Strongest EDC Steel?

[marshmallow]

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.

[VooDooChild]

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.

[JD Spydo]

Over the last 10 years the blade steel I've relied on the most is VG-10. Oh I'm sure there can be arguments that there are better blade steels for those types of uses. But I have quite a few Spyders with that steel and overall it sharpens relatively easy and cleans up nicely. And it works great in Spyderedge as well.

[TkoK83Spy]

S110V and Maxamet as VooDoo said if you don't want to have to sharpen for a long time. If you were to get a knife in those steels, I'd just touch it up every so often so it never actually goes dull. If you're a novice sharpener, they could be a problem.

[Evil D]

"Best" is highly subjective, depending on what qualities you favor the most (edge retention, toughness, corrosion resistance, ease of sharpening etc).

"Strongest" is something that can actually be tested at least for certain criteria like outright breaking strength and edge strength/stability. H1 for example is practically unbreakable from what I've seen, you're more likely to rip the pivot/stop pins out of the handle before the blade breaks.

[Sumdumguy]

LC200N is the best, in my book.

Maintenance free, incredibly tough, holds an edge for quite a long time and comes back to laser sharpness almost instantly on the Sharpmaker.

Given the choice of steels currently available, I would choose LC200N over any of the others.

[Albatross]

Bento Box has M390 Spyderco models for sale. There are some Natives in S90V and carbon fiber, still available online. There will be other models in that configuration, coming soon.

The best EDC steel is very subjective, but M390/204P/20CV are quite balanced steels, in toughness, stainlessness, and edge retention.

S90V is quite balanced as well. It's less stain resistant, but also tougher than M390/204P/20CV.

Will most people notice a difference? Not unless you're obsessing over every aspect of the blade, sharpening, and performance.

How important is stainlessness? Do you need a totally rust-proof knife, or do you just need something that wont rust in your pocket? How important is edge retention? Are you willing to spend longer, each sharpening, to get that high edge retention? How important is a strong edge, that is less-likely to roll or chip? Is cost a factor?

Answering these questions will help assess the "best EDC steel", for you personally. Every steel has tradeoffs, so it's going to be more about what you're willing to compromise on.

In all honesty, you can't go wrong with any of those steels. Just like JD Spydo, I've relied on VG10 a lot. Not so much recently, but that's not because the steel is bad. It's been a staple of the Spyderco lineup for a reason.

[JuPaul]

It sounds like you want very low maintenance, so I'd stay away from non-stainless steels like maxamet. M390 is an excellent choice for a stainless - great edge retention, very corrosion resistant (almost as good as lc200n), and decently tough for a stainless steel. And spyderco does make them, but they're often dealer or distributor exclusives, so not around forever. The recent Watu has CPM-20cv steel, which is the same as m390, just made by a different company (CTS-204p is also the same). But for a general edc stainless steel, s30v really is a good choice imo.

[Sharp Guy]

"Best" is highly subjective, depending on what qualities you favor the most (edge retention, toughness, corrosion resistance, ease of sharpening etc).

^ What he said!

[TomAiello]

The "simple" answer to your question is s110v. S110v will stay sharp for a _very_ long time, and is extremely stainless, and Spyderco has it in regular production on many popular models.

Unfortunately, it's not a simple question. But if you're an average person who's not super into knives, s110v is very corrosion resistant and has excellent long term edge holding. It's better in both stainless-ness and edge holding than either m390 or s90v--and I say that as a giant fan of both m390 and s90v. If I was giving a "best steel" knife as a gift to a non-knife person, it would be the s110v version.

There are plenty of Spyderco models in s90v and m390 though. To simplify a bit, M390 is also called 20cv or CTS-204p, so you have to be aware of those names when you're looking around. I own my favorite Spyderco folder (the Manix 2) in way too many configurations, but the blades I have include M390 and s90v (and s110v, s30v, BD1, BD1n, Maxamet...the list goes on).

For me, the "best" edc steel is 4v (which is more or less the same as something called Vanadis 4 extra) but if you're not really a knife person I wouldn't recommend that you go with that one, because it's not stainless.

The "strongest" EDC steel is a tough question to answer (it depends on what you mean by strongest, and you seem to be prioritizing edge holding over strength), but using the commonly understood definitions of "strong" and looking at commonly available blade steels I'd have to say CPM-3v (but again, it's not stainless, although the edge holding is pretty good) or H-1 (but it doesn't have the super edge holding, although it's stainless to an almost impossible degree).


