Trendy steels

[Woodpuppy]

There’s too many!!! If I’d never tried anything but vg10 I’d probably be satisfied.

[Bloke]

I'm not sure I know which steels are trendy or not but I like "Super Steels" most of all and I think that stems from frustration in my youth when I couldn't sharpen as well as I can now and only owned knives with simple garden variety blade steels. I hunted, fished and camped far more often then than I have in the past two decades and was always touching up knives, often enough half way through dressing game or filleting fish.

I also enjoy the challenge of sharpening new "Super Steels" and don't seem to struggle too much with any knife I own to date. That said, I also view sharpening a bit like mowing lawns so I'd much rather spend a little bit longer sharpening say S90V once and fillet thirty fish than touch up VG10, LC200N etc after every couple of fish. :)

[TkoK83Spy]

I must not be very good at sharpening, because I find each day after carrying a knife...besides any of my 20CV's, I need to touch them up, regardless of what they are...S30V, BD1N, M4, 52100, M390, Hap40, Vtoku2 all seem to be my most carried. Granted it only takes me a few minutes on the Sharpmaker.

But after a day of cutting cardboard, packaging tape, plastic strapping, shrink wrap, a bit of rope...my knives struggle to cut paper cleanly in any of those steels. Would that be because of the abrasive materials I cut against, or not sharpening to my best potential? They can all shave or scrape hair shave when I leave the house in the morning. I have a tough time telling the difference between steels in use...only in how they respond to sharpening.

[Tucson Tom]

I was going to joke around about "always wanting to be trendy", but I won't.

I really enjoy exotic and interesting steels and enjoy the chance Spyderco gives me/us to "test fly" them. I get excited about everything from 52100 to Maxamet and all the territory in between. Now I don't really know what is cool and trendy, in the sense that "trendy" is what impresses my peer group (which is what "trendy" is really all about). Almost nobody I know has any idea about knife steels, and with rare exceptions would roll their eyes if I got to talking about them.

My satisfaction with having a knife with Rex-45 or Cruwear or Maxamet doesn't come from impressing anyone, or even from having something that does the job better than some lesser steel. It is the sense of feeling privileged to be using something unusual and (pardon the pun) cutting edge and finding out first hand what it is all about.

[sal]

Hi Inversion,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[JonLeBlanc]

I must not be very good at sharpening, because I find each day after carrying a knife...besides any of my 20CV's, I need to touch them up, regardless of what they are...S30V, BD1N, M4, 52100, M390, Hap40, Vtoku2 all seem to be my most carried. Granted it only takes me a few minutes on the Sharpmaker.

But after a day of cutting cardboard, packaging tape, plastic strapping, shrink wrap, a bit of rope...my knives struggle to cut paper cleanly in any of those steels. Would that be because of the abrasive materials I cut against, or not sharpening to my best potential? They can all shave or scrape hair shave when I leave the house in the morning. I have a tough time telling the difference between steels in use...only in how they respond to sharpening.

You seem to kinda beat urself up about sharpening but you shouldn't, because it's a skill that one must, ahem, "finely hone" (couldn't help myself), not one that people come out of the womb knowing how to do. Theseus' army sprang from the earth fully formed, whereas we have to practice and watch youtube videos lol. Personally, my sharpening suffers from the fact that my hands shake a little. Regarding those steels you mentioned, some of them like M4 and M390 should have pretty good edge retention; in my experience they'll both keep a keen edge for AT LEAST a day's worth of average use. However, both 52100 and V-Toku2 can dull fast, depending on what you're doing, so you shouldn't be discouraged by that. I'll bet the issue is less your sharpening and, as you say, more the abrasive materials you cut (cardboard is notoriously mingin' and can be very hard on edges).

[Albatross]

I was going to joke around about "always wanting to be trendy", but I won't.

