ELmax?

[Ippon]

Long story short, I broke out my Elmax PM2 the other day, and realized how much I really, really like this steel. It has a special something that just makes me like it. I don't know if it's just me, but I can get it sharper than anything else I own (on a fixed angle sharpener) and I love the way the steel reacts during use (edge retention, toughness etc.)

On the recent thread (I can't remember exactally what its called) about 5 steels everyone should try, I noticed quite a few people said Elmax. Is this steel just not cost effective? Do not many people like it? I love it, it's my favorite. Why don't we see more of it? I know there was some drama about ZT's Elmax and it's preformance, but I have never had a bad experience with the steel, not even from them, and the one spydie I own in the steel is outstanding :spyder:

Anyways, thoughts?

[SG89]

I love Elmax! I think the problem with spyderco and Elmax is the price. The pm2 exclusive is very expensive and the British blades forum urban was hard to get in the US. Also the Elmax Squeak and pingo did not sell out due to the price. If spyderco offered Elmax in a lw manix 2 or ukpk lw or maybe even native 5 lw they would sell very well IMO bc the price would be sub $100 for each which is the spyderco sweet spot.

[Doc Dan]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue. As SG88 said, a lw Manix or Native in this steel might do well. I would love to see an Urban LW in this steel, personally.

[SG89]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue. As SG88 said, a lw Manix or Native in this steel might do well. I would love to see an Urban LW in this steel, personally.

British blades forum urban lw Elmax was made. I had one it was awesome.

[ChrisinHove]

I have both the Squeak and BB Urban in Elmax. Ironically, my n690 versions tend to get used more, or at least less carefully, as the Elmax ones will be difficult for me to replace now.

[Doc Dan]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue. As SG88 said, a lw Manix or Native in this steel might do well. I would love to see an Urban LW in this steel, personally.

British blades forum urban lw Elmax was made. I had one it was awesome.

I know, and they refused to sell me one, so I refused to participate any longer on the forum.

[Donut]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue. As SG88 said, a lw Manix or Native in this steel might do well. I would love to see an Urban LW in this steel, personally.

British blades forum urban lw Elmax was made. I had one it was awesome.

I know, and they refused to sell me one, so I refused to participate any longer on the forum.

That's interesting, I was able to pick up one of the K390 Pingos with no issues.

[Donut]

In regards to the thread topic, I have a Lionspy that I've used... and I feel like the edge I get from the sharpmaker 40 degree angle feels as sharp as other steels at the 30 degree angle.

[Johnnie1801]

In regards to the thread topic, I have a Lionspy that I've used... and I feel like the edge I get from the sharpmaker 40 degree angle feels as sharp as other steels at the 30 degree angle.

The Lionspy and Lil'Lionspy are made by Lionsteel so I wonder if they use a different HT? As far as I'm aware the only Spyderco Elmax blades have been made in Italy except the BBS PM2.

[Ippon]

I think a LW manix in Elmax would do great. I would buy one immediately actually. Personally I would do a blade swap to a G10 frame, but I think the Manix is a great platform to release this steel, It's a good fit.

The BBS PM2 was expensive, but so is the M390 version. For me and my uses the Elmax outperforms all but the S110V, and even then, the S110V tends to keep a working edge and never use it (for a day where I use my knife a lot) But the Elmax takes such a keen edge in the first place, and holds onto it well enough that I can keep that "atom splitting" edge in my view quite a bit longer.

[bh49]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue.

Elmax should be more expensive than compatable US steel at least due to shipping cost and possibly custom dues/taxes, if such thing exist. Still how much more expensive than S30V blade would be? $10. It is hard to imagine that it will be more. Elmax para was expensive not due to Elmax, but due to be BBS exclusive.

[Ippon]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue.

Elmax para was expensive not due to Elmax, but due to be BBS exclusive.

This is what I was trying to say in my post above :p A lw Manix 2 I think really would land in a 'sweet spot' in price for a lot of people.

[Doc Dan]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue. As SG88 said, a lw Manix or Native in this steel might do well. I would love to see an Urban LW in this steel, personally.

British blades forum urban lw Elmax was made. I had one it was awesome.

I know, and they refused to sell me one, so I refused to participate any longer on the forum.

That's interesting, I was able to pick up one of the K390 Pingos with no issues.

Yeah, some people did get them. However, I got a nasty sounding note from that guy saying he would under no circumstances sell any more of the knives out of his country. I appealed, and got a blunt no. That is too bad, too. I would have loved to have that knife. Right knife, right steel, right color.

[SG89]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue. As SG88 said, a lw Manix or Native in this steel might do well. I would love to see an Urban LW in this steel, personally.

British blades forum urban lw Elmax was made. I had one it was awesome.

I know, and they refused to sell me one, so I refused to participate any longer on the forum.

That's interesting, I was able to pick up one of the K390 Pingos with no issues.

Yeah, some people did get them. However, I got a nasty sounding note from that guy saying he would under no circumstances sell any more of the knives out of his country. I appealed, and got a blunt no. That is too bad, too. I would have loved to have that knife. Right knife, right steel, right color.

They wouldn't sell one to me either they told me to contact spyderco which I did and they were more than happy to help me out but I had already purchased one off of blade forums by that time.

[bh49]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue.

Elmax para was expensive not due to Elmax, but due to be BBS exclusive.

This is what I was trying to say in my post above :p A lw Manix 2 I think really would land in a 'sweet spot' in price for a lot of people.

I understand what you are saying, but I would rather see Native5 with Elmax :) But why we cannot have both? :) :D
Sprint run from Golden 600 pieces each in PE. Dark green or Navy will be great.

[bearfacedkiller]

It seems like it would be a great steel. I have two knives in it but limited experience with it. The Para2 was expensive and I have a bunch of them so it mostly just sits around looking pretty while I use the s30v and s110v versions. The other one is a Lionspy which has a convex edge and is sort of a sharpened pry bar. It is so much different than any of my other knives that it is hard to compare. That said, the Lionspy continually impresses me with its ease of sharpening and edge retention. I would buy a Military in Elmax without hesitation.

[Ippon]

Native5 with Elmax :) But why we cannot have both? :) :D
Sprint run from Golden 600 pieces each in PE. Dark green or Navy will be great.

YES this!!! :D :D :D

[SpyderNut]

Native5 with Elmax :) But why we cannot have both? :) :D
Sprint run from Golden 600 pieces each in PE. Dark green or Navy will be great.

YES this!!! :D :D :D

Agreed! Let it be so. :)

[Doc Dan]

Hmmm, Elmax Urban LW Back Lock and an Elmax Manix 2 LW Back Lock would cover all the bases just nicely.

[Eee]

I would love to see more Elmax, but I do think cost is an issue. As SG88 said, a lw Manix or Native in this steel might do well. I would love to see an Urban LW in this steel, personally.

British blades forum urban lw Elmax was made. I had one it was awesome.

I know, and they refused to sell me one, so I refused to participate any longer on the forum.

That's interesting, I was able to pick up one of the K390 Pingos with no issues.

They were from two different UK forums. The Elmax Urban was from British Blades (which has been down now for a couple of weeks). The k390 Pingo was from Edge Matters which is still up and running.

The Elmax was ground lovely and thin and works very well :cool:
Not a steel I would have normally tried, but would buy again based on the Urban