Former "standard steels"

[archangel]

When you look up classic Spydies on Spydiewiki, models that are on the market for decades like e.g. the Millie, you see that there was a time where steels like ATS-34 or ATS-55 or CPM-440V aka S60V where widely used.

What were other steels used in multiple Spydies for some time (no single runs in sprints) in the past? To the knifenerds that are in the game for longer: do you miss any of them, and if yes why?

Do you see Spydies from that era with any of these steels on the secondary market in price ranges below $200? Or is this unrealistic?

[TomAiello]

My first two Spyderco knives were in Gin-1. Honestly, it was the first "good" steel I ever experienced, so it has a special place in my heart. To be honest, though, I think that the current "standard" (VG-10, s30v and occasionally N690 or BD1n) steels are all really major improvements.

I'm excited to see what steels are out in 2025 or 2030. Technology never ceases to amaze me. That humans can continue to improve on such basic tools as knives and outdoor fire pits is astounding. The stuff we take for granted today would have seemed magical a thousand years ago--and that's just things like basic blade steels.

[tbdoc4kids]

AUS-8 showed up a fair amount as well. Not a bad steel, but I don’t miss it. I enjoyed ATS-34 and 55, but again the newer steels are better, so only the model itself would have me choose those steels.

[The Deacon]

To the best of my knowledge AUS-8 and GIN-1, which Spyderco originally marked as G-2, were the first two steels Spyderco used. Next was probably MBS-26 in the Kitchen Sharps followed by ATS-34 in some of the higher end collaboration models like the C15 and C19 Terzuolas, the C22 Walker, and the C27 Jess Horn folders. AUS-6 would have come into use in the early 90's as well. IIRC, ATS-55 was only used as a stopgap measure in the late 90's when one of the other steels (AUS-8?) became temporarily unavailable. Next in would have been the first US made steels. 440V got a bad rap and didn't last long, but then came S30V in the US models and VG-10 in those from Japan.

[spoonrobot]

I miss the mid-2000s runs of S30V. Such great models - Dodo, Manix/Mini, Yojimbo, USA Native (at Walmart!), Military/Para, Chinook, P'kal, UKPK, Lil' Temp, Gunting, Chokwe and probably some I'm forgetting.

It was a heady time for sure! S30V has obviously been surpassed by other steels both in function and marketing but I really think it's one of the most excellent steels Spyderco has used - ranks up there with H1 and VG10 IME.

[Tucson Tom]

The main "old time" steel I have a fondness for is 154CM (American rendition of ATS-34).

[Stuart Ackerman]

ATS-34 was Hitachi's version of 154CM.

There were issues with cleaness in a batch of 154CM in the USA, and ATS-34"took over."

In South Africa in the 90's, a batch of ATS -34 was sold in bulk to makers there, and most of it had inclusions that made it look terrible.
Some makers had to remake knives to pacify their customers.

Time has moved on, and there have been no issues with each steel type for a long time.

[archangel]

Love the inputs, thanks much! Keep up the good work! :)

Fortunately/Unfortunately I'm not on Bladeforums or any other expert forum that has a private sales area. I'm just looking for Spydies on eBay, and maybe the few big webshops that sometimes offer used knives on commission. So I have no idea if older models using these knives can even be acquired at prices well beyond $200. Is this at all realistic?

[Robbob]

Knifeworks still has the UKPK in Gin-1: https://knifeworks.com/spyderco-uk-pen- ... -serrated/

[archangel]

Knifeworks still has the UKPK in Gin-1: https://knifeworks.com/spyderco-uk-pen- ... -serrated/

That is amazing! How unfortunate for me that I already own a UKPK... Very tempting though. :eek:

[TomAiello]

The main "old time" steel I have a fondness for is 154CM (American rendition of ATS-34).

I actually had really bad luck with 154CM. I had a Manix 2 in it, and it was probably my most disappointing Spyderco. Edge holding was somewhere in the range of PE H-1 or even worse, which just wasn't acceptable for that kind of knife. Using that as my basis for comparison, I've been really impressed with the step from 154CM to CPM-154.

[James Y]

My first Spydercos were AUS-8. It was OK, but I was never in awe of it. Then there was ATS-34 (in my Wegner Hunter) and it was good. I've had ATS-34 from another top maker that wasn't nearly as good. As for ATS-55, I was never really impressed with it. IMO, VG-10 is an improvement over all of them.

I never did have a Spyderco in Gin-1. I do have an old Benchmade Panther, bought in the '90s, in G-2 (which, IIRC, was another name for Gin-1). I wasn't overly impressed with it, though. I'm guessing that a Gin-1 Spyderco would have performed better due to better blade geometry.

Jim

[JD Spydo]

To the best of my knowledge AUS-8 and GIN-1, which Spyderco originally marked as G-2, were the first two steels Spyderco used. Next was probably MBS-26 in the Kitchen Sharps followed by ATS-34 in some of the higher end collaboration models like the C15 and C19 Terzuolas, the C22 Walker, and the C27 Jess Horn folders. AUS-6 would have come into use in the early 90's as well. IIRC, ATS-55 was only used as a stopgap measure in the late 90's when one of the other steels (AUS-8?) became temporarily unavailable. Next in would have been the first US made steels. 440V got a bad rap and didn't last long, but then came S30V in the US models and VG-10 in those from Japan.

Yeah that's what I was going to say because two of my very first Spyders were GIN-1 and AUS-8. But it wasn't long after that when I got a couple of ATS-55 blades. And the ones in the ATS-34 era turned out to be some of the more desired collector pieces of just about all of Spyderco's collectible model.

It is a most interesting display of product evolution that Spyderco has gone through for sure.

[Robbob]

Knifeworks still has the UKPK in Gin-1: https://knifeworks.com/spyderco-uk-pen- ... -serrated/

That is amazing! How unfortunate for me that I already own a UKPK... Very tempting though. :eek:

Send me the one you have and then your problem will be solved. You're welcome! :D