Maxamet vs Cruwear

[jdw]

Hi y'all. I was wondering who has and is using both of these steels, which do you prefer and why?
I am waffling between the Manix LW Maxamet and the new KC offering. Any suggestions are
always appreciated.

[michaelm466]

I personally prefer the highest edge retention I can get, therefor I'd go for Maxamet over Cruwear for a folder/smaller blade. However, if you are at all considering going with both eventually, always go with the sprint, as it will be more difficult to get later and likely at a higher price, where as the regular production will get easier to obtain (as long as it doesn't get discontinued).
As for the steels:

Cruwear:
Easier to sharpen
Tougher
Not stainless

Maxamet:
Noticiably longer edge holding
Not difficult to sharpen compared to the edge holding you get out of it
Not stainless

[bearfacedkiller]

Cruwear should be tougher than Maxamet and has S30V level edge retention. It also takes a really fine edge nicely. It is a pleasure to sharpen for me. It is not stainless on paper but I have found that it resists staining quite well.

Maxamet has stellar edge holding but shouldn't be as tough as Cruwear. I haven't found Maxamet any harder to sharpen than the other high carbide steels and if anything it was easier to sharpen. The Maxamet is run harder than the Cruwear as far as I know. Maxamet seems a lot less stainless than Cruwear to me.

I absolutely LOVE Cruwear and have a ton of experience with it since I have carried the Cruwear Military a bunch ever since it came out. It seems to be the best balance for me. The edge seems very durable in my uses, the edge holding is good, it is easy to sharpen and it is stainless enough.

Maxamet is still new to me but so far all seems good. I seem to be able to get it quite sharp without too much effort and it's edge holding is outstanding. I haven't used it enough to judge toughness but I have done a bit of wood carving with it in oak, beech, black birch and hemlock and all have been no problem and that includes whittling through some knots. No edge damage so far. I really like it so far.

Do you want a steel that balances all the qualities well and is relatively tough or do you want a newer steel run hard with very high wear resistance?

[twinboysdad]

About $50...

[elena86]

Cruwear should be tougher than Maxamet and has S30V level edge retention. It also takes a really fine edge nicely. It is a pleasure to sharpen for me. It is not stainless on paper but I have found that it resists staining quite well.

Maxamet has stellar edge holding but shouldn't be as tough as Cruwear. I haven't found Maxamet any harder to sharpen than the other high carbide steels and if anything it was easier to sharpen. The Maxamet is run harder than the Cruwear as far as I know. Maxamet seems a lot less stainless than Cruwear to me.

I absolutely LOVE Cruwear and have a ton of experience with it since I have carried the Cruwear Military a bunch ever since it came out. It seems to be the best balance for me. The edge seems very durable in my uses, the edge holding is good, it is easy to sharpen and it is stainless enough.

Maxamet is still new to me but so far all seems good. I seem to be able to get it quite sharp without too much effort and it's edge holding is outstanding. I haven't used it enough to judge toughness but I have done a bit of wood carving with it in oak, beech, black birch and hemlock and all have been no problem and that includes whittling through some knots. No edge damage so far. I really like it so far.

Do you want a steel that balances all the qualities well and is relatively tough or do you want a newer steel run hard with very high wear resistance?

Killer your resumee is perfect.CPM-Cruwear is my all-time favorite steel, it has almost perfect balance of properties.I wonder if you own the Cruwear Manix2

Marius

[dplafoll]

This thread makes me glad I have a CW PM2 on hold. Now I just need a minor financial windfall...

