Quick question - what is the best steel used in Spyderco's top knives? Is it S90V?
That's very subjective. No real answer there.
TKO is 100% correct. Depends on whether you value edge holding, toughness, ease of sharpening, or what combination of those attributes you want. No steel does them all "best." There are, however, widely acknowledged "dog" steels. I don't think Spyderco uses any of them. Search Larrin's knifesteelnerds.com site for graphics that show edge retention on one axis and toughness on the other. Those are the graphics I study closely (since I don't care about sharpenability much at all). I avoid steels that are to the lower left corner (less ER and toughness) compared to their neighbors. You'll notice that S90V is an impressive steel on Larrin's charts!
Steel novice who self-identifies as a steel expert. Proud M.N.O.S.D. member 0003. Spydie Steels: 4V, 15V, 20CV, AEB-L, AUS6, Cru-Wear, HAP40, K294, K390, M4, Magnacut, S110V, S30V, S35VN, S45VN, SPY27, SRS13, T15, VG10, XHP, ZWear, ZDP189
Quick question - what is the best steel used in Spyderco's top knives? Is it S90V?
Just now seeing this, as others have said it’s subjective and depends on what attributes you value. I’m a fan of edge stability and wear resistance, and I’m team k390. Many people feel it’s the best all-around EDC steel, but if you care about corrosion for instance then you wouldn’t agree. There are also steels with better edge stability but worse wear resistance, better wear resistance but worse edge stability (s110v for instance), easier to sharpen, more likely to survive being used as a pry bar (please just don’t), etc. What’s important to you?
If you don't mind the orange scales, there's also a CutleryShoppe exclusive Native Chief in CTS-XHP for significantly less than the upcoming M390 sprint.
XHP is said to have less edge retention than M390, but I like it because I can get XHP sharp with less effort.
Thanks for the heads up! I ended up buying 2 of these knives, actually.
John at Cutlery Shoppe is a good guy. I bought my first one last Sunday, was having trouble using a pre-paid VISA card, turned out I was two bucks short on my balance.
I called Cutlery Shoppe, didn't really expect them to be open, but John answered & when I explained my predicament he lowered the price of the knife on the website for 5 minutes so I could complete my purchase.
Looking at the knife I really like the orange scales, I don't think a photo does them justice. I was thinking of making a set of black scales, but I'm sticking with orange.
I don't think you can beat the price at $155, you get a premium steel for thirty bucks less than the S30V standard version.
Do you have any idea when this knife was released? I'm just curious because they started out with 700 knives & when I talked to him, John said they have 55 or so left.
If you already have the S90V CF version and you don't carry it, I don't think M390 would make any difference.
That's a very good point, although after adding jade scales from SDK for my S30V Shaman, I'm carrying a knife that cost a little more than my Chief in S90V, so go figure.
I bought the Chief in S90V because I wanted a knife with S90V steel which actually...sounds kind of stupid when I think about it.
If you don't mind the orange scales, there's also a CutleryShoppe exclusive Native Chief in CTS-XHP for significantly less than the upcoming M390 sprint.
XHP is said to have less edge retention than M390, but I like it because I can get XHP sharp with less effort.
Thanks for the heads up! I ended up buying 2 of these knives, actually.
John at Cutlery Shoppe is a good guy. I bought my first one last Sunday, was having trouble using a pre-paid VISA card, turned out I was two bucks short on my balance.
I called Cutlery Shoppe, didn't really expect them to be open, but John answered & when I explained my predicament he lowered the price of the knife on the website for 5 minutes so I could complete my purchase.
Looking at the knife I really like the orange scales, I don't think a photo does them justice. I was thinking of making a set of black scales, but I'm sticking with orange.
I don't think you can beat the price at $155, you get a premium steel for thirty bucks less than the S30V standard version.
Do you have any idea when this knife was released? I'm just curious because they started out with 700 knives & when I talked to him, John said they have 55 or so left.
Glad you liked the knife. Very happy to hear about your good experience with CS.
The exclusive was released in August 2021, based on the thread below.
While I do not have an M390 blade ,I do own several 20cv blades.
I find in my own personal experience that s90v is both tougher and holds and edge far longer than 20CV.
S90v holds and edge for what feels like an unusually long time. I am regularly surprised at I it’s edge retention
20cv (which Is basically the same as m390) holds an edge better than s30v but definitely not s90v.
