What are your top 5 favorite steels?

[Karl_H]

I am going to preface this by saying that I am going to make this list forward looking.

I believe CPM Magnacut will probably make a lot of current knife steels obsolete. I think it will largely replace the following Crucible PM steels in knives: S30V, S35VN, S45VN, 20CV, 4V, and Cru-wear. I don’t know how much it will affect Carpenter and Bohler, but it will be interesting to see. In any case, you won’t see any of those steels or their analogies listed because I think CPM Magnacut will perform better. Cost may be higher until supply and demand even out.

1. Z-Tuff (CPM 3V is similar, but less expensive and more readily available)
2. CPM Magnacut (CPM 4V / Vanadis 4 Extra / CPM Cru-wear) fills this slot until Magnacut becomes available)
3. HAP-40 (REX 45 would be the non-laminated analogue)
4. Vanax Superclean (LC200N would likely be the most similar steel that is more commonly available)
5. K390

[Holland]

M4
K390
M390/CPM 20cv / CTS-204p
CTS XHP
Hap40

[8LegLover]

52100
4V
M4
REX 45
Cruwear/PD #1
these are in order of how sharp I can get them, also probably in order of how easy each steel patinas. Love steels that patina, honorable mention to k390

[Abyss_Fish]

My signature says it all really

Sg2 is my baby, super well known amongst heat treatment masters in the Japanese knifemaking community, ductile, durable, easy to sharpen, magic. Not absolutely stainless but everything else makes up for it.

Lc200n is essentially stain proof, not as long lasting of an edge as sg2 but the ductility and stainlesses makes up for it. Super strong stuff too, It goes everywhere and takes everything.

S90v is my token stainless, great wear resistance, decently stainless. It’s good. But also interchangeable with 20cv and xhp for me. Just depends how much sharpenability vs durability I want. 20cv is a great middleground. Xhp is super easy to maintain. Magnacut will replace all of them.

3V is indestructible. And the most ductile of any of these steels (seeing a pattern?), you can bash 3v into a pipe and strop out the edge damage. Magic. All my carving knives are made of this and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Aaaaand I don’t really have any other steels worth noting. I’m usually more worried about heat treatment than steel, which is why I generally stick with spyderco. Good heat treatment brings out the characteristics of a steel, s90v will preform like aluminum if you don’t heat treat it properly.

[wrdwrght]

I’ve reached the point where I have internalized Sal’s mantra: “All good, just different”.

Naming favorites now seems unnecessarily fraught to me.

I’d be willing to answer what for me is a more revealing question: “What steel offered by Spyderco do you not like?” My answer: “None”.

I would add that there are probably a dozen I have yet to try (apart from cladded or coated ones that don’t interest me), but I don’t imagine a pot metal among them. There certainly hasn’t been one among the 25 or so I possess.

[S-3 ranch]

“” All good, just different””
I probably would buy a new spyderco every year if they offered a new steel every year
Verity is the spice of life

[p_atrick]

I see these kind of posts pop up every now and then. I am a bit surprised that VG-10 is not mentioned more often. In the previous "top steel" posts, this venerable steel had its supporters. This time around, there does not seem to be as many.

*Edited for clarity.

[Bolster]

Tally, more or less*:

3V ///
4V ///////
14C28N /
20CV /////
440V /
1095 //
5160 /
52100 /////
ATS55 /
AUS8 /
Cruwear //////
D2 //
H1 ////
Hap 40 //
K390 ////////////////////
LC200N ////////////
M4 ////////////////
M390 ///
(MagnaCut) //
Maxamet ///////
Rex45 ///////////
S7 /
S30V /////
S35VN /////
S45VN /
S90V ////////////
S110V /////
SG2 /
Spy27 ////
Super Blue /
Vanax /
VG10 /////
V-toku2 //
XHP ///////
ZDP189 //

*A few of the more ambiguous posts not tallied.

[Albertaboyscott]

Maxamet
Rex45
1095
S110v
Sr101

[Swincher.2]

S110V
m390/20cv/204p
Cruwear
Rex45
4v
One of those are usually in my pocket

[Cambertree]

At the moment in no particular order:

K390
CPM M4
HAP40
REX45
ZDP189

Close contenders:
CPM S90V
52100
Super Blue

[Paraguy]

CTS XHP seems like it has many properties i care about. Im considering the Chaperrel in it for 95.

