End of 2020 Opinions on VG-10

[knife__bro69]

Hello everyone, Im hoping you are all doing well.

I thought this would be a good topic to discuss, as I figure you are all the experts as far as I am concerned on the topic of knife steel for everyday carry.

So to get to the question, what is your personal opinion on where VG-10 falls in the hierarchy of knife steels in 2020?

[vivi]

I think its a good steel. Its well balanced, easy to sharpen and quite inexpensive.

For specialty applications I may go with a rust proof steel or something that holds on edge longer, but for most of what I do VG10 works great on anything from small pocket knives to chef knives.

[The Meat man]

The worst that can be said about VG-10 is that it is somewhat boring in 2020. It's a fine lower-end steel, well suited for the general public, even if it doesn't satisfy the steel junkies anymore. :rolleyes:
I find that it works well in serrated edges, better than H-1 in fact. Haven't used it in PE enough to evaluate, but it seems to give satisfaction there too.

[knife__bro69]

The worst that can be said about VG-10 is that it is somewhat boring in 2020. It's a fine lower-end steel, well suited for the general public, even if it doesn't satisfy the steel junkies anymore. :rolleyes:
I find that it works well in serrated edges, better than H-1 in fact. Haven't used it in PE enough to evaluate, but it seems to give satisfaction there too.

Better than h1? That’s interesting

[Sumdumguy]

Still ranks in my top three steels. I love it, boring as it may be.

[Pokey]

I have a couple of Delicas and an Endura with VG-10. They're very easy to sharpen and keep sharpened. I use the Endura in the kitchen.

[Deadboxhero]

It had its place, there are more interesting steels to play with better designs and attributes that lose nothing to VG10.

[spoonrobot]

It's a good benchmark steel, in my opinion. A real 5 out of 10. Average ease to sharpen, average edge holding, very good corrosion resistance, average toughness. It holds up very well today even among more modern steels in it's class.

[The Meat man]

The worst that can be said about VG-10 is that it is somewhat boring in 2020. It's a fine lower-end steel, well suited for the general public, even if it doesn't satisfy the steel junkies anymore. :rolleyes:
I find that it works well in serrated edges, better than H-1 in fact. Haven't used it in PE enough to evaluate, but it seems to give satisfaction there too.

Better than h1? That’s interesting

Yes, in my experience serrated VG-10 is less prone to edge damage than H-1. Probably because it is harder? I've had H-1 roll badly while cutting through rubber.

[GarageBoy]

It had its place, there are more interesting steels to play with better designs and attributes that lose nothing to VG10.

I guess we have spy27 and lc200 as an upgrade path?

[Deadboxhero]

It had its place, there are more interesting steels to play with better designs and attributes that lose nothing to VG10.

I guess we have spy27 and lc200 as an upgrade path?

I've been pretty impressed by the sharpenability on the spy27.

I remember for a while I was disappointed that there was no USA made equivalents to some of the Japanese PM steels that seem to focus more on sharpenability and stability rather than raw carbide firepower.

It's also unusual to see a lower alloy PM steel since PM is expensive and usually all about shrinking down large volumes of carbides in more alloy heavy steels.


I think when you geek out on knife sharpening, steels like Cobalt Special and Sg2 really open one's eyes to the excitement of high sharpenability with great bite at the edge they definitely capture ones imagination when they first experience them compared to S30v which seems to prefer a toothier finish and doesn't sharpen as nicely however there have been improvements over the last 15 years for sure.

There has always been a nice sweet spot for high sharpenability to edge holding ratio in the Sg2 range of steels in the low 60 rc range.

It's nice to see Spyderco be so bold and chase that range of steel that technically on paper is inferior to S30v in edge holding but highly enjoyable in use and sharpenability in a wide range of geometries and edge finishes.

Balanced steels are always nice flavors to play with as are extreme ends of the spectrum that cater to fewer folks that lust for the limits.

I love me some Maxamet after all :D

[Doc Dan]

I really like VG-10. In fact, in its category (154cm, ATS-34, et. al) it is my favorite. It is well balanced and holds a great edge more than long enough. Though some steels, like 14c28n, hold a sharp edge longer, their working edge does not stay as long, it seems to me. VG-10 slowly gets less sharp and is decently tough. It has no drama anywhere.

[PSquared]

VG10 is still a great steel for the regular “man in the street”. I get that Deadboxhero and others that are steel enthusiasts want to push limits and I’m pleased they do because we all learn as a result but as a user, everyday steel, VG10 is really good. It is readily available and has a good balance of properties for the average person.

Two of my three most used kitchen knives are VG10 and get used daily. It’s my second most carried steel in my EDC folders.

It’s not going to shoot the lights out in 2021 but I think it should keep it’s spot as a popular steel in the market that it currently serves ... higher end mass market rather than the collectors and enthusiasts market.

[James Y]

Personally, I don’t really get ‘bored’ with steels that work for me and that I like. Maybe that makes ME boring. For myself, I don’t need a steel that holds an edge “forever”, but is a bear when it finally needs a substantial resharpening. There are some who extol the virtues of ‘super’ steels, who constantly feel the need to touch up their super steel blades after every day’s use, so as to maintain the edge, to avoid a full resharpening. What’s the difference between that and using a good steel that may not hold an edge as long, but is easier to resharpen when it becomes necessary?