I have accidentally chipped a 20cv blade.
20cv is fairly easy to sharpen (and fix a chipped edge) . I am no sharpening expert like some folks on this forum but I manage to service my own knives . I found it easier to sharpen than s30v.
S90v can take time to sharpen. It took me a little time to “get it” with s90v. The first time I sharpened s90v I got impatient and scratched up my blade. Now I enjoy sharpening s90v. It takes me about a half hour to get s90v from butter knife dull to shave-a-ghost sharp . I like to sharpen my knives while listening to an audiobook podcast or an uneventful zoom meeting (camera off lol). You can get s90v super sharp and it will stay sharp for a long time so you won’t have to sharpen it too often.
They are both stainless and I have yet to find any rust on either steel. I’ve used both steels on plants, food, jumped into lakes with them and have yet to find any corrosion.
If I were to choose, then I’d go with s90v but I’d be happy with either of them.
I gave long winded answer for a quick question; I hope that it helps.
How do you sharpen it ? Clamping system or free hand ?
Free hand. I want to pick up a clamping system soon. Most of the time I use a Sharpmaker to keep my knives sharp.
While I do not have an M390 blade ,I do own several 20cv blades.
I find in my own personal experience that s90v is both tougher and holds and edge far longer than 20CV.
S90v holds and edge for what feels like an unusually long time. I am regularly surprised at I it’s edge retention
20cv (which Is basically the same as m390) holds an edge better than s30v but definitely not s90v.
I have accidentally chipped a 20cv blade.
20cv is fairly easy to sharpen (and fix a chipped edge) . I am no sharpening expert like some folks on this forum but I manage to service my own knives . I found it easier to sharpen than s30v.
S90v can take time to sharpen. It took me a little time to “get it” with s90v. The first time I sharpened s90v I got impatient and scratched up my blade. Now I enjoy sharpening s90v. It takes me about a half hour to get s90v from butter knife dull to shave-a-ghost sharp . I like to sharpen my knives while listening to an audiobook podcast or an uneventful zoom meeting (camera off lol). You can get s90v super sharp and it will stay sharp for a long time so you won’t have to sharpen it too often.
They are both stainless and I have yet to find any rust on either steel. I’ve used both steels on plants, food, jumped into lakes with them and have yet to find any corrosion.
If I were to choose, then I’d go with s90v but I’d be happy with either of them.
I gave long winded answer for a quick question; I hope that it helps.
How do you sharpen it ? Clamping system or free hand ?
Free hand. I want to pick up a clamping system soon. Most of the time I use a Sharpmaker to keep my knives sharp.
Freehand here means sharpmaker brown rods?
Sharpmaker is definitely not true freehand. It’s closer than a clamping sharpener due to the user needing to keep their knife perpendicular to the fixed-angle stone holder.
Freehand means stone in-hand or on a surface and judging & maintaining angle is accomplished solely by eye & hand.
While I do not have an M390 blade ,I do own several 20cv blades.
I find in my own personal experience that s90v is both tougher and holds and edge far longer than 20CV.
S90v holds and edge for what feels like an unusually long time. I am regularly surprised at I it’s edge retention
20cv (which Is basically the same as m390) holds an edge better than s30v but definitely not s90v.
I have accidentally chipped a 20cv blade.
20cv is fairly easy to sharpen (and fix a chipped edge) . I am no sharpening expert like some folks on this forum but I manage to service my own knives . I found it easier to sharpen than s30v.
S90v can take time to sharpen. It took me a little time to “get it” with s90v. The first time I sharpened s90v I got impatient and scratched up my blade. Now I enjoy sharpening s90v. It takes me about a half hour to get s90v from butter knife dull to shave-a-ghost sharp . I like to sharpen my knives while listening to an audiobook podcast or an uneventful zoom meeting (camera off lol). You can get s90v super sharp and it will stay sharp for a long time so you won’t have to sharpen it too often.
They are both stainless and I have yet to find any rust on either steel. I’ve used both steels on plants, food, jumped into lakes with them and have yet to find any corrosion.
If I were to choose, then I’d go with s90v but I’d be happy with either of them.
I gave long winded answer for a quick question; I hope that it helps.
How do you sharpen it ? Clamping system or free hand ?
Free hand. I want to pick up a clamping system soon. Most of the time I use a Sharpmaker to keep my knives sharp.