[Bodog]

I personally prefer the highest edge retention I can get, therefor I'd go for Maxamet over Cruwear for a folder/smaller blade. However, if you are at all considering going with both eventually, always go with the sprint, as it will be more difficult to get later and likely at a higher price, where as the regular production will get easier to obtain (as long as it doesn't get discontinued).
As for the steels:

Cruwear:
Easier to sharpen
Tougher
Not stainless

Maxamet:
Noticiably longer edge holding
Not difficult to sharpen compared to the edge holding you get out of it
Not stainless

Can you define edge holding? Edge holding doing what? Cutting at roots in soil? Cutting carpet? Edge holding means nothing. It just means how long it'll keep an edge. That depends on what's being cut and how. Saying Maxamet has better edge holding than cruwear makes no sense unless you say what you're cutting and how. And even then, saying a knife has better edge holding than another makes no real sense as it's a nonsensical term. It's like saying a car has better go fast than another car. Go fast over what? Rough, rocky terrain meant for off road vehicles, or smooth, perfectly manicured asphalt meant for drag racing, or smooth, soft dirt on an oval track for sprint cars? My car has better go fast than his. That doesn't mean a lot unless it's put into context. Can you do that before saying your knife has better edge holding?


Cruwear has a lot, I mean a lot, of positives and not many negatives. Maxamet has some positives and some negatives. Depends on what you want to cut and how you want to cut it. Cruwear would likely do better at thinner edge angles with thinner primary grinds behind the edge. If that's what you want from your knives then go for that steel. If you have a little thicker primary grinds and like a little wider edge angles and you're not constantly beating the edge against hard objects then Maxamet might be better. If you work in a salty humid air environment then neither may be that great.

[Mic1]

I personally prefer the highest edge retention I can get, therefor I'd go for Maxamet over Cruwear for a folder/smaller blade. However, if you are at all considering going with both eventually, always go with the sprint, as it will be more difficult to get later and likely at a higher price, where as the regular production will get easier to obtain (as long as it doesn't get discontinued).
As for the steels:

Cruwear:
Easier to sharpen
Tougher
Not stainless

Maxamet:
Noticiably longer edge holding
Not difficult to sharpen compared to the edge holding you get out of it
Not stainless

Can you define edge holding? Edge holding doing what? Cutting at roots in soil? Cutting carpet? Edge holding means nothing. It just means how long it'll keep an edge. That depends on what's being cut and how. Saying Maxamet has better edge holding than cruwear makes no sense unless you say what you're cutting and how. And even then, saying a knife has better edge holding than another makes no real sense as it's a nonsensical term. It's like saying a car has better go fast than another car. Go fast over what? Rough, rocky terrain meant for off road vehicles, or smooth, perfectly manicured asphalt meant for drag racing, or smooth, soft dirt on an oval track for sprint cars? My car has better go fast than his. That doesn't mean a lot unless it's put into context. Can you do that before saying your knife has better edge holding?


Cruwear has a lot, I mean a lot, of positives and not many negatives. Maxamet has some positives and some negatives. Depends on what you want to cut and how you want to cut it. Cruwear would likely do better at thinner edge angles with thinner primary grinds behind the edge. If that's what you want from your knives then go for that steel. If you have a little thicker primary grinds and like a little wider edge angles and you're not constantly beating the edge against hard objects then Maxamet might be better. If you work in a salty humid air environment then neither may be that great.[/quote

If you take ankerson's test results clearly Maxamet retains a cutting edge longer than cruwear on 5/8 Manila rope. That's even compared to a Phil Wilson custom with .005 behind the edge compared to the Maxamet mule at .018. Like it or not. No one is bad mouthing cruwear far from it appears. And I can also say that Maxamet compared to a Gayle Bradley custom tac 1 M4 62rc does not hold its edge as long as Maxamet. I know this for a fact because I have used both to do the same things and Maxamet stayed sharper longer. That does not mean I don't love my M4 Bradley's or that they don't hold an edge well it just means Maxamet holds an edge longer. Same goes for my Toyota Tundra which does have more get up and go on any terrain compared to my Old Chevy.

[Bodog]

5/8 Manila rope. .

Thank you for putting it into context. But you do realize that what's best for cutting rope may not be the best for cutting and pruning branches. So "edge holding" can mean whatever you want. Just need to define it. Just like I can go fast in a ford raptor over a nasty trail but cannot go fast over the same trail in an F1 racer. If the term "wear resistance" had been used instead of "edge holding" then it would be clearer without needing as much context.

But yes, Maxamet has a higher carbide volume and hardness than cruwear so it should cut rope longer.

