ZT and S35VN

E

EDCanAdamas

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Sep 8, 2013
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Quick Question, why is the ZT 550 the only ZT that uses S35VN? Nothing against M390,S30V, or Elmax, I'm just curious as to why S35VN seems to be an afterthought in terms of a ZT blade steel.

If it matters, I don't think Benchmade has ever made a knife with S35VN, and I don't remember it being used by Spyderco either.

I'll be interested in what you guys have to say. Thanks.
 
I seriously doubt it was an after thought at all. Rather, that is more than likely the steel that ZT and Hinderer both wanted to use for that knife. Hinderer uses S35VN on the XM series quite a bit and it works pretty good. It's a great steel.
 
Disclaimer: The following post is 100% speculation.

It might have something to do with them moving to Elmax across the board for new models.
Older models are almost all S30V, then the 550 is released in S35VN as the natural upgrade to S30V. After the 550, they started working with Elmax for the more high end models like the 551 and 560. After having success with Elmax I assume they decided to go with Elmax for new models and ditch the S30V/35VN steel for the future.

I say this because I don't think there are any NEW models that came out AFTER the 550 that use S30V or 35VN. The question then is: "Why have they not changed the 350 and 300 to S35VN instead of S30V, or if they like Elmax a lot, why not make all of the knives in Elmax?"

Food for thought.
 
Spyderco has a couple in S35VN. Paramilitary 2 Sprint. And there is a native 5 also. May be more that I don't remember.
 
I thought S35VN was intended as a successor to S30V. I don't remember the thread it was discussed in, but its properties were fairly similar to S30V with some improvements for machining or finishing. ZT has used S30V as the standard steel on a number of models, so perhaps this was just an incremental progression. That's just my guess. Only the folks at ZT/KAI could say for certain.

That being said, the S35VN on my ZT 0550 has held up very well under my regular use, and it has even taken some abuse pretty well.

Spyderco has used S35VN as well. The Native5 uses it, and the sprint run brown-handled PM2 also had it. There may be others as well. I don't know of any Benchmades that use S35VN.
 
I wish ZT would use more S35VN, in my experience it doesn't take as long to sharpen as Elmax. I have several 566's, and I spend a lot of time sharpening those knives as opposed to knives I have in S35VN. I have adjusted my purchases accordingly due to the fact that S35VN is, IMO the steel that offers me the balance of what I need in a Steel.
 
BladeCommander said:
Disclaimer: The following post is 100% speculation.

It might have something to do with them moving to Elmax across the board for new models.
Older models are almost all S30V, then the 550 is released in S35VN as the natural upgrade to S30V. After the 550, they started working with Elmax for the more high end models like the 551 and 560. After having success with Elmax I assume they decided to go with Elmax for new models and ditch the S30V/35VN steel for the future.

I say this because I don't think there are any NEW models that came out AFTER the 550 that use S30V or 35VN. The question then is: "Why have they not changed the 350 and 300 to S35VN instead of S30V, or if they like Elmax a lot, why not make all of the knives in Elmax?"

Food for thought.
Click to expand...

The 0551 came out in elmax before the 0550 in s35vn

My thinking is the 0550 uses s35vn to help keep the cost lower then the 0560/1 and the 0551
 
Chris Reeve knife use S35VN extensively. An article mention that he involved in the S35VN steel development.
 
Part of it may have to do with the quantities they buy the steel in.

The larger amount they purchase, the better the pricing should be.

Plus, how far they have to ship it from figures into that too.
 
flarp said:
Spyderco has used S35VN as well. The Native5 uses it, and the sprint run brown-handled PM2 also had it. There may be others as well. I don't know of any Benchmades that use S35VN.
Click to expand...

I had a suspicion that Spyderco might have used S35VN, as they seem to be willing to try many more steel types than Benchmade does. Native 5's been on my want list for over a yea nowr, but they are so elusive that I can't find one (barring certain internet auction sites).

Nothing against Elmax, but I wish ZT would have choosen S35VN for the new 0620.
 
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