4V Sprint Use Reports

[vivi]

Got my hands on a pair of 4V Manix XL sprints today and immediately put one to use. Thought it would be nice having a thread dedicated to 4V use reports.

Feel free to add your experiences here, regardless of which model 4V knife you've used.

First days use of my Manix included:

- Hacking away at underbrush in the woods
- Breaking up some fatwood with a baton and making feathersticks to start a fire
- Slicing some ribeye and trimming off asparagus ends at dinner
- Opening some mail and packages, then breaking down some cardboard
- Slicing up a honeycrisp for the little ones lunch tomorrow



After this use the edge was still shaving sharp from tip to heel, which didn't surprise me.

What did surprise me was a slight patina along the cutting edge:



I know 4V can patina and rust, but I've been using my M4 Manix XL since it came out and don't recall seeing the bevel ever patina that quick. Guessing the salt on the steak did it.

Only other thing I noticed was chopping at some light brush gave the pivot the tiniest amount of play. Managed to break the seal of the white loc-tite apparently.

There's also a few spots on the DLC but it's probably just residue of some sort, not corrosion.



Anyways I didn't plan on doing this but tonight I swapped the scales. Came across some interesting things in the process:



The blade is over a year and a half old.



There was black residue all over the liners, and I do mean all over them. That black that rubbed off on the paper towel is from by the lanyard tube, it's not the pivot oil.



Some poor finishing on one liner. Spots where the coating was worn off from the factory, which is particularly disappointing for me because I rely on that coating for corrosion resistance. Also some odd straight lines where the coating was removed (these didn't show up in the photo, sorry). No idea what did that.

Not a deal breaker, but it is strange.


Anyways, the scale swap.

My M4 currently has micarta scales. The stock natural g10 scales I dyed kelly green, then dyed the ends black. Those are the scales I put on my 4V and I'm thrilled with how it turned out...

Before:



After



As an added bonus these are already broken in, so it slides in and out of my pocket a lot better now.

Not sure what I'll do with the red scales. Maybe dye them, maybe throw them on my modded S30V XL I took the two tone scales from.



I'm excited to get to know 4V better. Plan is to reset the bevel over the next week to a slightly thinner angle with no microbevel. Not sure what grit I'll be finishing. I'll probably start coarse and try polished later to see how 4V does with each finish.

Lastly some scale weights. This surprised me. The M4 / micarta one felt heavier to me.

[mtb]

Thanks for the write up!
Waiting to receive mine and put it to good use. :)

[vivi]

Thanks for the write up!
Waiting to receive mine and put it to good use. :)

I'm excited to play around with the edge angle and apex finish. This is my first time putting 4V to some real use.

[mtb]

I'm excited to play around with the edge angle and apex finish. This is my first time putting 4V to some real use.

What's your planned dps?

[TkoK83Spy]

Page 1 and 2 of this thread... viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86207&hilit=spyderc ... d&start=20

I have since reprofiled both the Shaman and Manix to 15dps. Would be interesting to try and set something up similar to what I did with the factory edges, and see how they hold up now at 15dps.

[Coastal]

4V Mule Team in kitchen use since January, as part of a loose rotation with two other Mules and a chef's knife. Sharpened 15 dps, 220 grit, no micro-bevel, using the Worksharp Precision Adjust, stropped on KnivesPlus green block. Used only for food prep on edge-grain Boos cutting board, no hard use at all.
`

`
This thread caused me to check the edge, which needed a quick touch-up on the strop to bring back to better-than-shaving sharpness. Honestly, in use I hadn't noticed any change in the edge. Care has been a simple rinsing and drying within a few minutes of each use. While you can't tell from the photo, there is no patina on the edge.

[ekastanis]

I used the 4V Shaman to carelessly open 6 bags of concrete mix. That dulled the edge pretty good, and the DLC even got a bit scratched too. It sharpened up great on the 306CBN though! I tried to match the factory angle, raised a burr on the 400 side and finished on the 800 side, ~20 minutes in total and it's as good as new.

[vivi]

I'm excited to play around with the edge angle and apex finish. This is my first time putting 4V to some real use.

What's your planned dps?

10-12dps.

[WilliamMunny]

I'm excited to play around with the edge angle and apex finish. This is my first time putting 4V to some real use.

What's your planned dps?