[Mic1]

:rolleyes: Okay

[ABX2011]

Another way to put it might be that Cruwear has better practical performance than Maxamet.
It reminds me of when I was more into motorcycles. Sportbikes tuned for top end performance put out high horsepower but that power comes at high RPMs which isn't really practical for street riding. It's better suited to a racetrack.
A motorcycle tuned for lower/midrange power can actually give you better performance on the street because the power is accessible.
Maxamet puts out a ton of horsepower and it has an insane top speed that you will never experience but you can brag about!
At least that's how I see it right now. I'd like to hear more user reports of Maxamet.

[bearfacedkiller]

Well, my experience so far is that Maxamet will "hold an edge" longer than Cruwear cutting basically whatever I cut.

The truth is that they are about as different as could be. Sure Cruwear isn't a basic carbon steel but compared to Maxamet it might as well be. There are a lot of steels that are hard to choose between but the compositions of these two are so different that the choice really shouldn't be too hard. I have had this Military for a while but this Manix is new to me and so far I cannot stop carrying them both together. There really isn't much that I am not prepared for with these two on me so my answer is to get both.

[Mic1]

I can tell you I use Maxamet Manix everyday for a few weeks cutting everything I can with it and the edge retention is awesome. I even carved up a 4"x10"ish scrap of 1/2 OSB for grins at lunch and it did not phase it nor did a piece of hard dried oak. I personally am amazed at its ability to maintain an edge. Day to day I have never had a knife hold an edge that long. CPM s110v Manix comes close.

[sabb8pro2]

I personally prefer the highest edge retention I can get, therefor I'd go for Maxamet over Cruwear for a folder/smaller blade. However, if you are at all considering going with both eventually, always go with the sprint, as it will be more difficult to get later and likely at a higher price, where as the regular production will get easier to obtain (as long as it doesn't get discontinued).
As for the steels:

Cruwear:
Easier to sharpen
Tougher
Not stainless

Maxamet:
Noticiably longer edge holding
Not difficult to sharpen compared to the edge holding you get out of it
Not stainless

Can you define edge holding? Edge holding doing what? Cutting at roots in soil? Cutting carpet? Edge holding means nothing. It just means how long it'll keep an edge. That depends on what's being cut and how. Saying Maxamet has better edge holding than cruwear makes no sense unless you say what you're cutting and how. And even then, saying a knife has better edge holding than another makes no real sense as it's a nonsensical term. It's like saying a car has better go fast than another car. Go fast over what? Rough, rocky terrain meant for off road vehicles, or smooth, perfectly manicured asphalt meant for drag racing, or smooth, soft dirt on an oval track for sprint cars? My car has better go fast than his. That doesn't mean a lot unless it's put into context. Can you do that before saying your knife has better edge holding?


Cruwear has a lot, I mean a lot, of positives and not many negatives. Maxamet has some positives and some negatives. Depends on what you want to cut and how you want to cut it. Cruwear would likely do better at thinner edge angles with thinner primary grinds behind the edge. If that's what you want from your knives then go for that steel. If you have a little thicker primary grinds and like a little wider edge angles and you're not constantly beating the edge against hard objects then Maxamet might be better. If you work in a salty humid air environment then neither may be that great.

What material can cruwear hold an edge through better than maxamet?

[ABX2011]

What material can cruwear hold an edge through better than maxamet?

At a lower angle Cruwear might excel compared to Maxamet. Where Maxamet might chip, Cruwear might not. Let's say less than 15 degrees per side and carving wood perhaps?

[sabb8pro2]

What material can cruwear hold an edge through better than maxamet?

At a lower angle Cruwear might excel compared to Maxamet. Where Maxamet might chip, Cruwear might not. Let's say less than 15 degrees per side and carving wood perhaps?

Pure speculation, I think you may be right, and it would be a good test. What are the chances of cruwear rolling under the same circumstances though? This makes me want to go cut stuff.

This also highlights bodog's point about defining "edge holding". I generally think of it as "abrasion resistance" and lump rolling or chipping issues into a "toughness" category, but obviously chipping and rolling are parts of "edge holding".

