The Z-Max mule was the first I got. I find this steel extraordinary. I'd choose it over any comparable ultra retention steel out there I've had a chance to use so far. I have yet to see it anywhere else, though I haven't dug very far. Is the limited use just a matter of high price/low availability? Do Spyderco or others have plans to use it in the future?
Looking at test results, Z-Max, on paper, offers seemingly everything 15V does and then some. It runs at significantly higher hardness, goes significantly further in CATRA, and appears to be tougher outright, not even relatively speaking. Larrin Thomas' rounded-off ranking charts make them both 10 for edge retention, 4 for corrosion resistance, and 3.5 vs. 3 for toughness, respectively. Why did Z-Max kind of disappear with a whimper after that release, but 15V was eventually brought kicking and screaming into production?
Anyone have experiences w the two they'd care to share in comparsion? Does 15V offer any marked advantages or disadvantages in use? Is either more of a pain to produce and finish?
Any updated, extensive use or opinions on Z-Max would be welcome, I'm very curious to learn more about other people's experiences I haven't read here already. Thanks!
Zapp Z-Max
Carbon 2.00 %
Chromium 4.00 %
Vanadium 5.00 %
Tungsten 10.00 %
Molybdenum 5.00 %
Cobalt 9.00 %
CPM-15V
Carbon 3.40%
Chromium 5.25%
Vanadium 14.50%
Manganese 0.50%
Molybdenum 1.30%
Silicon 0.90%
Sulfur 0.07%
Z-Max: and/or/vs. 15V
Re: Z-Max: and/or/vs. 15V
I'm too very pleased by the performance of Z-Max. But I doubt we'll ever see it in a sprint run or exclusive. As far as I remember there were some warped pieces and I suspect the post HT machining is more difficult than 15V. We wouldn't even see 15V if it wasn't for BBB's custom developed HT protocol. I highly doubt anyone would spend this amount of time and resources to develop a custom HT protocol for Z-max.
Re: Z-Max: and/or/vs. 15V
Because 15V is running a dialed in heat treat from BBB. We would need a seperate test(assuming the samples that Larrin was using did not include 15V heat treated by BBB of course) to come to these conclusions.