My recommendation to you is to pick up a Manix 2 in s110v. Lightweight is cheaper, but some people think that the G-10 'standard weight' feels 'higher quality' because of it's extra heft. Personally, I prefer the lightweight, which is just about the cheapest s110v pocket knife (at least with a lock) you can buy today. If you live in a jurisdiction that doesn't allow you to carry a locking knife, substitute the s110v UK Penknife instead.

Another popular option is the Paramilitary 2 (or if you live in a place where you are only allowed shorter blades, the Para 3), which is also available in s110v. It's a little more expensive than the Manix 2, but many people (I'm not one of them) like the ergonomics and lock on it better, and it is definitely one of Spyderco's most popular models. The m390 runs sell out in minutes, although the s90v variants are usually a little easier to get your hands on.

[TomAiello]

S110V and Maxamet as VooDoo said if you don't want to have to sharpen for a long time. If you were to get a knife in those steels, I'd just touch it up every so often so it never actually goes dull. If you're a novice sharpener, they could be a problem.

If you're a novice sharpener, you can just send them back to Spyderco and get them factory sharp for the cost of postage. A back up of the knife will keep you working for the week or two it takes to get it back, and is far cheaper than going down the rabbit hole of sharpening.

For an average user, just having a back up and sending them in for sharpening in rotation is a much easier way to keep a good, sharp knife in your pocket all the time.

[jdw]

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.

[spyderg]

You’re going to get a lot of different answers, especially without providing more info. What are your everyday cutting tasks? Do you live near saltwater, the list can go on and on. Where I live, and my needs do not require extreme corrosion resistance. My fav edc steel is Cruwear. I like 3v and even D2 as they are pretty tough and easy to sharpen. If I was just opening packages and cutting cardboard for recycling, I’d opt for a harder steel that’d hold an edge a bit longer.

[p_atrick]

What do you like about knives? Answering that question will help you narrow down your options. There is nothing like making your knife edge razor sharp and with a nice shiny finish. You can get those results easily with 52100 and your basic Sharpmaker. It was a very satisfying feeling. Figure out what you like and want, and the people here will give you lots of good feedback. Just don't expect one single answer. This is a great place to spend you time online, but what a bunch of enablers.

[bearfacedkiller]

Best is subjective. You need to identify what attributes you are after specifically. It is all trade offs. Also, “strongest” is a specific term in material science but in general use it has a watered down and conflated meaning. Do you actually mean toughness?

Generally, ease of sharpening is the inverse of edge holding and strength is inverse of toughness. All knives need to be sharpened so decide if you want to wait longer but maybe need to put a few more minutes into it when you do. Strength vs toughness applies to the entire blade if you chop or pry but as knife knuts we usually focus on how it effects the edge. So you might ask yourself if you would rather see your edge chip or roll when it gets damaged? Then you need to decide how much you value corrosion resistance. Some folks are willing to give it up for easier sharpening and the ability to get a better edge as well as possibly some added toughness.

This is way over simplifying it though. If you can tell us what you will use it for and what attributes you favor we can help some more.

[JD Spydo]

Another reason I like VG-10 for using on demanding jobs is that re-sharpening it is not an issue whereas some of these supersteels ( even M390) can be a real monster to get back to shaving sharp again. Also VG-10 is a decent performer overall. VG-10 is also one of those blade steels that I've had great luck with in plain edges and serrated edges as well.

The Japanese historically had used it primarily as an "agricultural steel" before it was discovered to be a decent cutlery steel as well. Which I find interesting and that would indicate to me that VG-10 has a high degree of toughness. As well as above average edge retention for a steel that is not that difficult to maintain.

Oh I don't expect everyone to agree with me. But it has worked very well for me overall :cool:

[Pokey]

I've looked at different bar graphs, read different articles, and collected knives with different steel. I think CPM S30V, or CPM S35VN are very well rounded steels for the average user. A new one that's in that same neighborhood is Spyderco's CPM SPY27.

There are several types that will hold an edge longer, but are harder to sharpen, and you wouldn't want to use them for prying. Some are "tougher," and able to be used for chopping, or prying, they won't chip, but won't hold an edge as long. There are definitely others that are more corrosion resistant, but are lacking in other areas. If you live in the desert, corrosion resistance may not be an issue. Some tool steels are tough and hold an edge well, but will rust easily, depending on where you live.

There's always a trade off.

Read up on different steel blades, decide what will work for you, buy & try different knives. All it takes is time and money.

Bill

[Ankerson]

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.

Best steel for what?

[Haunted House]

I’d vote Cruwear.
It’s very strong, tough, holds an edge well, decent corrosion resistance and super easy to sharpen.
It’s just a really well balanced steel.

[sal]

Hi Pokey,

Welcome to our forum.

sal