[Paraguy]

Tally, more or less*:

3V ///
4V ///////
14C28N /
20CV /////
440V /
1095 //
5160 /
52100 /////
ATS55 /
AUS8 /
Cruwear //////
D2 //
H1 ////
Hap 40 //
K390 ////////////////////
LC200N ////////////
M4 ////////////////
M390 ///
(MagnaCut) //
Maxamet ///////
Rex45 ///////////
S7 /
S30V /////
S35VN /////
S45VN /
S90V ////////////
S110V /////
SG2 /
Spy27 ////
Super Blue /
Vanax /
VG10 /////
V-toku2 //
XHP ///////
ZDP189 //

*A few of the more ambiguous posts not tallied.

THANKS BOLSTER!

[Paraguy]

My signature says it all really

Sg2 is my baby, super well known amongst heat treatment masters in the Japanese knifemaking community, ductile, durable, easy to sharpen, magic. Not absolutely stainless but everything else makes up for it.

Lc200n is essentially stain proof, not as long lasting of an edge as sg2 but the ductility and stainlesses makes up for it. Super strong stuff too, It goes everywhere and takes everything.

S90v is my token stainless, great wear resistance, decently stainless. It’s good. But also interchangeable with 20cv and xhp for me. Just depends how much sharpenability vs durability I want. 20cv is a great middleground. Xhp is super easy to maintain. Magnacut will replace all of them.

3V is indestructible. And the most ductile of any of these steels (seeing a pattern?), you can bash 3v into a pipe and strop out the edge damage. Magic. All my carving knives are made of this and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Aaaaand I don’t really have any other steels worth noting. I’m usually more worried about heat treatment than steel, which is why I generally stick with spyderco. Good heat treatment brings out the characteristics of a steel, s90v will preform like aluminum if you don’t heat treat it properly.

RIGHT. Almost bought an 80 dollar Kershaw in 20cv one time. Their heat treat sucks though.

[Fireman]

Thanks for the talley!
Surprised 3V is not higher up on this list. In a few years I bet Magna Cut will rank much higher. I must admit, I need to study more to see why K390 is so popular. I am proud to be the lone wolf on S7. Having used jack hammers and seen what S7 is capable of, I would bet my life on it.

Tally, more or less*:

3V ///
4V ///////
14C28N /
20CV /////
440V /
1095 //
5160 /
52100 /////
ATS55 /
AUS8 /
Cruwear //////
D2 //
H1 ////
Hap 40 //
K390 ////////////////////
LC200N ////////////
M4 ////////////////
M390 ///
(MagnaCut) //
Maxamet ///////
Rex45 ///////////
S7 /
S30V /////
S35VN /////
S45VN /
S90V ////////////
S110V /////
SG2 /
Spy27 ////
Super Blue /
Vanax /
VG10 /////
V-toku2 //
XHP ///////
ZDP189 //

*A few of the more ambiguous posts not tallied.

[brancron]

In no particular order:

14C28N
CPM CruWear
CPM SPY-27
CPM M4
LC200N

[Senfkarte]

At the moment, in no particular order:

- CPM S30V
- REX 45
- M390
- CPM CruWear
- CPM M4

[Bolster]

... I need to study more to see why K390 is so popular. ...

Same here. If you discover the reasons would you kindly post up?

[Fireman]

I looked again… Still don’t see why. Can someone please explain why? It’s tough, good edge retention and that’s about it. Nothing extreme.

... I need to study more to see why K390 is so popular. ...

Same here. If you discover the reasons would you kindly post up?

[Karl_H]

I looked again… Still don’t see why. Can someone please explain why? It’s tough, good edge retention and that’s about it. Nothing extreme.

... I need to study more to see why K390 is so popular. ...

Same here. If you discover the reasons would you kindly post up?

I think you may have missed the fact that it can get very hard 64-66 HRC. Tougher than anything else that has a similar amount of carbides at that hardness range. I suggest reading the following article. Note that CPM 10V and K390 are similar.

https://knifesteelnerds.com/2019/05/20/ ... ry-knife/