Which steels today would be considered "super steels"?

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zl1

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Are they steels seen in limited or sprint runs?
Are they just inherently good with a particular quality?
 
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"Super Steels" is a very broad term.
I classify steels in three categories:
No Name: Found in Chinese made folders sold for .99 cents. This category includes things like 440A.
Mid Quality: 440C, AUS8, 8cr13MOV, etc. Budget folders and such.
Super Steels: INFI, Elmax, S90V, S110V.

Those are just general groupings you can fit steels into.
Super Steels are found in high end folders, custom, and sometimes production.
 
I have a few categories, one above that midgrade with 14c28n, vg10 and such, then another before "super" but that is high like s30v, s35vn, then the real crazy super steels
 
From my experience CTS-XHP and M390 are the best stainless out there. Although Elmax has cool name it wasn't so great as the 2 mentioned steel.
 
everything is a super steel to somebody, even 1095 is called a super steel by a few people
 
I recorded an episode of how do they do it (or whatever it's called) because it had a segment on swords made with "super steel" it ended up being carbon with a cryogenic treatment. Nothing new. So yeah, super has a lot of different meanings.

I guess all of the powdered steels are super to me. I'm most interested in m390 though.
 
I think M390 is the leading super steel. It has all of the qualities you want in a knife steel AND its easy to work with. Its like S90V and CPM 154 had a really stain resistant baby.
 
Hey, don't forget CTS-20CP, similar to S90V. And CPM3v is new on my list; not a stainless but a very tough steel. Survive Knives first brought it to my attention. Great videos.
 
KalEl said:
... Its like S90V and CPM 154 had a really stain resistant baby.
Click to expand...

Over on the spyderco.com forum there's a thread on a new project at Crucible: S90V core laminated with CPM154.

Interesting read.
 
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Beyond a certain point, fixating on minor steel differences is usually pretty silly.

That said, I'm liking the performance I'm seeing from M390 and versions of the same from other manufacturers (cts-204p and the other one, 20CV?).
 
hardheart said:
everything is a super steel to somebody, even 1095 is called a super steel by a few people
Click to expand...

Excellent point. "Super steel" is entirely arbitrary. There is no qualitative measure which determines that a steel is "super." Nor are "super" steels always "super" steels. 440C used to be "super."

Which knife steels are "super"? Basically the steels that us knife junkies feel are new and sexy.
 
I have been using the Southard with CTS-204P really hard lately to include cutting those pesky zip ties, shaving insulation off wire & breaking down cardboard. Hasn't phased the edge a bit which I cannot say for some of the S30V knives I have.
 
Any thing beyond 440C.

Heck, even 440C has been called a SuperSteel in the past.

154CM for sure, and all of the CPM steels.




Big MIke
 
Agree that "super steel" is a fluid term and has different meaning to different people just as "luxury car", "gourmet food" or "attractive woman". I tend to look at steels in 3 basic groups being junk, mid grade and premium with a subgroup in the premium group being super. One of the problems I see in categorizing steel simply by type is not taking into consideration the heat treating. For example, 1095 from some large maker might be a clear mid grade, while 1095 from some custom makers could certainly bump it into the premium category.
 
For me personally, CTS-204P, 20CP, XHP, CPM-S90V, S110V, S125V, 10V, 9V, 15V, M4, Bohler K390, K294, M390. To me "super steels are ones that have high wear resistance and hold an edge for a long time. For toughness, there are ones like CPM 3V, 4V, S7, and others I am not familiar with because I don't care as much about extreme toughness. There are probably more I am forgetting, and some are actually the same just offered by a different company. Unfortunately, I have tried very few of these:(
 
CPM S125V. Really impressed with what it can do. It's a son-of-a to work, but once done makes a good knife. Not for a knife to be abused, but if treated properly holds an edge forever, and is stainless. Will hold up to chopping some even with a thin edge profile even at HRC63-64. I like it so much, I buy it if I can find it. Down side, don't even think about sharpening it without diamonds, and plan on at least a few hours to put the first edge on it.

CPM 154 as a good overall steel, not really a 'Super Steel' in my opinion, but it is a super steel for knife purposes. Easy to work, takes a nice mirror polish, holds up well in the kitchen, and is stain resistant.
 
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