Strongest EDC Steel?

[marshmallow]

Thanks all for your comments. I am definitely an amateur when it comes to sharpening knives. I have seen some really poor sharpening on my friends' knives where you see the gash marks and scratches on the edges, not clean. I wasn't sure of my acumen on if I was capable of sharpening it properly, so was looking for a low maintenance steel that would last longer without as many sharpenings. I will take a look at some steels and see what works best. I don't work in a humid environment, but it rains frequently here. My PM2 had a lot of rain on it once while clipped, but luckily it hasn't rusted.

[p_atrick]

...low maintenance steel that would last longer without as many sharpenings...

When I see "low maintenance" I think of the ability to cut whatever I want, fold up the knife, put it back in my pocket, and not worry about rust. So I'd vote for LC200N. The new Siren looks pretty sweet, though there is a discussion about where to get them (seem to be in short supply - or were at any rate).

[Albatross]

M390/204P/20CV sounds like your best bet. Since you have/had a PM2, I'm assuming you have experience with S30V. LC200N is a good option, but is quite close to S30V in edge retention.

What kind of sharpening setup do you have? M390/204P/20CV will be a little more difficult to sharpen, than S30V.

[The Meat man]

Thanks all for your comments. I am definitely an amateur when it comes to sharpening knives. I have seen some really poor sharpening on my friends' knives where you see the gash marks and scratches on the edges, not clean. I wasn't sure of my acumen on if I was capable of sharpening it properly, so was looking for a low maintenance steel that would last longer without as many sharpenings. I will take a look at some steels and see what works best. I don't work in a humid environment, but it rains frequently here. My PM2 had a lot of rain on it once while clipped, but luckily it hasn't rusted.

LC200N is a superb all-around steel.

CPM S110V will be almost as stainless, and have a lot more edge retention, but it could be a bit challenging for a beginner sharpener.

If I were you, I'd go with a good basic stainless steel like LC200N, VG-10, or CPM S30V, and spend some time learning how to sharpen. It takes practice, but it is a very rewarding skill to have, plus it opens up a whole new world of steel and edge performance.

[TomAiello]

I would have to weigh in with any model in S90V over S110V. There are people on the board who know a lot more about it than I do but S90V seems easier to sharpen and isn't as prone to chipping.

I agree on both of those points, from personal experience. S110v holds an edge longer and has better corrosion resistance, s90v is tougher (more edge stability) and easier to sharpen. For an average person in a folding pocket knife, I think s110v is a better choice (the tie breaker is that the knife can be sent in for sharpening, so the easier sharpening doesn't matter to an average user).

For my own use, I generally prefer s90v to s110v (and m390 to both) but for an average non-knife person buying a knife with factory sharpening service available, I think s110v is a better choice.

[Wartstein]

Thanks all for your comments. I am definitely an amateur when it comes to sharpening knives. I have seen some really poor sharpening on my friends' knives where you see the gash marks and scratches on the edges, not clean. I wasn't sure of my acumen on if I was capable of sharpening it properly, so was looking for a low maintenance steel that would last longer without as many sharpenings. .....

I may, with all due respect, question your reasoning:

IF you are an "amateur sharpener" indeed, and IF you are not sure that "you are capable of sharpening properly, and thus are looking for a "steel that would last longer without as many sharpenings": That´s exactly taking the wrong turn just imho...

Especially if you are not good at sharpening:
An easier to sharpen steel (with less edge retention of course) is the way to go imho!
Why?:

- You WILL still have to sharpen your superhard, supersteel knife eventually, and that will be a lot harder to do than on a "softer" steel - especially if you´re still learning!
- If you mess up on your superhard, supersteel knife when sharpening (given you even have the right, rather abrasive devices) it will be a LOT more work and take more skill to repair that (lets say you´d have to reprofile)
- that´s true especially if you´re just learning and make slight "mistakes" in the process: A slightly wrong angle on a aVG10 knife will be much easier to correct than on a S110 V blade...


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[Wartstein]

. I don't work in a humid environment, but it rains frequently here. My PM2 had a lot of rain on it once while clipped, but luckily it hasn't rusted.

