What ever happened to Elmax

[Slash]

I thought it was a premium "super steel". Too many haters like jdspydo (John Davis, yt rope cut test guy)or whatever his name is crapped on it years ago, so now it's not popular enough to use anymore?
Please say it ain't so. I've recently reacquired a large lionspy and gonna see what I remember being a well rounded steel.

[Skidoosh]

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=85492&p=1384163&hil ... x#p1383529

There was another thread recently. Its not a bad steel but had acquired a bad reputation. To sum up the thread there are some other steels that are more easily available that perform just as well. I like it but would not go out of my way to pay more for it.

[wrdwrght]

Too many haters like jdspydo (John Davis, yt rope cut test guy)or whatever his name is crapped on it years ago

I think “John Davis” is not JD Spydo.

[James Y]

I thought it was a premium "super steel". Too many haters like jdspydo (John Davis, yt rope cut test guy)or whatever his name is crapped on it years ago, so now it's not popular enough to use anymore?
Please say it ain't so. I've recently reacquired a large lionspy and gonna see what I remember being a well rounded steel.

JD Spydo is not that guy you’re talking about.

Jim

[soc_monki]

He's thinking jdavis882, who said many questionable things, many seemingly untrue, and disappeared after some questionable dealings.

Elmax is fine. The supposed problem was that zero tolerance had a bad heat treat and the blades underperformed. Which apparently they did have a short run of bad blades. But jdavis882 made such a big deal about it now everyone thinks zero tolerance has terrible heat treats of all their steels. Mine work fine, so do many others. Sure there are some bad ones it happens in production knives, even to spyderco at times.

Jdavis882 also said you could change the lockup of a Chris reeve by forcing the scales... Lol

[Slash]

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=85492&p=1384163&hil ... x#p1383529

There was another thread recently. Its not a bad steel but had acquired a bad reputation. To sum up the thread there are some other steels that are more easily available that perform just as well. I like it but would not go out of my way to pay more for it.

Thanks for link. Haven't been hanging around lately as everytime I jump on the forums I just spend more money.

[bearrowland]

That's the nature of our hobby!

[Larrin]

I’m not sure one man has the power to discredit a steel.

[soc_monki]

I’m not sure one man has the power to discredit a steel.

Maybe not... But it seems everywhere you turn and someone brings up zero tolerance and elmax, someone inevitably points back to one man. So, one man didn't do it, but he started the ball rolling and even after he disappeared, people continue to reference him.

Just what I've seen. Reading all of that made me unsure of zero tolerance, but I took a chance and didn't have any negative experiences with their s35vn (which was also supposedly suspect).

[Deadboxhero]

*JDavis paid everyone back and apologized.

*ZT had problems at first but figured it out.

*Zt switched to S35VN for cost of importing, material cost and availability being the biggest reason, not Elmax being tarnished from reviewers and HT.

*Elmax was hyped as the toughest PM stainless, however due to its chemistry and carbide volume this is untrue.

*There is barely vanadium carbide formed in Elmax, the vanadium is all absorbed by the chromium (CrV7C3/M7C3) so it's wear resistance comes from sheer volume of M7C3.

*There is zero advantage to 3rd gen powder, finer Carbides is a myth, the carbides are actually larger just easier to sharpen because they are larger, softer chromium carbides.

Elmax is a fun steel that has certainly captured folks imagination but given the facts there are better options today.

The new S45VN will have a better ratio of Vanadium carbides and chromium carbides, is capable of higher working hardness and has finer Carbides with similar wear resistance.

He's thinking jdavis882, who said many questionable things, many seemingly untrue, and disappeared after some questionable dealings.

Elmax is fine. The supposed problem was that zero tolerance had a bad heat treat and the blades underperformed. Which apparently they did have a short run of bad blades. But jdavis882 made such a big deal about it now everyone thinks zero tolerance has terrible heat treats of all their steels. Mine work fine, so do many others. Sure there are some bad ones it happens in production knives, even to spyderco at times.

Jdavis882 also said you could change the lockup of a Chris reeve by forcing the scales... Lol

[Doc Dan]

As I said in the other thread, what Elmax has over other steels is a cooler name. You gotta admit a Elmax just has a cool sound to it.

[Evil D]

I’m not sure one man has the power to discredit a steel.

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups" - George Carlin

[TomAiello]

The supposed problem was that zero tolerance had a bad heat treat and the blades underperformed.

I own a ZT0770 in Elmax and have had zero issues with it. The heat treat on mine seems fine.

One of my favorite all time blades (and definitely my most used) is Elmax (a PW custom). I love that thing.

Still, I don't really need Elmax in new runs in the future. I'd much rather see a sprint in s125v or Vanax (for example) than Elmax, personally. And I'd be happy to pay the extra premium. I just don't find that Elmax performs much above s35vn (which I also have in the ZT0770), if at all, and it's definitely not in the same league as M390 (my favorite rendition of the 0770). And when judged against K390 (not fair, given the stain resistance differences) in the Pingo platform, their is really no comparison at all. Comparing apples to apples, Elmax is a good steel, but it's not something I'm excited about seeing more of going forward.

[Deadboxhero]

Yes :D all the "S (number) V" blurs together for the common man. Something like "Elmax" stands out so must be better :p

As I said in the other thread, what Elmax has over other steels is a cooler name. You gotta admit a Elmax just has a cool sound to it.

[JonLeBlanc]

Ima trademark the name "TyrannoUltraBoneKilla" and it'll be something like an alloy of tantalum and plutonium or whatever lol

[Slash]

As I said in the other thread, what Elmax has over other steels is a cooler name. You gotta admit a Elmax just has a cool sound to it.

Yeah, even more kool than cruwear...

Maybe combine them and have a bastard named crumax or wearmax or elcru

[Evil D]

Ima trademark the name "TyrannoUltraBoneKilla" and it'll be something like an alloy of tantalum and plutonium or whatever lol

I'm really surprised a steel company hasn't tried to buy the rights to "adamantium" from Marvel yet.

[JonLeBlanc]

Sorry to be off topic, but if you get into a knife fight with another dude with a TyrannoUltraBoneKilla blade and they come into contact, it'll form a supercritical mass and you'll basically have a fast pulse reactor, killing both dudes. That's why I designed it that way, both to discourage knife fights AND to take away the marketing luster of "Elmax" and "Maxamet"

[jpm2]

Maxamet is much more deserving of its name than Elmax.

[Larrin]

I see a lot more people asking for Elmax knives than people saying it’s no good.