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I wrote an article describing the difference in process between different powder metallurgy production companies making knife steels. I also did experiments to analyze the different products including carbide size, impurity levels, and inclusions. And comparisons between toughness of similar steels from different manufacturers. https://knifesteelnerds.com/2020/03/30/ ... echnology/

Nice, Thank you! this is my favorite group of stainless steels!

Thanks, Larrin, I'm glad you did this. Hopefully this will help dispel the "M390 is better because it is third generation" belief that seems to be common. They all use a third generation process, their own proprietary modification of the second generation process, and call it different things. Only the Europeans use the "generation" name.

Thanks for the information as alway Larrin. Very informative and educational. Just goes to show you can't always believe the ad copy.

Another excellent article! Thank you. It helps dispel the clouds of marketing that hide the mountains of facts.

Great article. I've actually done side by side comparisons with PM2s and found that I like 204p the best, but there are so many variables in there (different production runs, etc). It's great to see some science. Thanks Larrin!

Thanks Larrin, great article!

Thanx Larrin,

Good stuff.

sal

Great article. Thank you.

Good stuff Larrin!
Always enjoy the read / science behind it.
My PM2 CTS-204P performs at a high level.

C

Always makes me laugh when people say they prefer one over another. I don't have any 204p, but have a lot of 20cv, and some m390. It's all good stuff!

So for the less-literate amongst us, yes Bohler makes cleaner steel with fewer impurities & inclusions, but carbide content makes a much bigger difference in steel performance and they're all very good.

Right?

Good stuff, thank you.
My experience is limited. With the knives I have, I like the M390 best because it's a Para 3, great HT and grind.
My only 20CV not so much, of course it's "another" brand, and a Co that is known for a soft HT and no full flat grind.
I have a Southard in 204P that is quite good.
Got to get another CPM 20CV.

Best of all worlds :)


I haven't given the Military much use yet, until this week when it will be my only knife carried. The 20CV Manix was very impressive a few weeks ago, the M390 Para 3 I actually chipped the blade last year when hitting a hidden copper staple in a box. I've had it blunt a little easier than other knives in "lesser" steels as well. It's surprised me a bit, and not in a good way. Not terrible, but hasn't ever performed like the "mighty M390" I had always heard about.

Thanks everybody this was a really fun comparison to do. I always assumed the differences were bigger than they are.

Thanks for all your amazing work, Larrin. I feel lucky to have gotten into this hobby at a time when so much solid science is being done.

Quick question that may have been answered before - any chance we’ll see S90V and S110V added to the comparison charts? I’ve been curious how their toughness/hardness compare since the corrosion tests comparing them to this family of steels.

Another good comparison would be between S90V and CTS-20CP.

Theldraskien wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 4:09 pm

Thanks for all your amazing work, Larrin. I feel lucky to have gotten into this hobby at a time when so much solid science is being done.

Quick question that may have been answered before - any chance we’ll see S90V and S110V added to the comparison charts? I’ve been curious how their toughness/hardness compare since the corrosion tests comparing them to this family of steels.

I heat treated S90V and S110V samples last August-September and sent them to someone for machining. Still waiting for them.

Just curious, do the foundries ever respond to your publications?

araneae wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 30, 2020 5:26 pm

Just curious, do the foundries ever respond to your publications?

Not publicly. I've talked to people from Crucible or formerly from Crucible for several articles. I talked to the designer of XHP from Carpenter when writing that article. I've never heard from anyone at Bohler or Uddeholm.