If your PM 2 is in S30V and has NOT rusted in your use, VG10 will be way rustproof enough for you imho (it is more corrosion resistant than S30V)

Though from what I´ve learned on this forum: When it comes to corrosion, the "body chemistry" (acid sweat or not...) seems to play a not to small role...
I live in a rather humid (but not salty) environment. It rains a lot, I do a lot of high level activity (mountaineering, trail running..) and sweat a lot. I carry my knives in wet or damp pockets or packs, often for several days in a row. I almost never deliberately dry them, just when I cut some citrus fruits or the like.
Still I just can´t rust VG10. And S30V or XHP just very marginally... I personally have no need for steels like H1 or LC200N (does not mean I don´t like then though).

[Sumdumguy]

I'm sorry, but I would steer clear of S110V. It is an amazing steel, until you chip it cutting a zip tie. You could send it to Spyderco, but that is a bit of a hassle.

I say get something easy to sharpen and low maintenance. I recommend LC200N, but you can't go wrong with VG-10. Next(or at the same time), buy a Sharpmaker.

You will be very happy with your new knife and the skills you will gain.

[Wartstein]

I'm sorry, but I would steer clear of S110V. It is an amazing steel, until you chip it cutting a zip tie. You could send it to Spyderco, but that is a bit of a hassle.

I say get something easy to sharpen and low maintenance. I recommend LC200N, but you can't go wrong with VG-10. Next(or at the same time), buy a Sharpmaker.

You will be very happy with your new knife and the skills you will gain.

Especially if he is rather unexperienced when it comes to sharpening... (that´s what the OP says himself)

[zuludelta]

Have to agree with Wartstein here... if the OP's concern is that he does not fully trust his ability to sharpen a knife but still wants something that is low-maintenance, then an ultra-long wearing "supersteel" blade might be the wrong way to go. "Low-maintenance" can mean one of two things when it comes to sharpening: (1) A knife that holds a working edge for a really, really, really long time but then is difficult to re-sharpen when it eventually, inevitably goes dull (as all knives will); or (2) a knife that holds a working edge for a decent amount of time & can be very, very easily touched up on a regular basis to keep it razor sharp.

For someone who is a novice sharpener, I would recommend (2).

Anyone who uses a knife regularly will eventually have to learn how to do basic sharpening—it's a fundamental aspect of the knife hobby—so an easy-to-sharpen stainless steel with decent wear resistance is what I would recommend to the OP. Something in 8Cr13MoV, VG-10, CTS-BD1N, or serrated H-1 on the low end budget-wise, and something in LC200N on the higher end (and maybe CPM-S30V, but I think that might be a small step above what I would recommend to an inexperienced sharpener).

I also suggest focusing on handling & ergonomics and get a feel for a knife in hand before buying it. The best steel in the world means diddly-squat if using a knife for extended periods gives you a cramp or worse, tendinitis.

And if I may make another suggestion to the OP: Get a Spyderco Sharpmaker. It will make so many more steels and edge types accessible to you if you are concerned about your ability to maintain the sharpness of your EDC knife.

[araneae]

I'd buy an H-1 knife and a sharpmaker. Learn to sharpen, its a valuable skill for anyone who owns any knife.

[tonijedi]

I'd buy an H-1 knife and a sharpmaker. Learn to sharpen, its a valuable skill for anyone who owns any knife.

I agree.
Also, I understand high edge retention steels have their place, but a easily sharpeneable steel also.
After dozens of knives, I find myself wanting a PE H1 Salt 2 for EDC purpose.

[JuPaul]

Thanks all for your comments. I am definitely an amateur when it comes to sharpening knives. I have seen some really poor sharpening on my friends' knives where you see the gash marks and scratches on the edges, not clean. I wasn't sure of my acumen on if I was capable of sharpening it properly, so was looking for a low maintenance steel that would last longer without as many sharpenings. .....

I may, with all due respect, question your reasoning:

IF you are an "amateur sharpener" indeed, and IF you are not sure that "you are capable of sharpening properly, and thus are looking for a "steel that would last longer without as many sharpenings": That´s exactly taking the wrong turn just imho...

Especially if you are not good at sharpening:
An easier to sharpen steel (with less edge retention of course) is the way to go imho!
Why?:

- You WILL still have to sharpen your superhard, supersteel knife eventually, and that will be a lot harder to do than on a "softer" steel - especially if you´re still learning!
- If you mess up on your superhard, supersteel knife when sharpening (given you even have the right, rather abrasive devices) it will be a LOT more work and take more skill to repair that (lets say you´d have to reprofile)
- that´s true especially if you´re just learning and make slight "mistakes" in the process: A slightly wrong angle on a aVG10 knife will be much easier to correct than on a S110 V blade...


