Spyderco Forums

Any steel will get crazy sharp if you got the right abrasives to cut vanadium and go to super high grit levels. But some steels just have a way better refined edge (less aggressive) than others right off the same grit level stone. Even on coarser stones.

I've also heard good things about HAP40.

You'd be looking at steel with small carbides then. A low alloy steel and not vanadium like most high end steels. I'd say 52100 (carbon steel) or ZDP-189 (small chromium carbides and high hardness) could fit the bill. Basic VG-10 is not bad either. Japanese White/Blue carbon steel in some of the spr...

Nah, cruwear has more edge stability then M4 meaning better performance with polished edges It also has similar wear resistance to M4, it's tougher than M4, less likely to chip at the edge then M4 even at higher hardness. 4v is tougher but cruwear had more bite at the edge at the same finish and to...

From what i read people seem to prefer the ease of sharpening and the type of edge Cruwear gives. Cause it doesn't seem to be better in the standard toughness, corrosion resistance and edge retention points compared to similar well rounded steels like 3V or M4. I guess the difference is in the littl...

What's up with all the love for Cruwear? Thought 3V and M4 outperform it. Am i missing something?
Cruwear is not something i like with the default light grey scales it comes in generally.

I have a feeling I'm going to like this model more in general than the regular Manix 2 so I can't say I wouldn't buy it if it had simple flat scales but it would be a huge disappointment. The scales are a huge selling point for me on this one. Yeah i agree. These 3D scales is what sets the Shaman a...

Sorry guys, i posted an updated poll substituting a couple of steels on the list. I dont know how to close this poll I still think posting a top 3 and then having the topic starter just keep an updated ranking list in the opening post is better than a poll. I would not be interested in a Cruwear kn...

DLC would be a no buy for me. The all black tactical look I find not pretty and I like some patina on my blades.
I do like some nice stonewashed finish on the steel though.

What would be the cheapest handle material to keep cost down? FRN is out of the question with no molds i guess. I'd like to make my own custom dyed burl or micarta scales. Eh, time IS money, it's cheaper to buy a Shaman with micarta rather then make it. I am pretty picky in the color/material i'd l...

What would be the cheapest handle material to keep cost down? FRN is out of the question with no molds i guess.
I'd like to make my own custom dyed burl or micarta scales.

Why is there no K390 or M390 in this poll? Steels people often ask for. Vanax, K390, Maxamet. In that order for me. But only Maxamet i could vote for. I think you would get a better picture of the steel demand if we all would post our top 3 and then combine that. With 1 vote stuff will be too spread...

Would love to see this knife in K390 or Maxamet.

I know for me personally, that S30V is more than enough for what I need. Keeps the edge for a while and is easy to get back once it begins to dull. Though i'm the type that will run my blades on the fine and ultra fine rods, 5-10 light swipes on each side on each stone even after minimal use after ...

Knife enthusiasts seem to prefer M390/20CV/204P over S110V as the default S30V upgrade, so maybe Spyderco should just switch them. But i guess they have long term contracts to buy steel and what they have in stock already. And for people that know nothing about steels S110V is easier to see as an up...

You'd have to get the answer from Sal to get the real insights. I think why we don't see it much yet is because S30V is the standard for an all rounded stainless steel at this moment. M390/20CV/204P is the next step up from that, but quite a bit more expensive. I guess most buyers are price sensitiv...

It's a European steel which makes it more expensive to use since they don't produce knives in the EU. Knife makers tend to use steels that are made locally. Lower shipping costs, taxes, import tariffs etc.

Chaparral FRN with an upgraded steel, sign me up for that!
This is also the only FRN model from Taichung currently i think. For the chap i'd rather go with M390 though to have it stainless. But K390 wouldn't be bad either. With that toughness maybe make the blade even thinner. Love a good slicer.

I was talking big picture. of course you/we/knife afi's are willing to pay more for what we truly want but the general public is not. sprints/exclusives selling out so fast is proof that people appreciate special editions. I am not a collector and price increases don't generally impact me bc I only...

Evil D wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 05, 2018 12:00 pm

The benefit of not being a dedicated collector is that I'm not in a rush to buy them all, so small price increases don't effect me as much. In turn I'm much more willing to pay a premium for the right model and materials combo.

Same here. And i think many more are with you on that.