HAP 72 or CPM REX 121 Spydie

[TomAiello]

Wow. What do you do for a living that s110v isn't lasting 12 hours?

Spyderco ought to sign you up as a beta tester.

[jpm2]

Wow. What do you do for a living that s110v isn't lasting 12 hours?

Spyderco ought to sign you up as a beta tester.

I do a lot of cutting and scraping into other metals at work, so I can relate.
I trade knives with a co workers occasionally, usually for a week. One time it was my 812hs for his manix 2 s110v.
After having to touch up and/or sharpen after almost every task, I asked for my knife back after 2 days.

M2, M4, and other home made hss knives have held up well, most others have failed in comparison.

[Stuman]

I’m not an employee of Spyderco but I think the fact that they have now launched Maxamet into full production gives reason to give one the thought that they are now probably testing Rex 121 in house or may be HAP 72 because they are always pushing the limit of manufacturing tech, finding new ways to grind super steels such as CTS Micromelt Maxamet where other companies such as Benchmade failed. If there was a crown or even an achievement award I think that Spyderco will be top of the list for there endeavours in CQI and methods of producing high end knives that sport some of the hardest super steels known to mankind !

[EngDevGr3]

Another steel to add to the category, so Bohler gets their name in the hat, is S290 Microclean. Very similar makeup except the S290 is higher in Tungsten where Hap72 is higher in Molybdenum.
S290 Microclean vs Hap72 in Mass %.
C:2.00 vs 2.1
W:14.27 vs 9.5
V:4.83 vs 5.00
Cr:3.77 vs 4.00
Mo:2.49 vs 8.20
Co:11.00 vs 9.50

[EngDevGr3]

I still say go for broke first with Rex 121!

[MasterChiefPink]

First I would like to say absolutely! Always progress, always advance, always make things better...our country, and our entire society is built on this principle...or we would still be throwing spears, and long ago run out of caves.

I was writing a post about HSS not necessarily being the perfect composition for knives, but thought that might be a topic for a separate post. Thoughts? Group composing the ideal hyper steel for a knife?

[steelcity16]

It’s not really a case if Spyderco made the right choice, it’s about where to next and the logical choice for the Japanese super steel would be HAP 72 or May be YXR7 which is what I’d love to see

I just would like the next Japanese steel to not be laminated. I prefer a solid blade (for no real good reason aside that I dont like the looks of lamination lines and scratched cladding...I never had any issues performance-wise). So not sure what the options are for that. They did Superblue in both Solid and Laminated, so I wonder if the same can be done for V-TOKU, Supergold, YXR7 (never heard of this one...to the Googles!!), Hap40 and/or Hap72??

[supracor]

It has nothing to do with it, but Rockstead will soon start production in HAP72, @69hrc
They haven't put them yet on the market because they are looking for a way to lower prices, but when they come out one will surely be mine, at the cost of selling my girlfriend :p

[Strider]

I just would like the next Japanese steel to not be laminated. I prefer a solid blade (for no real good reason aside that I dont like the looks of lamination lines and scratched cladding...I never had any issues performance-wise). So not sure what the options are for that. They did Superblue in both Solid and Laminated, so I wonder if the same can be done for V-TOKU, Supergold, YXR7 (never heard of this one...to the Googles!!), Hap40 and/or Hap72??

I am sure it could be requested. However, superblue is a common kitchen knife steel coming out of Japan, but it is always clad.

[The Meat man]

HAP 72 and CPM REX 121 would be perfect candidates for the Mule Team project. I would absolutely buy one or both.

[MasterChiefPink]

15v anyone?

[supracor]

15v anyone?

Everything that has more than 3% C is welcome :)
But a Hap72 mule will be the paradise :eek:

[The Meat man]

15v anyone?

That's another interesting steel I wouldn't mind trying out sometime.

[MasterChiefPink]

From my diagnosis, REX 121 is the leader. Carbides by volume it's nearing 50% (dependant on heat treat). 15v is great, I like it. I know volume isn't the major factor, but when it comes to exposed in the edge, it can be a significant factor. Three get 70+, S290, HAP72 and REX121. HAP72 is similar to Maxamet. S290 is close as well. REX121 at least goes in a slightly different direction with higher carbon, more vitamin V and just a good amount more stuff. We can design a better alloy, but for now, that's it.

[supracor]

I've the new superduper steel: the Erasteel ASP2080!
C: 2.5%
W: 6.5%
V: 12%!!!
Cr: 4.5%
Mo: 5.3%
Co: 16%

It will be a wear monster!
A Supercharged Maxamet

[Pelagic]

16% Cobalt is a lot of Cobalt.

[Chris_P_Bacon]

Let's do neither so we can get prices back down to reasonable levels.

There's already a Byrd line for the price conscious, and S30V available in the normal line.

I'm pretty sure Spyderco's competition would love for them to stop pushing the envelope, stop innovating, become unprofitable, and fade away.

We all know Spyderco isn't Hyping anything, they don't make nonsense claims like CUTS LIKE A LAZER.
Some of the forum users may?

Simple truth is, steel junkies gonna get their steel fix somewhere.

Remember the old saying; "Don't knock it till you've tried it?"

Spyderco is doing a fantastic job of putting the steel in our hands so we can try it. God Bless EM

[Pelagic]

The more super steels available, the more their popularity will slowly trickle down to the masses. There are millions of people that value edge retention/toughness and know how to sharpen a knife that are too busy using their knives to deal with the internet. A lot of them would pay for s110v or something with even more edge retention if they knew it existed. Pushing the envelope regarding introducing super steels in production folders is an investment. The market for knives in these steels will only get bigger.

[bearfacedkiller]

I don’t know if that is true. Some of these super steels are catering to knife nuts. I am unsure if the masses care about these or not. I definitely do not think that the average price conscious consumer is willing to pay the premium for them.

If you look at the kitchen knife and meat processing industries you will see professionals who use knives daily and who know how to sharpen that seem to favor mediocre steels run in the mid to high 50’s. To most of them VG10 is still a super steel. There are plenty of exotic options for them but they often favor durability, ease of sharpening, low maintenance and affordable prices.

I am a steel junkie and will by any new exotic steel but I am also not convinced that the more carbides the better. There has to be a practical limit. Are K390, s110v and Maxamet that limit? I don’t know?

[supracor]

16% Cobalt is a lot of Cobalt.

For sure, but i would love a mule in this steel :)