I like steels like VG-10, LC200N, S30V, S35VN, etc. I have one knife in S110V, but I don’t use it very much. I tend to prefer good all-around steels.

I would like to try SPY27 at some point, but TBH, I just don’t get bored with steels that work for me and are easy for me to maintain. I’m really boring, because I even like the steel that Victorinox uses in their products (SAKs, kitchen knives, and multi-tools).

My late dad used his pocketknives harder during his lifetime than I do. He used them for work and all kinds of things. He had grown up on a farm. None of his knives were ‘super’ steel knives. His knives had hard, short lives. Not because he was careless with them, and not because he bought junk. His knives were mostly carbon steel Camillus knives (back when Camillus was the real Camillus). His most super knife was an early Buck 110, which probably had a blade of either 440C or maybe 425M. Beyond their use as tools, he didn’t give much thought to his knives. He would’ve thought I’m crazy to have all the knives I have. For him, VG-10 would have been a ‘super’ steel, and he would have pushed it to its limits, too.

In 5 to 10 years, many of the steels that steel enthusiasts are touting today as ‘super’ will be called boring and sub-par by some knife aficionados. But they’ll still be whatever they are today. Most average knife users, who use their knives a lot but aren’t knife aficionados, will never know or care about the latest-greatest super steels, now or 20 years from now.

I am not saying that advancements in steels isn’t great or isn’t necessary. But not everyone out there needs or wants the ‘latest-greatest’. Even some knife afis will not have enough day-to-day usage to really push the steels to their limits.

So, to conclude this rambling post, I still like VG-10 as much as I liked it almost two decades ago.

Jim

[Bolster]

I think BladeHQ's list (follow link to Knife Steel Guide) is fairly representative of how knife aficionados (on average) sort steels in 2020. There, VG-10 is listed as a mid-range steel in company with the likes of D2, 154CM, H1, N690 and others. They say:

"VG-10 exhibits many of the same qualities of 154CM with the largest difference being an increase in corrosion resistance. Absolutely good-to-go, VG-10 may be one of the most neutrally balanced steels on the market."

I think its balance (hardness, toughness, corrosion resistance, sharpenability) are what win allegiance. I think of it as a Toyota steel...it's not going to let you down, it's going to do everything pretty well...except impress your neighbor.

[sal]

VG-10 ha been an excellent steel for us for more than 2 decades. We've sold millions of knives with this steel with no complaints. It is very unique in it's balance of blade steel properties.

sal

[Deadboxhero]

VG-10 ha been an excellent steel for us for more than 2 decades. We've sold millions of knives with this steel with no complaints. It is very unique in it's balance of blade steel properties.

sal

Most knives sold in VG10? Highest selling steel for Spyderco?

[wirelessjunkie]

VG10 still checks all the right boxes for me as far as a good all around user steel goes. I have it on both my folders and a kitchen knife I use all the time. As much fun as steels like K390, ZDP189, and S110V can be to play with sometimes it's just nice to have a steel that will tolerate a little neglect and sharpen back up easily in a snap without needing to use specialized sharpening equipment. I'm not one to assign steels to a heirarchy though, I look at knife steels as being more or less appropriate for specific applications. Some are more well rounded than others though.

[elena86]

I like cobalt based steels. VG10 is a good allaround steel for the average end user but I really hope that SPY27 will replace VG10 and/or S30V as a default steel for Spyderco ... sooner rather than later. I like SPY27 quite a lot. It sharpens like a dream and takes a wicked bitey edge. I would instantly purchase a Millie in SPY27.

[Evil D]

Very vanilla, some may say it's boring but I think there's value is "good old trusty ________”. There's a reason Levi's still sell a crap ton of 501 jeans, why Converse still sell the heck out of Chuck Taylors, and why companies like Case and Buck are still around doing much the same as they've always done. I'd say the vast majority of knife users probably don't pay as much attention to blade steel as us forumites, they just want reliable performance and VG10 absolutely provides that, as does S30V. I think we often forget that we forum members are a very very small segment of Spyderco's market and we're probably all a little bit jaded. There are still companies who's primary steel offering is 1095 and those companies are getting by just fine and it's no secret how basic and "boring" 1095 is but that doesn't make it any less effective.


My personal opinion, it's quite good in SE, I'd even say I like it more than S30V and of the steels I've tried in SE it places third behind LC200N and H1. I do wish it were less expensive, but being old and trusty and vanilla doesn't reduce the cost. If VG10 has a real problem it'll be getting priced out of the market. No matter how much everyone agrees that VG10 is a great steel, it's hard for the educated buyer to choose it over the next latest and greatest steel when the cost is similar or in some cases even less. You could make a sprint today with practically any handle material known to man but if the blade steel is VG10, the first thing people will complain about is "it's ONLY VG10" and I don't see that mentality reducing any time soon but rather becoming more and more widespread.