My first PM2

[SF Native]

I’m going to revise my suggestion. Get s30v or s35vn and a sharpmaker. Keeping you own knife sharp is not too hard and quite rewarding. Try a harder steel later.

[MichaelScott]

I’m going to revise my suggestion. Get s30v or s35vn and a sharpmaker. Keeping you own knife sharp is not too hard and quite rewarding. Try a harder steel later.

I agree. Those two steels are perfectly fine for about anything you would cut, and they will sharpen easier and let you learn much about sharpening without driving you up the wall. Then, harder steels (metals) will be easier to deal with.

[bdblue]

M4 is my favorite steel although I believe S110V will cut longer and being stainless is probably better for most people.

[ZrowsN1s]

A pasted strop (with a polishing compound) can maintain a nice edge on S110V in between sharpenings. Frequent touch ups with a fine stone also works.

You should check out some of the many threads on sharpening equipment and technique, there's a lot to choose from. If you're going to have a nice knife, I feel the skill and equipment to sharpen it yourself is worth investing some time and a little money IMO :)

[Username827]

In agreement with those who have posted above, unless you know how they are sharpening your knife, do not let some one else do it! Period. Danger! You are spending all this money on this tool, that you want to have with you for 20 years. Do you really want someone with God knows what skill and tools causing damage to it? The Sharpmaker that others have mentioned is a wonderful tool to keep your knife sharp, and will pay for itself over time, depending on how often you go in for touch ups. I know it can be a bit intimating, but personally, I find that sharpening is kinda soothing in its own way.
In regards to what steel, my current favorite is CPM-S35VN. There is something with the balance between sharpenability, toughness and edge holding that just hits the spot for me. I also have one in M390, S110V, and a pair in S30V. One of the S30V does have dlc, and that has held up wonderfully.
Personally I have found s35vn to be a bit softer, more forgiving, and easier to strop back to sharp than s30v.
And if you don't like the colors, God knows there is plenty of after market support

[Lancerpt]

Thanks for all the support and advice folks! I do feel more comfortable with learning how to sharpen and knowing the care that’s put toward my investment. Looking into a KME guided system for sharpening. Sharpmaker has great reviews and is cheaper. I just want to take out as much human error as possible. Definitely will look into the S35vn option, but gotta admit the S110V/M4 still is tempting. Having small kiddos my time is a premium. Can’t spend hours sharpening so an easier to deal with steel is appealing.

[mjdragonfly]

The Para 2 in 52100 DLC carbon steel is an ultra hard industrial ball bearing steel and is also a very tough steel considered to be an easy and fast steel to bring up to a razor sharp edge. Yes I understand you like to look at your steel but the DLC coating would provide peace of mind and the steel would be a great steel for you to learn to sharpen on.

[Lancerpt]

Found out the place I was going to get it sharpened uses a Burr King belt sander system. Any thoughts?

[Canazes9]

Found out the place I was going to get it sharpened uses a Burr King belt sander system. Any thoughts?

Looking at their website, that strikes me ss exactly the type of commercial knife sharpening equipment I would be scared of with any of tge higher alloy steels.

David

[Soup]

One consideration about what model to get is to remember that the S30v/s110v is that they are readily available. The sprint runs are only available for a short time. There are several models that I passed on that I have later paid premium prices for when I became bitten by the bug!

[ross8425]

I would buy the s30v one, personally. I have put mine through so much I am actually surprised it isn't broken. I have a bunch of these in different steels, but the s30v was my first one. Plus, if I break it, I can replace it. It is also easy to sharpen, unlike the s110v one.

[ZrowsN1s]

.... Looking into a KME guided system for sharpening. Sharpmaker has great reviews and is cheaper.....

I own the KME and Sharpmaker. For the price the Sharpmaker can't be beat. The KME guided rod is nice because it really keeps your angle consistent... but, there are some universal techniques that apply to both systems. Even with the KME you can have human error. (Be carful not to round the tip of the blade!)

My first and foremost tip whether you are using the KME or Sharpmaker, is mark the edge using a Sharpie or permanent marker. This will let you see exactly where you are hitting the edge.

Second for either system is USE A LIGHT TOUCH. It's easy to press too hard even on the KME. Pressing too hard can cause all sorts of problems.

3rd is try to have slow, deliberate, even, and consistent strokes when finishing the edge.

Good lighting so you can see what you are doing and see the 'scratch pattern'.

A simple 10x magnification loupe for edge inspection helps but is not vital.

If you go the KME route I recomend the 'Jewel Stick diamond Tri-Hone' rather than the flat diamond stones. You can do hawkbills, recurves, and other blade shapes with ease and it is longer than the flat stones so it's easier to sweep the entire length of the blade with it. And you don't have to switch out stones to change grits.

Lastly if you are going to sharpen anything with serrations, the sharpmaker is the way to go.

Hope that helps :D

[mjdragonfly]

.... Looking into a KME guided system for sharpening. Sharpmaker has great reviews and is cheaper.....

I own the KME and Sharpmaker. For the price the Sharpmaker can't be beat. The KME guided rod is nice because it really keeps your angle consistent... but, there are some universal techniques that apply to both systems. Even with the KME you can have human error. (Be carful not to round the tip of the blade!)

My first and foremost tip whether you are using the KME or Sharpmaker, is mark the edge using a Sharpie or permanent marker. This will let you see exactly where you are hitting the edge.

Second for either system is USE A LIGHT TOUCH. It's easy to press too hard even on the KME. Pressing too hard can cause all sorts of problems.

3rd is try to have slow, deliberate, even, and consistent strokes when finishing the edge.

Good lighting so you can see what you are doing and see the 'scratch pattern'.

A simple 10x magnification loupe for edge inspection helps but is not vital.

If you go the KME route I recomend the 'Jewel Stick diamond Tri-Hone' rather than the flat diamond stones. You can do hawkbills, recurves, and other blade shapes with ease and it is longer than the flat stones so it's easier to sweep the entire length of the blade with it. And you don't have to switch out stones to change grits.

Lastly if you are going to sharpen anything with serrations, the sharpmaker is the way to go.

Hope that helps :D

Hey ZrowsN1s thanks for those great tips and information regarding sharpening systems. Will definitely look into this. Much appreciated.

[ZrowsN1s]

No problem. I encourage anyone interested to seek out some of the other sharpening threads on the forum. A lot of our other forum members have even better tips and tricks for sharpening, I learn new stuff from them constantly :D

[wrdwrght]

If your road to a super steel turns on using a sharpening "professional", I say get no-slouch S30V and do your own sharpening.

The fall-off in performance, compared to the other steels you mention, will go unnoticed if you're not beating on it, and you'll learn you can beat on it once you experience its sharpening response.