ZDP-189 vs VG10

Spyderco ZDP-189(for $18 more) vs. VG10

  • ZDP-189 (costs $18 more)

    Votes: 5 100.0%

  • VG10

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    5
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A

Armenate

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I am looking at getting a dragonfly to compliment my para 2 as a small secondary EDC blade. I just can't decide on steel. It costs roughly $18 more to get the ZDP-189 steel. So here is a poll. ZDP-189 vs. VG10. Basically if you bought a spyderco, would the upgraded steel be worth the extra $$?
 
Armenate said:
I am looking at getting a dragonfly to compliment my para 2 as a small secondary EDC blade. I just can't decide on steel. It costs roughly $18 more to get the ZDP-189 steel. So here is a poll. ZDP-189 vs. VG10. Basically if you bough a knife would the upgraded steel be worth the extra $$?
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What do you sharpen with?
 
I love my Dragonfly 2 ZDP-189. IMO, definitely worth the price. When it finally did need sharpening (a year after owning it) I had no problem on the sharpmaker. It took some time, but nothing outrageous. Get it, you won't regret it!
 
Armenate said:
Spyderco sharpmaker
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ZDP might be a pain to sharpen with the ceramic rods if you let it get too dull, just a warning.

If you don't have a VG-10 knife yet, I'd go with the VG-10 because it's a very nice steel. If you want to try something else out for a change of pace, go for the ZDP. Just my $0.02.
 
K.O.D. said:
I love my Dragonfly 2 ZDP-189. IMO, definitely worth the price. When it finally did need sharpening (a year after owning it) I had no problem on the sharpmaker. It took some time, but nothing outrageous. Get it, you won't regret it!
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How hard is it to sharpen compared to S30V?
 
calc said:
ZDP might be a pain to sharpen with the ceramic rods if you let it get too dull, just a warning.

If you don't have a VG-10 knife yet, I'd go with the VG-10 because it's a very nice steel. If you want to try something else out for a change of pace, go for the ZDP. Just my $0.02.
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I have a delica 4 in vg10. I like vg10 a lot but basically want to know if its worth it pay the $$ for the "higher end" steel.
 
Armenate said:
How hard is it to sharpen compared to S30V?
Click to expand...

ZDP will be a bit harder to sharpen than S30V. I wouldn't want to sharpen it without the diamond rods, personally. It's possible with the ceramics but any rolling, chipping, or significant dulling will take you a while.

Armenate said:
I have a delica 4 in vg10. I like vg10 a lot but basically want to know if its worth it pay the $$ for the "higher end" steel.
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If you're asking whether or not it's worth $18 more to get it in ZDP for performance reasons... maybe? I don't know, really. Depends on if you actually push VG-10 to the limits or not. To me it'd be worth it to spend the extra $18 to try a new steel out that has a pretty proven track record. But again, that's just my personal valuation.
 
Armenate said:
How hard is it to sharpen compared to S30V?
Click to expand...

Hard to say as I only have one knife with S30V. My experience with S30V has been bad. Got rid of all but my PM2, which I am always touching up the edge on, it chips so badly. The Dfly has seen very consistent, even wear and I've only had to use medium to ultra fine rods with it. The extra time sharpening is definitely worth the trade off for the increased edge retention. Don't let it get too dull, and you shouldn't have a problem. I have to touch up my PM2 every month or so. I've sharpened the Dragonfly once in 18 months (other than stropping and ultra fine rods)
 
K.O.D. said:
Hard to say as I only have one knife with S30V. My experience with S30V has been bad. Got rid of all but my PM2, which I am always touching up the edge on, it chips so badly. The Dfly has seen very consistent, even wear and I've only had to use medium to ultra fine rods with it. The extra time sharpening is definitely worth the trade off for the increased edge retention. Don't let it get too dull, and you shouldn't have a problem. I have to touch up my PM2 every month or so. I've sharpened the Dragonfly once in 18 months (other than stropping and ultra fine rods)
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That's interesting. I certainly saw increased edge retention with ZDP but definitely not 18:1 to S30V.

Regarding toughness, I did not find ZDP to be the chip risk some people said it would be. I used ZDP to cut through some wire left on some work gloves at one point and was pleasantly surprised that the edge did not chip out. It definitely rolled, but no chipping.
 
I have both. Honestly, a blade that small... Both steels are gonna work perfectly in a utility cutter. Better know how to sharpen well if you go with ZDP though... VG10 gets laser sharp too and faster/"easier".

Which one did I buy FIRST? The ZDP :D
 
calc said:
That's interesting. I certainly saw increased edge retention with ZDP but definitely not 18:1 to S30V.

Regarding toughness, I did not find ZDP to be the chip risk some people said it would be. I used ZDP to cut through some wire left on some work gloves at one point and was pleasantly surprised that the edge did not chip out. It definitely rolled, but no chipping.
Click to expand...

With the PM2, I'm always touching it up from the tip to about half an inch down. Since the first major sharpening, only that last 1/2" of blade has chipping issues. My Spyderco Nilakka had the worst edge retention of any knife I've owned. After opening mail it was so dull it would even cut me. I guess I just have bad luck.
 
K.O.D. said:
With the PM2, I'm always touching it up from the tip to about half an inch down. Since the first major sharpening, only that last 1/2" of blade has chipping issues. My Spyderco Nilakka had the worst edge retention of any knife I've owned. After opening mail it was so dull it would even cut me. I guess I just have bad luck.
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Yeah, I have two knives in s30v (blur and PM2) and I can get them reasonably sharp. I can vg10 much sharper though. I probably need to get some diamond rods as I only have the rods included with the sharpmaker
 
Another consider is the handle. The FRN handle on both the VG 10 and ZDP 189 versions feels sufficient for day to day tasks but push it a little bit harder and it doesn't instill confidence. Personally, I would prefer the version with VG 10 with G10 scales as there are steel liners. There is a version with ZDP 189 with carbon fiber scales which looks real nice. That being said, the Dragonfly is not a hard use knife, so perhaps the FRN handles are enough...
 
Armenate said:
Yeah, I have two knives in s30v (blur and PM2) and I can get them reasonably sharp. I can vg10 much sharper though. I probably need to get some diamond rods as I only have the rods included with the sharpmaker
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I am in for VG-10.
So easy to put a razor edge back on that steel, it makes sharpening fun.

I find this factor more important than all out edge retention.....IMO.
 
I love VG10 and dislike hard to sharpen steels, so I'd personally go with VG10.

Ease of maintenance > edge retention in my opinion
 
One other reason I may end up getting the vg10 is the color handle. While I like the green on the ZDP model, I gotta say the orange on the VG10 speaks to me more and if it comes down to looks I would go with the VG10
 
if it's a primary user/edc, i'd recommend vg-10. doesn't rust as easily, very easy to sharpen, doesn't chip very much, gets screaming sharp. if as a back-up as you mentioned, the zdp since it stays very sharp for a very long time without the need to sharpen often. just watch out for staining if you stash or carry it around for a prolonged period.
 
hank_rearden said:
if it's a primary user/edc, i'd recommend vg-10. doesn't rust as easily, very easy to sharpen, doesn't chip very much, gets screaming sharp. if as a back-up as you mentioned, the zdp since it stays very sharp for a very long time without the need to sharpen often. just watch out for staining if you stash or carry it around for a prolonged period.
Click to expand...

When you say ZDP stains, what do you mean?
 
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