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I definitely agree. Unless you plan to send your knife in for professional sharpening every time, you want to start learning to sharpen with something easy. H1 is suuuper easy. Vg10 or bd1n are also easy, and s30v after that. Typically, the faster they sharpen up, the quicker they get dull. But it's so much less frustrating to bring them back to sharp. If you let a knife in something like s110v get really dull, you're gonna hate yourself when you do go to sharpen it.

[ugaarguy]

You are eventually going to have to sharpen if you use your knives.

All the ones that you mentioned are good. Lc200n is all about corrosion resistance so it is not going to have the edge holding of s30v.

If you just want a knife that stays sharp for a long time, then spyderco has production models in both s110v and in maxamet.

Exactly. A good sharpener, like a good knife, is a "buy once, cry once" type of purchase. It's also less expensive in the long run than buying new knives every time you dull one. Also, how do you sharpen your kitchen knives or other tools?

[jpm2]

It's a learning curve, which comes with experience. With each year of constant knife use, you'll get to know more and more what you need/want, and don't need/want.
Balance is King, every steel needs sharpening if it's used. With your PM2 and I assume s30v, you're already in advanced areas with knife and steel. Need to catch up with you're sharpening skills before going any further. If you learn to consistently sharpen what you already have, you'll be ahead of 99.999% of knife users.
There's no steel that will take the place of being able to keep a knife sharp.

[dj moonbat]

If you’re not good at sharpening, buy something in BD1N. It’s got well-balanced attributes (corrosion resistance, wear resistance, toughness), and I find it very easy to sharpen. More importantly, from the perspective of a person who needs practice sharpening, it’s available on knives that aren’t very expensive. My heart breaks sometimes when I think of how much steel I wasted from the blade of my PM2 in S110V, and so I always tell novice sharpeners to start with cheaper stuff.

[JohnDoe99]

I have read countless forums and seems like the most ideal EDC steel is SV30. I also hear that VG10 is perfectly fine and LC200N is also a great steel with added corrosion resistance.

My question is, what is the best EDC steel that Spyderco produces?

I have read other sites and they state that the S90V and M390 steels are the best grade for folders. I have not been able to find any Spydercos of that variety. I do not wear my folders hard, so I wanted a strong blade that can last a long time without having to pony up for a sharpener.

Just go s110v. Anything s30v and above in carbide content is going to be brittle, meaning your edge is going to chip out or blunt big time if you hit the edge against something. So, you might as well go full tilt with hardness and corrosion resistance in a small blade.

[Mike Slayer]

My vote is any Spyderco in LC200N. It’s tougher than most people know. It has good edge stability and I find it holds an edge longer the more polished it is. Even with a polished edge it is very grabby with a lot of bite. Another option is H1 it’s really easy and quick to sharpen. It’s a tough alloy as well but it doesn’t hold an edge like LC200N or other common steels do. I have heard it holds a good edge on serrated blades vs plain edges for some reason. If you are open to a serrated blade H1 is one to think about. Sometime soon I want to make a bushcraft Knife and larger camp knife from LC200N to see what this steel can really do. If it does well I will use it in my personal fixed blades. LC200N is my favorite steel for EDC. CPM-3v is my favorite steel for fixed blades and hard use knives.

[ladybug93]

if you are worried about sharpening skills, you should get a steel that’s easier to sharpen rather than one you won’t have to sharpen often. it’s better to learn on an easy steel and you’ll get more practice. personally, i think lc200n is a good steel in this category. it holds an edge reasonably well, but is easier to touch up. if you get something like s110v or similar, when it comes time to sharpen it, you’ll probably struggle to get it done and it will be discouraging. get a cheaper knife with a softer steel and a sharpmaker. learn to sharpen properly. then get a harder steel. you’ll enjoy it much more that way.

[ugaarguy]

Something like a Tenacious LW would be a great low cost way to get a good quality knife with a decent steel that's easy to sharpen. The low cost means you can make mistakes and not worry so much. The Sharpmaker is a great sharpener that's quite easy to use. Another nice thing about steels like VG10 and LC200N is that they're easy to sharpen with a the included ceramic rods on the Sharpmaker, where higher edge retention steels really need diamond or CBN rods to do much more than touch ups.