I really enjoy exotic and interesting steels and enjoy the chance Spyderco gives me/us to "test fly" them. I get excited about everything from 52100 to Maxamet and all the territory in between. Now I don't really know what is cool and trendy, in the sense that "trendy" is what impresses my peer group (which is what "trendy" is really all about). Almost nobody I know has any idea about knife steels, and with rare exceptions would roll their eyes if I got to talking about them.

My satisfaction with having a knife with Rex-45 or Cruwear or Maxamet doesn't come from impressing anyone, or even from having something that does the job better than some lesser steel. It is the sense of feeling privileged to be using something unusual and (pardon the pun) cutting edge and finding out first hand what it is all about.

As far as knives go, the good people of this forum are your peers, since we are all knife people. Quite a few of us are at least aware of the exotic, "trendy" steels, if not collectors, users, and testers. Options like Rex 45, Cruwear, and Maxamet are definitely trending amongst your peers.

[A.S.O.K.A]

I find every new ( to me) steel fasinating. Each one with their pros and cons. Then, there are times when I just love the design of the knife regardless of steel type. In the end for me, a new steel to play with is a new adventure. After all, Every Steel Has Appeal

[Larrin]

I like old steels, I like current steels, and I want to make new even trendier steels.

[inversion]

Hi Inversion,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

Thanks for that!

I bought my first Spyderco in 2017 (Centofante III), my second in 2018 (PM2). So far this year I've picked up another 42. :D

I'm especially looking forward to what's next with Para 3.

[Albatross]

I like old steels, I like current steels, and I want to make new even trendier steels.

I want you to make new even trendier steels too. :cool:

[SF Native]

Last summer I was doing construction on my house and vg10 really let me done. It just couldn’t stay sharp cutting fiberglass insulation, sheet rock, cement board siding. But s110v could. Different steels have different uses.

[steelcity16]

[TkoK83Spy]

Weather is starting to play a factor for me now. In Central NY, it gets very hot and humid in the summer months. This past Saturday I was carrying my 52100 Manix and at the end of the day I actually noticed a bit of rust on the bevel. Nothing major, but it was there. I ground it off with the Sharpmaker stones and applied some mineral oil. Something I have to remember on humid days about these non stainless steels!

Which makes me ask, do any of you guys "retire" certain models during the summer months when dealing with similar conditions?

[ferider]

Which makes me ask, do any of you guys "retire" certain models during the summer months when dealing with similar conditions?

The other way around. I ride ~100 clicks every day. In California, we have 2-3 months rain in the winter, and I get (sometimes very) wet. That's the time for stainless knives :)

[A.S.O.K.A]

And so it begins :D

[TkoK83Spy]

Hi Inversion,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

Thanks for that!

I bought my first Spyderco in 2017 (Centofante III), my second in 2018 (PM2). So far this year I've picked up another 42. :D

I'm especially looking forward to what's next with Para 3.

You and Crux are going to be BEST FRIENDS!!! Nice collection you have there...though it looks like your dog thinks you're nuts hahaa! Welcome aboard! Missing the BHQ DLC/M4??

[inversion]

Nice collection you have there...though it looks like your dog thinks you're nuts hahaa!

My dog is thinking - "I wish he paid this much attention to me . . ."

[vivi]

Weather is starting to play a factor for me now. In Central NY, it gets very hot and humid in the summer months. This past Saturday I was carrying my 52100 Manix and at the end of the day I actually noticed a bit of rust on the bevel. Nothing major, but it was there. I ground it off with the Sharpmaker stones and applied some mineral oil. Something I have to remember on humid days about these non stainless steels!

Which makes me ask, do any of you guys "retire" certain models during the summer months when dealing with similar conditions?

Rusty blade, liners and lock bar made me retire my Police 4 until mid fall.

[Crux]

Hi Inversion,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

Thanks for that!

I bought my first Spyderco in 2017 (Centofante III), my second in 2018 (PM2). So far this year I've picked up another 42. :D

I'm especially looking forward to what's next with Para 3.

Very Nice! Looks like you're missing the M4 black DLC though. Looking for one?