proprietary" and from the high speed class. That's all I know )
OU31
Blue #2
Super Blue
Talonite

Still super in my book
-------------------
52100
O-1
W2
A2
D2
5160

Lots of not super steels as such, but still nor real common like VG 5, Aus8(W), Cast 440C, ACUTO, AUS 118, etc.

5 favorites:
CPM M4
ZDP 189
S110V
Super blue/Vascowear/3V
BG42

Hardheart, how goes your project? any openings?
 
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Hey PR, you did notice that this is a thread about "super steels" right?
 
154CM
N690co
VG-10 (solid+laminated)
S30V
S60V
S90V
S110V
CPM-D2 (CB)
CPM-154
Elmax
SG2 (laminated)
ZDP189 (solid+laminated)

but there will be more...
 
S90V
M4
M2
ZDP-189
CPMD2
52100

Not listed as "super" steels:
S30V
154CM
Ingot D2
VG-10
etc.

I'm counting S30V, ingot D2, 154Cm, etc., as "regular" rather than "super" steels - but IMO "ordinary" steels such as S30V, 154CM, VG-10 and ATS-34 today get very little of the credit they deserve. If you could take 154CM back to the 1960s in a time machine, people would worship you and sacrifice small animals at your feet.
 
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FlaMtnBkr said:
Really? I guess it is super that it doesn't rust. But the H1 I have doesn't hold an edge at all. I have a Salt 1 and have bought 2 others as gifts. One was given back to me because my friend can't sharpen well and didn't have a use for a knife that dulled so quickly.
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I guess a lot of times super steels are considered ones with very high edge retention. But in a marine environment, H1 might actually outlast ZDP189 in edge holding. Either way, H1 is 100% rust proof, which is already a noteworthy feature. Plus, it's super tough. It's hard to find a steel that's very corrosion resistant and as tough as H1, much less one that is entirely corrosion resistant. My SE H1 has held an edge close to S30V's edge holding. PE doesn't hold an edge that well at first in my experience, but after completely resetting the bevel (Not reprofiling it, just grinding away the factory bevel to come to fresh steel) the PE holds an edge well for me, about like VG10 but with the added benefits of more toughness and corrosion resistance.

If all you use a knife for is slicing cardboard boxes in an office, ZDP189 would probably seem a lot more super to you than a PE H1 knife, but for what it is I think H1 is a rare and versatile combination of traits.

I'd also put my Dogfather's blade steel on the list. Gets very sharp and takes tons of heavy chopping and batoning in stride even with a super thin edge.
 
In my stable: A2, O1, ZDP, S60V/440V, S110V, CPM-D2, CPM-154, and SG2.

I'm looking for the right blades in CPM-M4 and 3V.
 
Hmm, I have to add to my list. O1, A2, D2, M2, L6, 52100, 4140, 1095, 1070, 1095CV, Blue #2, 12C27, 13C26, ATS-34, AUS8, 8Cr14MoV. Used to own Boye dendritic cobalt, Carbon V, SR77, Infi, 154CM, W2, 5160, 8Cr13MoV.

Added with my other posts, and the couple mentioned that I haven't owned, that's a lot of steel. Which ones are truly 'super'? Is it toughness, wear resistance, carbide fraction, rarity, cost, difficulty to machine, age?

I left off 420J2, 420HC, and AUS6. But I'll add them in if others will agree to call them super :)

Mastiff, just plugging away. So many things I'm trying to do, and just lagging out of the gate. After the first of the year, I should have things in place. Waiting for stuff to cross the ocean, and just dealing with the economy, kinda lets the air out. And I still have to send in my QX-5 to boot :(
 
S30V

3X Strider SmF
1X ZT 0301 in S30V

INFI

1X Busse CGFBM
3X Busse Tank Busters
2X Busse BWM
1X Boss Street (On order)
 
I'll get a pic up a little later :cool:

s30v, s6ov, s90v, BG-42, CPM D2, CPM M4, VG-10, Devin Thomas stainless Damascus, ZDP 189, DuraTech 20cv... Also Played with H1 in a full SE Spydie for about a year... But she is long gone now.
 
Everyone's pretty much got things covered. I'll add a couple, CPM 10V at 64.5 HRC, and M2 HSS at 66 HRC.

While 1095 might not seem super, if you ever get ahold of it at 65 HRC (or O1 at 62 - 63), you might be very surprised...
 
Mastiff, just plugging away. So many things I'm trying to do, and just lagging out of the gate. After the first of the year, I should have things in place. Waiting for stuff to cross the ocean, and just dealing with the economy, kinda lets the air out. And I still have to send in my QX-5 to boot
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Hardheart, stay flexible and ride it out. Eventually it will be worthwhile, bringing a product to market that will be sold out, and sought after collectors items for years, decades even.

It does make one understand why Spyderco talks about products sometimes two years or more before they hit the street. They have decades of experience, and employees. You have....you.

It damn sure will be worthwhile though. Joe
 
JNewell said:
S90V
M4
M2
ZDP-189
CPM-D2
52100

Not listed as "super" steels:
S30V
154CM
Ingot D2
VG-10
etc.

I'm counting S30V, ingot D2, 154Cm, etc., as "regular" rather than "super" steels - but IMO "ordinary" steels such as S30V, 154CM, VG-10 and ATS-34 today get very little of the credit they deserve. If you could take 154CM back to the 1960s in a time machine, people would worship you and sacrifice small animals at your feet.
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Add:

CPM-S35VN today (Mule MT06)
CPM-S110V last week (PE Shallot)
BG-42 this week (CRK Umfaan)
 
I got only one (as Vg-10 doesn't count) Kerhaw JYDII Composite with CPM-D2 cutting edge.
 
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