Which Spyderco Knives Would You Like To See in K390?

[Johnnie1801]

And why do you feel the need to start ad hominem attacks against people in the discussion calling people delusional? Are personal attacks not against the rules on these forums?

Hi shabowie, let's not go down this road and accuse people of making personal attacks. Philo didn't call anyone delusional. I started this thread because I was excited to read quotes from Sal which said Spyderco were looking at using K390 in several of their models and I wanted to gauge the opinion of the forum on which models they would like to see. I quoted Bohler and Phil Wilson in my original post so that members could apply that information to Spyderco models.

If you want to discuss K390 then please start another thread in off topic. I'd be glad to read and take part in it, there's always more to learn. I just want to keep this thread on topic and chat about Spyderco knives past and present that would suit this steel :)

The consensus at the moment seems to be that the steel would be widely accepted in one of the Manix formats. Now Sal did say several models, so after the Manix there must be 5 or 6 more we need to think about :D

[Cliff Stamp]

Would it be enough of a benefit per unit to pass on a knife to the end user with very close performance at a lower price point or is the cost difference negligible because of the scale involved?

The curious thing about ease of manufacturing is that it rarely produces a decrease in price. This is often because the consumers will see a lower price as being an inferior product. I have knives in k390 and 10V, custom and production. It would be similar to getting 1095 if W1 is available. W1 is a tool steel equivalent in composition (carbon ranges are variable, ask for what you want) to 1095, it just has tighter tolerances on impurities. This means that while wear resistance and strength/toughness are similar, the fatigue properties are much improved. If W1 is available it makes little sense then to chose 1095, same thing with k390 over 10V.

Why chose less wear resistance for higher hot hardness in what is going to be a cold work application? Is the difference huge, of course not, it simply is an odd choice to make. When was the last time you heard someone say something like "10V is a great steel, if only it has slightly less wear resistance and was slightly less susceptible to softening at 500+C " . Now if 10V isn't available and you want a very high wear resistance, low toughness/grindability tool steel, then K390 is a solid choice, similar with steels like D7, T15 and other high vanadium HSS. If Maxamet is available it is hard to argue for 10V given the much higher working hardness which maximizes the utility of high carbide volumes for functional edge retention.

[shabowie]

Hi shabowie, let's not go down this road and accuse people of making personal attacks. Philo didn't call anyone delusional.

If you feel the thread has been hijacked I'll bow out, but I wanted to address this point. A delusional person is literally just a person with delusional ideas. It's like saying, "I didn't call so and so a dick I just said he acts like a dick all the time." There was a lot of buzz about tone of the forums recently, if it isn't considered a personal attack around here to call an idea stupid or delusional rather than address it in some other way I now see why. Speaking as a newcomer and long time lurker. Enjoy the rest of your thread, and I just want to reiterate: Paramilitary 2.

[Bile Bob]

Found this thread using the search function. The K390 mule keeps an amazing edge, better than anything else I've used. IMO its not hard to sharpen either.
I'm in for a:
Military
Para2
Manix2 and Manix2 XL

Any or all of those would be great but a K390 Military would be my first choice.

[clovisc]

Volpe in G-10.

[Holland]

Sprig and/or Southfork

[tvenuto]

Wharnie swick?