Zdp-189???

T

theaxel

Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Messages
86
Hi ive been hearing a few people talking about the super steel that is ZDP-189. Is it really that good??
I'd just like to find out what you guys think of it, and how hard is it to sharpen?

and does anyone know of any good knives with this steel for about $100 or less?(doesn't matter what sort of knife folder or fixed)
 
There are few different Spydercos you can get with ZDP-189 for under a hundred bucks. Delica, Endura, Dragonlfy and Stretch come to mind. I'm currently EDCing a Calypso Jr in ZDP and I absolutely love it. It was one of the sharpest knives I've had out of the box and the edge holding has been amazing. I've heard it is a bit tougher than average to sharpen, but I've had a few different knives with ZDP and I've just had to touch them up now and again. They hold an edge so well I haven't needed to really sharpen them.
 
I've got a spyderco dragonfly with ZDP-189. I like it a lot. It holds an edge for a long time. I did sharpen it, not because it needed it. I just wanted to see what it's like. It is very wear resistant so it takes a while, But it gets very sharp. It can be left toothy or it can be polished. I polished mine and have only stropped it a few times since.
 
It been out for a while now, try doing a search.
 
There are a lot of good reviews and articles out there. Google is your friend

My experience is that ZDP will old an edge about 1.5-2 times as long as VG-10 when comparing two spydercos of the same model. It takes a little longer to sharpen and will micro chip on corners of Sharpmaker rods with too much pressure. Is the performance worth the cost? That's your business.

One more thing. If you want ZDP but plan on using stock edge angles, don't waste your money. ZDP really shines at about 20 degrees inclusive and can hold that angle where lesser steels fail.

Here is a good article I found on knife steel in general.
http://www.thetruthaboutknives.com/2013/03/ask-a-knifemaker-the-truth-about-blade-steels/
 
The trick is to never let it get dull. Touch it up before it gets dull or you will have an up hill battle on your hands.
 
rnbtexas said:
The trick is to never let it get dull. Touch it up before it gets dull or you will have an up hill battle on your hands.
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That's something I don't understand. If I touch up often, then I don't really need extreme edge holding, do I?
 
ZDP has been used by Spyderco and William Henry since at least 2005. I have numerous knives with it. Generally, because very hard metals can be brittle (65 - 67 HRC), they are laminated to more flexible metals, so it will say "ZDP-189 core". There are many very good steels. ZDP is one of them, as is S90V, M390, M4, S125VN, S35VN, and so on. All have pluses and minuses. There is no perfect steel, IMO.
 
singularity35 said:
How often then? I tend to use my knives a bit everyday...
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No hard and fast rule. I use mine everyday too. I guess that I touch it up when I notice its starting to hang opening letters. If that's all I've been doing with it we're talking months between touch ups.
 
rnbtexas said:
No hard and fast rule. I use mine everyday too. I guess that I touch it up when I notice its starting to hang opening letters. If that's all I've been doing with it we're talking months between touch ups.
Click to expand...

rnbtexas said:
The trick is to never let it get dull. Touch it up before it gets dull or you will have an up hill battle on your hands.
Click to expand...

But if I use enough to dull it everyday? Will the wear resistance(difficulty of sharpening) of ZDP be a liability instead of an asset?
 
rnbtexas said:
Your call not mine. For me if I had to sharpen ZDP every day I'd pick a different steel.
Click to expand...

My solution was to thin my angle to around 22°. That way when I sharpened at 30°, I didn't have to take away a lot of metal and sharpening became much faster. You see sharpening ZDP doesn't have to be an uphill battle, if you approach it in a logical manner. ;)

edc4-14-13_zpsd8c1219d.jpg
 
A few passes on a fine diamond bench stone will "touch up" any steel.
You can get a diamond bench stone for what one decent knife costs.
 
rnbtexas said:
Really good point and technique. I'm limited to a sharpmaker today.
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I can see why you'd want to touch up often. I would not pick ZDP, if I had to use it enough to really dull it in a day, with only a sharpmaker to sharpen with. You are right in that it would be an uphill battle in such a case.
 
That brings up a good point for the OP. is ZDP189 a real good steel, yes, but you also need to take into account your sharpening equipment and skills. I can tell you since all I have is a sharpmaker I'm more inclined to actually use a different knife with a different steel that I can easily sharpen.
 
ZDP is an amazing steel on pocket knives. I've got several of the Spyderco offerings - my personal favorites are the Dragonfly 2, Delica, Walker, and Stretch... You could also get a Mule if you want a fixed blade and don't mind making your own scales.

One additional thing to keep in mind - ZDP-189 is a semi-stainless steel. It definitely patinas and pits a bit more readily than other full stainless steels. It isn't as bad as O1 or 1095, but it wouldn't be my first choice for a seafaring blade (that's why they offer H1!).

TedP
 
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