Which Spyderco Steel Would You Recommend to a Carbon Steel Lover?

wilsonj1018 said:
if you have diamond stones and a like a patina, go for a gb1, or 2 or a pm2 in m4...m4 is the shit IMO
Click to expand...

I wouldn't recommend a GB 1 or 2 for people with arthritic hands because the lock bar is hard to get to.
 
I have a Superblue Stretch. It's a great knife, great steel, but I find I prefer HAP40.
 
bodog said:
I just saw this and your other post about your sharpening gear. I don't have any hap40 but it's supposed to be a "better" M4. M4 isn't terribly hard to sharpen. IMO it's easier than D2.

If you find you like Hap40 then you'll probably find most Spyderco steels are good for one reason or another. Do you mind me asking why you don't like D2? I'm not a big fan either. Hasn't really ever performed that well for me despite what a lot of other people say. Maybe I've just gotten bad examples. But anyway, Hap40 should be a breeze with diamonds and ceramics if it's anything like M4 in the real world, as opposed to just looking at chemical compositions.
Click to expand...

D2 doesn't easily take a fine edge.

It takes a mediocre edge and holds it forever.

It may just be me, but there it is.
 
Coonskinner said:
I wound up ordering a Stretch in Hap40.

Thanks, gentlemen.
Click to expand...

Great choice. Let us know what you think of it after it arrives, and you've had the chance to use it a bit.

I love my HAP40 Stretch, it's in my top three or four all time favourite Spydies. It's far and away, the best hunting folder I've used - and no slouch for general EDC duties either.

Here's a photo to tide you over while you're waiting for yours.
 
It seems to me that the OP is just looking for a blade thats easy to open and easy to sharpen. Vg10, bd-1, aus-8 and h1 are all good steels and easy to sharpen. For a vg10 blade check out the delica or endurA. Bd-1 a manix2 lightweight. 8cr check out spydercos byrd line. H1 the salt line of folders.
 
Last edited:
Almost all Spydies ought to be easy enough to open.

And I'm not so arthritic that sharpening is a major issue.

I think the Hap40 will be all right.

I have a set of DMT hones, from extra coarse all the way to extra fine.

I also have a Spyderco Sharpmaker and a double stuff Spyderco stone, as well as several EZ Lap hones and several Norton India stones.

I will be all right on the sharpening deal.
 
Cambertree said:
Great choice. Let us know what you think of it after it arrives, and you've had the chance to use it a bit.

I love my HAP40 Stretch, it's in my top three or four all time favourite Spydies. It's far and away, the best hunting folder I've used - and no slouch for general EDC duties either.

Here's a photo to tide you over while you're waiting for yours.
Click to expand...


I am in the woods seldom less than three nights a week coon hunting, and this time of year, more like five or six.

I like a knife to be handy outdoors.

I generally pack a GEC Bull Buster, which is a Sodbuster, at night.

The Stretch may find a place in the coon hunting rotation.
 
Coonskinner said:
I like a knife to be handy outdoors.

I generally pack a GEC Bull Buster, which is a Sodbuster, at night.

The Stretch may find a place in the coon hunting rotation.
Click to expand...

I use the smaller GEC Bullnose in O1 steel too - it's a great knife.

I can't speak to the HAP40 Stretch's usefulness on 'coons, but it excelled this season on Sambar deer, which have pretty thick fur and hides, usually full of grit and dirt from the carry out too.

I think you'll be pretty happy with it.

 
M4 para2 if you can find one would be my pic. Takes a great patina and is just a fantastic steel.
 
That is an excellent choice you made coonskinner. I really enjoy the high speed steels in the M4 class and really like lock back Spydercos so for me they are no brainers. I have yet to wear an Endura out. I still have my first from 92 ( G2 steel) and it does everything I need still with the exception of the old FRN pocket clip being non useable. Not prying, and keeping the bearing surface of the locks clean of grit or abrasive stuff has been enough for me.They get smoother and nicer with age. I even will send them through the washing machine in pants pockets now and again ( haven't done that with Super Blue or Hap 40 yet).

I have a few Great Eastern O-1 knives. 2 Lockbacks and one Bullnose. I enjoy the ease of sharpening and the type edge that O-1 takes. Sometimes I fool myself into thinking it takes a better edge than the 1095 models from GEC. To be honest I don't think I'm that skilled but the inner dialog is interesting. :)

Joe
 
The Mastiff said:
That is an excellent choice you made coonskinner. I really enjoy the high speed steels in the M4 class and really like lock back Spydercos so for me they are no brainers. I have yet to wear an Endura out. I still have my first from 92 ( G2 steel) and it does everything I need still with the exception of the old FRN pocket clip being non useable. Not prying, and keeping the bearing surface of the locks clean of grit or abrasive stuff has been enough for me.They get smoother and nicer with age. I even will send them through the washing machine in pants pockets now and again ( haven't done that with Super Blue or Hap 40 yet).

I have a few Great Eastern O-1 knives. 2 Lockbacks and one Bullnose. I enjoy the ease of sharpening and the type edge that O-1 takes. Sometimes I fool myself into thinking it takes a better edge than the 1095 models from GEC. To be honest I don't think I'm that skilled but the inner dialog is interesting. :)

Joe
Click to expand...

I have a serious liking for the 1095 and O1 stuff with the GEC grind and heat treat.

Great stuff!
 
Be sure to let us know how you like the Stretch. Sounds like HAP 40 will be right up your alley.
 
For anyone else researching this, spyderco has their cpm-m4 dialed in perfectly to my liking.
2nd choice offering, although I think it's not dialed in, is hap 40.
 
IMO the GB2 in M4 is the best bang for the bucks

I have one and it is a great knife
I have used a dremmel to ease the access to the access to the lockbar and I make the knife a great EDC
 
If you want a true carbon steel there is VToku2 available still in the Endura and Dragonfly (new I mean) and all the other Seki models except the Stretch on the secondary market.

In my experience, it has very good toughness and edge retention roughly on par with D2. There aren’t a lot of carbides in it but the ones it does have are tungsten carbides, one of the hardest and most wear resistant (above vanadium and chromium but below niobium)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top