Why Does Spyderco Favor S30V over S35VN?

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Sharperthansticks

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S30V is no slouch, of course, but my understanding is that S35VN was designed as its successor and is generally considered a better steel. Why doesn't Spyderco switch over to S35VN? Is it a matter of cost?
 
I think for the end user its not much different but for manufacturers its more work and therefore more expensive.
 
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I prefer S35vn but honestly most of us couldn’t tell the difference in a blind taste test. Not sure if S35vn is better, they both have their pro’s and con’s. All that matters to me is the heat treat and Spyderco does a great job with their s30v.
 
ric75 said:
I think for the end user its not much different but for manufacturers its more work and therefore more expensive.
Click to expand...

If by manufacturers you mean the knife companies, you have it backwards. S35VN was designed and is marketed as easier to machine and polish. That is right out of Crucible's S35VN datasheet
 
The knifeart summary is pretty good, though the chromium content is listed incorrectly.

Personally I prefer S35VN, though in blind tests edge holding would be hard to tell apart. I just like the edge quality of S35VN, and although I have only seen chipping with one of my S30V blades I have never seen it with S35VN.
 
s35vn is better than just being easier to machine. It's definitely a successor to s30v, if not more like it's bigger badder younger brother. I saw chipping issues with 2 different knives I owned in s30v, and vowed never to use s30v ever again. S35VN is susceptible to chipping as well, as most high wear resistance stainless steels, but from my experience it doesn't chip as easily as s30v. That being said, I've asked myself the same question as to why Spyderco seems to only be using s30v. Maybe they just get a really great deal on s30v that they don't want to pass up on for s35vn because they'd have to charge a bit more.
 
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On paper, meaning data, s30v has better edge retention than s35vn. But s35 is tougher on paper. I say paper because, using spyderco as an example, we probably could tell the difference in everyday use.
 
Maybe Spyderco just wants to give us steel snobs more choices?

For me, I always lean towards the older steels (like S30V, BG-42 ) if given the choice. Another example would be CRK which went from S30 to s35vn.
 
"S30V is no slouch, of course, but my understanding is that S35VN was designed as its successor and is generally considered a better steel. Why doesn't Spyderco switch over to S35VN? Is it a matter of cost?"

I don't consider it better. My impression is it was made as a response to all the posts about S30V microchipping. That was never true for me any more than any of the other "common knowledge" memes that have been repeated as fact so often that some think they are fact. Repeating the knowledge that everybody "knows" at a forum is a way to fit in . Normal human behavior when relating in crowds and wanting to fit in. That doesn't make common knowledge true.

Remember S35Vn was the subject of one of those common knowledge things too not long after it was introduced and it almost soured that steels future because someone made some statements of fact that weren't fact and others repeated it as if it was fact. That isn't uncommon here to be honest.

Their performance is so close as to be pretty much indistinguishable for me both on the stones and in use. One or another is fine for me. The difference between the steels is less than the difference in the same steel at high or low heat/temper and is less than the difference than between the same steels at different geometries.

People should be able to get their preferences if they have them but I'd be real hesitant to call one or the other steel "better".

Joe
 
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Never had any issues with either steel. No chipping, good edge retention. If Spyderco thought S35VN was an overall better steel they would probably have stopped using S30V and swapped to S35VN..
 
-S35vn less chippy easier to sharpen=tougher
-S30v more prone to chipping harder to machine and sharpen=better edge retention.
These are the logistics I see and read. I do see in real world use is s30v holding a working edge longer and less chipping on the s35vn.
 
What are you guys cutting to cause s30v to chip? I've never seen it do that in "real world use" whislch in most cases is cardboard at worst? maybe zip ties or a packing strap?
 
"-S35vn less chippy easier to sharpen=tougher
-S30v more prone to chipping harder to machine and sharpen=better edge retention.
These are the logistics I see and read. I do see in real world use is s30v holding a working edge longer and less chipping on the s35vn."

Less chippy is what it is designed for . I'm sure tests can pick up on it in a lab. I can't tell the difference though. As far as "S30V holding a working edge longer" what does that mean and how is this proven in a test or in use? Are you saying one does high sharpness longer, or both do low sharpness with S30V just doing it longer?

It sounds like "common knowledge" again that everyone knows but no body proves. At this level most differences between the two are from other factors than the composition difference between the steels IMO. Even test results like the CATRA test done by Bohler Uddeholm http://www.bucorp.com/media/CATRA_Test2.pdf show results at the same hardness but there is nothing about high sharpness or working edges. It's a myth as far as I'm concerned.

Note: In the CATRA results S30V is called : PM 12-2-4 CrMoV and S35Vn is : PM 14-2-3 CrMoVn and 3V is PM 7.5-1.3-2.75 rather than the names Crucible gave them but they are the same steels.

Joe
 
On a similar note notice that 3V is more wear resistant than 440C, 154CM ( listed as 14-4 ) and even D2 even though "common knowledge" here says that 3V is tough but not wear resistant so it is better for fixed blade knives than folders. I guess my point isn't so much about the steels but more about what is often said around here should often be ignored in favor of trying it out for ourselves.

Joe
 
I've had nothing but great experience with S30V. I've been using it since 2009 and it has served me well. These days , there are newer steels that I prefer but S30V is still my old faithful.
 
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I have never had any issues with S30V or S35VN. I think, and this is strictly my opinion, that a very few people had some chipping from the factory edge of some knives as the steel loses its temper on the edge because of the sharpening process. Resharpening removes that steel and gets back to the tempered steel. I also think that some (of these?) were cutting things they should not have been cutting, or even pounding. I also think that a lot of what is said about S30V being 'chippy' is a lot of malarky.
 
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