Am I the only one who isn't a fan of VG-10?

DavidReid · #1

Hey folks, I've already locked my doors, so I feel I can safely post this. First of all, I will always buy Spydies, and they will always hold a spot in my heart, wallet, and pocket. I feel like I can honestly say VG-10 may be one of my least favorite steels.

As far as sharpening goes, I find it takes a pretty nice edge, but doesn't hold a hair popping edge for long. To it's credit though, it does hold a working edge pretty well. I find that no matter what angle, method, or how much time I put into it, my VG-10 always seems to get micro chips. I've had it happen with Delicas, Enduras, my Persian, and a few others. I'd ask you to keep in mind, that 90% of the use these knives get, is cardboard, maybe whittling a few sticks for marshmellows, and the occasional cutting of a BLT ( I have heavier knives for any kind of "hard use"). After a few days in a light EDC role, I always find myself needing to resharpen it, because it's dulled enough I get frustrated.

I know vg-10 has a huge fan base, and rightly so because it has a lot of high points ( incredible rust resistance being one) But I'm sure I'm not the only one crossing their fingers that more companies will go back to other steels ( or maybe do more sprints

) As mentioned, vg-10 has it's highpoints/ places it excels, but I for one would love to see more variety.

Sorry for another rant folks, I'm sure one day I'll post something constructive!

Stuart Ackerman · #2

Right...THAT'S IT!!! :D
You're BANNED!!! :D

Seriously, VG10 is my favourite steel, and that is great that we all differ...makes for interesting discussion... :)

JudasD · #3

I'm not a fan of VG10 either. Most of my Spydies are USA and Taiwan primarily because it will be S30V over VG10.

JD

Cliff Stamp · #4

How much cardboard are you cutting? How large are the chips? What steels don't chip?

Blerv · #5

What steels do you prefer? What would you prefer people go back to?

VG10 takes a great edge and holds it well. If sharpened properly it should stay sharp a long time. While many steels will microchip it's pretty resistant compared to the higher carbon blades.

chuck_roxas45 · #6

Blerv wrote:What steels do you prefer? What would you prefer people go back to?

VG10 takes a great edge and holds it well. If sharpened properly it should stay sharp a long time. While many steels will microchip it's pretty resistant compared to the higher carbon blades.

Yep, vg-10 is pretty tough. What the OP is getting might compressions. Or that infamous burnt factory edge.

razorsharp · #7

Burnt edges or improper sharpening...... how much do you strop?

Freediver · #8

I'm actually a big fan of VG-10. For a while I got a little "steel snobbish" and starting going for things like m390 but at the end of the day I found myself going back to my VG10s and H1s for EDC.

Blerv · #9

Most knives available in VG10 don't have another option of the same model. Only a few you can get ZDP-189. The Salts are similar but a Salt1 isn't a Delica4.

Im looking forward to more Superblue but its more a boutique steel as Sal would say.

DedRok · #10

I'm a fan of VG10, but I've noticed that its visually the least appealing looking metal. I don't know whats wrong with me!

AKWolf · #11

I prefer 440XH over VG 10. :spyder:

yowzer · #12

DedRok wrote:I'm a fan of VG10, but I've noticed that its visually the least appealing looking metal. I don't know whats wrong with me!

I feel the opposite; it has a kind of watery texture to it when you look closely that gives it an interesting, almost 3-d feel.

Zenith · #13

If you feel VG10 does not hold a shaving sharp edge for a long time, then I advise you to stay away from the higher Vanadium steels S90V etc. Those high vanadium steels only show their aggression when you get to lower levels of sharpness. Then they just seem to cut and cut and cut for a very long time, but wont shave.

Just my 2 cents. YMMV.

Evil D · #14

I wouldn't say I'm not a fan but I would rather have S30V any day. I've never had chipping issues though, more often I get rolled edges than chips. It's a good standard steel though, I wouldn't call it a poor steel by any means.

Stuart Ackerman · #15

Check out some videos...it refers to Bohler N690, which is basically a steel almost the same composition as VG10 made by Bohler, of course...
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/sho ... blade-test

The Mastiff · #16

I typically 8 out of 10 times will choose an alloy tool steel over a stainless one however VG10 has easily earned my respect to the point that a VG10 Endura is always with me when legal of course. Spyderco's chosen heat treat and final hardness coupled with edge, and angle are one of the best I've found and are about as consistent in their performance as any I've tried. I know from knife to knife, from year to year what VG10 will do and how it will react in my spydercos.

That is an achievement in production of pretty much anything.

Joe

BAL · #17

For what its worth, mark me down as a VG-10 fan, but to each his own.

kbuzbee · #18

I'm in the middle here. Kinda have to be as referenced earlier....

I won't buy any knife simply because it has VG10. I will buy knife in M4 just because they do. But there are many knife designs I want to try that only came in VG10, so that's what I got. I've always found it to be "fine". Not amazing, not outstanding, but fine. Easy to sharpen. Takes a great edge. Holds it well enough. All I'd ever NEED.

And here's an odd point. I don't take any special precautions storing knives. I stick them in my desk, in a bag, in the car... wherever... Given how little "care" I take of them, I've only ever had two knives develope rust. Both were VG10. Both developed fairly deep pits that took significant work to remove. Given VG10s reputation for corrosion resistance, that really surprised me (although given I don't hermetically seal them away for "storage" I'm always pleased/surprised/amazed they are generally in such great shape when I take them out) It was just odd....

Ken

haarspalter · #19

hi there,
i am also not a fan of vg-10 mostly because of my experience with the endura i got:
it doesn't keep an hair popping edge for very long even though i only used it on food.
i wasnt able to get it really sharp for quite some time... it did get sharp with the sharpmaker but got dull pretty fast.
last thing i did was to put a convex grind on it with sandpaper up to 12000grit. that was way better.

i just dont digg it.
andy

The Deacon · #20

Nothing works for everyone, and even something that works well for a person may not appeal to them. Can't think of the last time I did something with a folder that actually required a "hair popping" edge, so that's not a concern for me. While I'd rather have an attractively patterned damascus, even if it only held working edge half as long, but among the blade steels Spyderco has used, VG-10 is my favorite even though it's boringly monochromatic.