Does S110V actually chip a lot or are people just not using their knives right?

[plshelpme]

I had a Manix 2 LW in S110V and it seemed fine. Are people really having issues with it?

[Albatross]

Maybe, but I think it's more down to damage occurring on the factory edge (good reason to sharpen a new knife) or trouble with burr removal, resulting in edge damage.

Chipping an edge on zip ties is mostly due to technique. Beyond that, I can't think of many things an average knife user would need to cut on a regular basis, that S110V would have issues with.

[JustinB]

The only time I chipped my S110v PM2 was cutting some threads wound around a HSS drill bit.

Also, the factory edge on any production knife will be slightly more brittle/ prone to edge damage because of overheating from sharpening. After one or two sharpening sessions the edge will become a lot more stable.

[blueblur]

I can’t remember ever chipping s110v. I have chipped Vtoku2 and LC200N tho.

[Sharp Guy]

Never had any chipping issues with any of my S110V knives even when they were new. Come to think of it I've never had chipping issues with any steel

[Sumdumguy]

I never had a chipping issue with S110V, until I did.

When it did happen, it was a large one. It's a fine steel, but you have to be mindful of just how you are applying pressure to the edge. A small mistake can lead to a mind numbing repair.

I personally have no desire to use it anymore, as I have come to value ease of sharpening and toughness, over edge retention.

LC200N and VG-10 are what I prefer. I have also had good experiences with PSF27. My wife has thrashed the Junction, it's one of her favorite knives in the kitchen.

[DukeNiemand]

Just got my first S110V knife a couple weeks ago (Native 5 LW). Been carrying it everyday since. Cut a few zipties with it, and there was no damage whatsoever. Only damage that occurred was when my fiancee used it to cut some cheese, blade slipped and hit the granite counter quite hard. And that just caused a minor roll, no chipping.

It's also been very easy to sharpen. Deburrs easily too.

[Evil D]

It'll chip before it rolls and burrs will break off if you leave one after sharpening.

[sal]

Hi Plshelpme,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[Takuan]

I own several Spydercos in S110V and I have not yet chipped the edge on any of them. The main knife I use for chores and yard work is an S110V Manix 2, which gets used pretty hard but has never had a chip. I'm mainly cutting things like wood, rope, and zip-ties, though (not staple-ridden cardboard boxes). I did push-cut about a dozen small saplings the other day with no edge damage (and it was still shaving sharp). I also like S110V's rust-resistance for sweaty summertime work.

I never really trust a blade steel until I've sharpened it a few times myself. Belt-ground factory edges are often inconsistent, both in terms of the grind angle (due to free-hand sharpening) and the heat treat (due to overheated edges). I've even seen this problem on $400+ knives from mid-tech knife-makers (who shall remain nameless to maximize shiny footprints :) ).

[Ankerson]

I still own a far share and have tested many knives in S110V and never saw one chip personally.

Wasn't exactly careful with them either while testing..

[wrdwrght]

S110V hasn’t chipped in my experience. I have it in a Native5 and PM2, both users.

Nor have I heard such complaints.

What I have heard (but do not know from experience) is that a chip in S110V is very difficult to repair, which is a different complaint.

BTW, you can use a knife correctly and still damage the edge. Things happen.

[Ankerson]

S110V hasn’t chipped in my experience. I have it in a Native5 and PM2, both users.

Nor have I heard such complaints.

What I have heard (but do not know from experience) is that a chip in S110V is very difficult to repair, which is a different complaint.

BTW, you can use a knife correctly and still damage the edge. Things happen.

I like to use this as an example...

People can use a circular saw to cut a bunch of boards that have nails all through them..... But they shouldn't...

But they will damage the carbide toothed blade and likely will have to buy a new blade or have it repaired.

Human nature is what it is in the end....

[JohnDoe99]

I had a Manix 2 LW in S110V and it seemed fine. Are people really having issues with it?

The harder the steel, the more brittle it is, which means the easier it will chip. Give and take. The advantage is that under certain conditions you can harness the wear resistance and make the steel useful, but there is equally a downside, chipping being one. S110V and ZDP-189 can chip just by using too much pressure when sharpening them on a hard bond abrasive, and I mean visibly chip to the naked eye. Then there is "microchipping."

Keep your s110v manix at or below the brown medium ceramic. Hard abrasives beyond that don't respond well. You can try using waterstones with these steels to help combat the brittleness. Cliff Stamp advocated such and did some videos with ultra high carbide steels and waterstones, they're still on youtube.

[Bill1170]

I’ve used my S110V Manix LW a lot at work, and only chipped it once. I don’t know how I did it, but it’s not a big deal. The chip is 1/2” from the tip and I’ll let regular sharpening remove it over time. It was 1/32” and Is already smaller now. Given how hard I’ve used that knife, I don’t consider S110V to be chippy at all. It has been very forgiving.

[The Meat man]

I had a Manix 2 LW in S110V and it seemed fine. Are people really having issues with it?

The harder the steel, the more brittle it is, which means the easier it will chip. Give and take. The advantage is that under certain conditions you can harness the wear resistance and make the steel useful, but there is equally a downside, chipping being one. S110V and ZDP-189 can chip just by using too much pressure when sharpening them on a hard bond abrasive, and I mean visibly chip to the naked eye. Then there is "microchipping."
...

I think that is being a little too simplistic.
The OP question is about CPM S110V which is generally run less hard than say Maxamet, K390, or CPM REX 45, and yet the harder steels (I have found) all can take fully as much or more abuse than CPM S110V without edge problems. I have owned and used all 4 steels and that's been my experience anyway.

There are just so many variables, I don't think you can just say that harder=more brittle, even as a generalized statement.

[Tiquito]

My manix 2 lw chipped under what I considered pretty light use with the factor edge. After sharpening it I haven’t had any issues. I had the same experience with my ZDP dragonfly. I honestly can’t say either knife sees real hard use but in the types of cutting I do with a folding lw knife I haven’t had issues since resharpening.

[emanuel]

Properly heat treated S110V doesn't chip any easier than S90V, of which you have people say it feels tougher but it's no different. The first runs were reported to have some problems, but even then it could have been just the factory edge at fault causing people to report on it and then the word of mouth made it worse than it actually was (I had that issue, but after one sharpening I had no issues whatsoever, and I didn't baby it). I've encountered ppl bad mouthing the steel, but they never owned or used it, they said they just heard about it being chippy..

[Mattysc42]

I’ve had occasional chipping, though not more than other steels with similar carbide volumes and hrc. S110v is the only steel I’ve had a knife snap in half from a 2’ drop onto concrete when the knife was closed and didn’t land on the blade, though. Happened with a blurple manix 2.

[araneae]

Based on your last thread of only fidgeting/cutting tape, I wouldn't worry about chipping. I also wouldn't bother with S110V.