[Bodog]

I can tell you I use Maxamet Manix everyday for a few weeks cutting everything I can with it and the edge retention is awesome. I even carved up a 4"x10"ish scrap of 1/2 OSB for grins at lunch and it did not phase it nor did a piece of hard dried oak. I personally am amazed at its ability to maintain an edge. Day to day I have never had a knife hold an edge that long. CPM s110v Manix comes close.

Okay :rolleyes:

That normally happens when someone finds a steel that works best for their uses.

[Bodog]

What material can cruwear hold an edge through better than maxamet?

At a lower angle Cruwear might excel compared to Maxamet. Where Maxamet might chip, Cruwear might not. Let's say less than 15 degrees per side and carving wood perhaps?

Pure speculation, I think you may be right, and it would be a good test. What are the chances of cruwear rolling under the same circumstances though? This makes me want to go cut stuff.

This also highlights bodog's point about defining "edge holding". I generally think of it as "abrasion resistance" and lump rolling or chipping issues into a "toughness" category, but obviously chipping and rolling are parts of "edge holding".

The edge rolling means the steel wasn't hard enough to keep from deforming given that specific task. The steel chipping means the steel was too brittle. Brittleness is often associated with the steel being too hard but really it's just that the matrix sucks for the job at hand. Maybe it was burnt, maybe it was too hard (I take that back, there really isn't TOO hard, only too brittle). Maybe it needed more cobalt or other matrix binder added in. The wear resistance means that the steel doesn't wear down through microscopic flaking through either abrasion or galling. Those are all variables within the the terms "edge retention" or "edge holding" (I hate that term, it sounds kind of ignorant), or apex stability. All those terms are trying to say the same thing. Keep the intersection of two angles as true as possible given specific circumstances. Sometimes one thing will be needed more than another. In another circumstance what you needed before in abundance would be detrimental this time. What is it that's causing that intersection, or apex, or edge, to deform? If you want an EDC steel then which steel is the best to tackle the widest range of jobs YOU perform everyday? If you want a specific, specialized knife to handle ONE job the best, then it'll be possible that you would want a different steel.

What it comes down to is you want as many carbides as the steel matrix can reliably hang onto and you want it as hard as the matrix will reliably handle without becoming brittle. You just want the apex as keen as you can get and stay that way. Whichever steel does that the best depends on the task and what you're asking of the steel. Often times most people could actually put a steel like Maxamet to really good use and it'll be the best for their overall needs. Doesn't mean it has the "best edge holding" or whatever. It just means that it handles the specific user's tasks better than all of the other steels they've used. Because "edge holding" is subjective.

[paladin]

Cruwear also is one of my favorite blade steels for the exact reason BFK brought out >>>> Well-balanced properties.

I also enjoy the light patina it takes with my ordinary day to day usage. If I were in a kayak all day like Lance, I'd probably have a different opinion about Cruwear most likely. :eek: But for landlocked landlubbers like me, Cruwear's really nice! :)

I also appreciate Cruwear being mated with a platform that I don't mind taking apart-- like my Military. That way I can keep the pivot nice and serviced up. In a riveted model or one that was technical to break down, I probably wouldn't be that big of a fan of Cru.

Some of you guys have found Maxamet LESS rust resistant than Cruwear? Higher carbon & lower chromium would likely attribute to this but I guess it just wouldn't be a NOTICEABLE difference between the two.

I haven't used a Max. model yet but I find this a little surprising maybe. :confused:

[bearfacedkiller]

Paladin, I haven't been able to get Cruwear to stain, patia or rust at all really and I have only had this Manix for a few weeks and it already has a few small brown spots on the ricasso. Most of it wiped off but you can still see a couple spots in the pic above. Also, my Maxamet mule got put to use in the kitchen and stained from food use right away. The Cruwear Military has never been treated with anything and I just wipe it off when I am done with it and it has also cut up a good bit of food yet still no staining. The very tip of the Cruwear Military is a little grey from sitting in a glass of vinegar for three hours but other than that the vinegar did nothing. I don't like forced patinas and was really just testing how stainless it was. I was gonna flitz it off afterwards but didn't need to.

Maxamet seems kind of like M4 to me on the corrosion spectrum.