10-12dps.

Freehand or with a guided system? That will be crazy sharp if it's with a guided system.

[TkoK83Spy]

That will make Vivi chuckle...his freehand skills are quite good.

[WilliamMunny]

That will make Vivi chuckle...his freehand skills are quite good.

I was asking because if it was a guided system then it would be a true 10 degrees and not convex at all. Would be a crazy angle.

[Fireman]

Got my hands on a pair of 4V Manix XL sprints today and immediately put one to use. Thought it would be nice having a thread dedicated to 4V use reports.

Feel free to add your experiences here, regardless of which model 4V knife you've used.

First days use of my Manix included:

- Hacking away at underbrush in the woods
- Breaking up some fatwood with a baton and making feathersticks to start a fire
- Slicing some ribeye and trimming off asparagus ends at dinner
- Opening some mail and packages, then breaking down some cardboard
- Slicing up a honeycrisp for the little ones lunch tomorrow



After this use the edge was still shaving sharp from tip to heel, which didn't surprise me.

What did surprise me was a slight patina along the cutting edge:



I know 4V can patina and rust, but I've been using my M4 Manix XL since it came out and don't recall seeing the bevel ever patina that quick. Guessing the salt on the steak did it.

Only other thing I noticed was chopping at some light brush gave the pivot the tiniest amount of play. Managed to break the seal of the white loc-tite apparently.

There's also a few spots on the DLC but it's probably just residue of some sort, not corrosion.



Anyways I didn't plan on doing this but tonight I swapped the scales. Came across some interesting things in the process:



The blade is over a year and a half old.



There was black residue all over the liners, and I do mean all over them. That black that rubbed off on the paper towel is from by the lanyard tube, it's not the pivot oil.



Some poor finishing on one liner. Spots where the coating was worn off from the factory, which is particularly disappointing for me because I rely on that coating for corrosion resistance. Also some odd straight lines where the coating was removed (these didn't show up in the photo, sorry). No idea what did that.

Not a deal breaker, but it is strange.


Anyways, the scale swap.

My M4 currently has micarta scales. The stock natural g10 scales I dyed kelly green, then dyed the ends black. Those are the scales I put on my 4V and I'm thrilled with how it turned out...

Before:



After



As an added bonus these are already broken in, so it slides in and out of my pocket a lot better now.

Not sure what I'll do with the red scales. Maybe dye them, maybe throw them on my modded S30V XL I took the two tone scales from.



I'm excited to get to know 4V better. Plan is to reset the bevel over the next week to a slightly thinner angle with no microbevel. Not sure what grit I'll be finishing. I'll probably start coarse and try polished later to see how 4V does with each finish.

Lastly some scale weights. This surprised me. The M4 / micarta one felt heavier to me.

Need to get you some wooden steak charger plates to preserve your edges.

[vivi]

before:



after:

[mtb]

before:



after:

Drool worthy.... How does it feel on the stone when compared to M4?

[Manifestgtr]

I often carry my st nicks para 3 lw when working…I’m not the biggest dlc fan but the st nicks para 3 is probably the least “intimidating” looking para 3 I own, plus it works well with a suit and tie.

4v is an awesome carry steel. I’ve blown through gaffing tape, cardboard and all sorts of abrasive, offensive material and the edge stability is great… very Cruwear-like in that regard.

[GarageBoy]

Guess we should link Deadboxhero's 4v thread here as well
viewtopic.php?t=81487

[vivi]

Drool worthy.... How does it feel on the stone when compared to M4?

It felt more wear resistant than I was expecting.

Tried to even the bevel out a bit more this morning:




The edge is off a 300 grit diamond stone, stropped on 45 micron loaded leather a few times. Very aggressive.

[ZrowsN1s]

Since I'm stuck with small knives at work for the time being, I'd thought I'd take the 4V jester in this week.

Sharpened on the WE130 to a 3k diamond finish and .1 micron lapping film. A goniometer measured even 14DPS, 108 BESS, paper towel test passed.

We'll see how it holds up at work. Made some small notches in my K390 ladybug cutting a twist tie with a small wire core. Was a little surprised, I cut stuff like that often and don't usually get edge damage. Maybe my edge was just too thin, or the wire heavier duty than usual.

[Evil D]

Are liners really DLC or just some other Cerakote type coating?