Cruwear and hype

[SC_PATRIOT]

Looking for input from anyone out there with Cruwear. I have some micarta custom scales I'm thinking about putting on the new Cruwear Para 3 from KC. I want this to be a great working knife and steel so why all the hype with Cruwear?
I have many other Spydercos with s90, S110v, several Hap40. What would qualify Cruwear to be a justified steel for EDC use and more.?

[Joey]

From what I have read, Cruwear is a nicely balanced steel. It isn’t stainless, but it does have a good amount of corrosion resistance while at the same time offering great edge retention and toughness.

[Sharp Guy]

I can't honestly say that Cruwear is better than the steels you already have but I really like how Cruwear sharpens.

[Pelagic]

It's excellent. Extremely easy to sharpen with impressive edge retention. Monumental toughness for a folder. It'll rust in salty conditions, but if it was any more corrosion resistant I'd feel compelled to call it a semi-stainless.

[SC_PATRIOT]

Gotcha. Yeah all the others I have required some learning while sharpening. Forgot about my 52100 that I'm still learning with. So Cruwear will give me a nice super crisp edge similar to Hap40 ? Corrosion isn't a concern since 52100 rusts by me looking at it but I still love it. What angle is recommended on the sharpmaker for best results? thanks

[Tucson Tom]

Cruwear (and 52100) are such a breeze to sharpen to a fantastic edge. These days I am more excited about a steel I can sharpen well than a steel that I never need to sharpen. Cruwear is great stuff. I used to wonder what all the fuss was about.

[Sharp Guy]

So Cruwear will give me a nice super crisp edge similar to Hap40 ?

I would say it's very similar to HAP40 in that regard.

What angle is recommended on the sharpmaker for best results? thanks

I've only touched up the factory bevels on my two Cruwear knives using the 40° side of the SM. When it comes time to reprofile I'm confident 15 dps will work fine. I might even go lower than that just for fun.

[SF Native]

So Cruwear will give me a nice super crisp edge similar to Hap40 ?

I would say it's very similar to HAP40 in that regard.

What angle is recommended on the sharpmaker for best results? thanks

I've only touched up the factory bevels on my two Cruwear knives using the 40° side of the SM. When it comes time to reprofile I'm confident 15 dps will work fine. I might even go lower than that just for fun.

This has been my experience too.

[ferider]

Until they use 3V, CPM Cruwear is the toughest steel available in a Spyderco folder. If this is useful for the Para 3 is another question: only you can decide.

[awa54]

I like CruWear because of its ease in taking an aggressively sharp polished edge, think of it as M390-ish steel with less corrosion resistance and wear resistance, but better toughness... In my use I haven't noticed the toughness bump or the corrosion deficit, but the trade off for less edge retention to get *even easier* polished edge sharpening than M390 makes it a very worthwhile steel for me. And it's available in the Para 3!

I have both my CruWear PM2 and Manix 2 at 15 dps without a micro-bevel, this has held up to moderate but not harsh use with no issues whatsoever.

Where HAP40 (which I also like) has flatted, rolled and pitted for me, CruWear has done none of these things and I actually cut into a mild steel tomato cage by mistake with the Manix, which was a harder impact than what caused the edge nasties on my HAP40 Delica but left the CruWear edge with no visible damage.

[Pelagic]

I have taken 204p (millie) and Cruwear (pm2), both sharpened at 15dps and no microbevel, and chopped against scrap hardwood on a piece of shelving. I wish I had recorded it. The piece of hardwood was a 1x1 inch section maybe a foot long and i was chopping directly into the corner while pinching the end of each handle with my thumb and index finger. I tried to give the pm2 ever so slightly more power in the chops to make up for it being a smaller knife. The result was cruwear had slight blunting and rolls, while 204p had big chips (entire bevel missing) come out, about 1 chip for every 2 chops. The toughness of cruwear is certainly evident when a torture test is conducted or a mistake is made.

I've also been very impressed with the edge retention of mirror polished cruwear in wood working. It is my least used knife because a) I work in saltwater conditions, and b) it is my favorite knife. I hope to get another model in Cruwear or 2 in DLC 4v, so I can do further testing (not as barbaric as the one described in this post) and halfway "beat on" one while saving the other. I love tough steels in folders. Both of my s110v knives (mostly due to pm2/millie's tip geometry) have lost their tips at some point. You'd have to REALLY try to break off a cruwear tip

As for sharpening, cruwear is just something you have to experience. I find m4 EXTREMELY easy to sharpen, and the difference between m4 and cruwear is noticeable.

[Crux]

I like Cruwear because Spyderco chose to make knives with it. Otherwise I wouldn't even think about it. I trust Spyderco as they are the best and the most adventurous in terms of blade steel and purpose driven. I loved CRKT, but they are in my view more ornamental and overly cool in their designs. Most use basic steel but they have amazing designs. Spyderco is more about the basics and I like that.

[fanglekai]

Until they use 3V, CPM Cruwear is the toughest steel available in a Spyderco folder. If this is useful for the Para 3 is another question: only you can decide.

Spyderco Tuff.

[blues]

As a D2 (and 3V) fan for years, there are many reasons to like Cru-Wear.

Like D2 it's pretty resistant to corrosion. It takes a fine edge and sharpening is less arduous than so-called "super" steels. It holds an edge well and can be ground a bit thinner (if desired) due to the toughness.

What's not to like? Seems to be a near perfect all around steel for many EDC applications with the exception being more corrosive environments or media.

[spyderg]

Cruwear is my fav. Currently have a Manix2, PM2 and an “Enigma” slipjoint in an equivelent steel, (us2000). So far on the PM2 I’ve only had to touch it up on the Doublestuff maintaining factory edge. The Enigma has seen a bit more use and stones but I’ve still just freehanded at original angles. On my Manix however I’ve tried a number of different angles using a “Worksharp” and with “Lansky” stones. Also finished at different grits for toothy edge right to mirror polish, (which is shockingly easy to obtain on Cruwear). It seems to preform great at any angle and well with any grit although mirror or close to it works best for me. I’ve found it easy to sharpen and maintain. It hasn’t chipped or rolled. Corrosion is not an issue as it’s close to stainless. There are a lot of other steels I like but for me, Cruwear is the best knife steel I’ve used.

[elena86]

It's my all time fav steel.... perfect balance of properties

[ferider]

Until they use 3V, CPM Cruwear is the toughest steel available in a Spyderco folder. If this is useful for the Para 3 is another question: only you can decide.

Spyderco Tuff.

Oops, I forgot. I remembered it being made of Unobtanium. :)

Roland.