K390 Worth it?

[Foehammer]

Found a deal on a used k390 pm2. I’m thinking about pulling the trigger. I have one question and that is: how hard is it to sharpen on the Sharpmaker? Will I be pulling my hair out and cursing like I did with that terrible m390? (Which honestly wasn’t that bad just took a while; I just have an axe to grind against the m390 hype train)

[z1r]

A K390 Endela is one of the two knives I carry each day. I love it because of the edge holding ability but also because of how easily it sharpens. I use a Sharpmaker with the Brown and White rods but I also picked up a set of Diamond Rods. I've only needed the Brown and White rods. The Diamond would come in hand if reprofiling.

I had to use that Endela at a family gettogether where there was no suitable kitchen knife. The only cutting board was a glass one. I did manage to roll the edge a little but that was easily straightened out with the brown rods. I have a PM2 in S110V, I love it, but the K390 sharpens more easily.

[Foehammer]

A K390 Endela is one of the two knives I carry each day. I love it because of the edge holding ability but also because of how easily it sharpens. I use a Sharpmaker with the Brown and White rods but I also picked up a set of Diamond Rods. I've only needed the Brown and White rods. The Diamond would come in hand if reprofiling.

I had to use that Endela at a family gettogether where there was no suitable kitchen knife. The only cutting board was a glass one. I did manage to roll the edge a little but that was easily straightened out with the brown rods. I have a PM2 in S110V, I love it, but the K390 sharpens more easily.

Good to know. Thanks!

[Spicy Suplex]

I've only got a Dragonfly 2 in K390 but I'm liking it, think it's a really fun and neat steel, and doesn't give me any grief on the included ceramics. If M390 (I've only done 20CV) feels like it's "slipping" off the rods to you, K390 has more of that grab/feedback.

[olditguy]

Love it. I’m carrying two today. Dragonfly Wharnie and the Delica.

[vilePossum]

Love it.
Sure, it's not fun to reprofile on the diamond rods, or I just need new ones, but getting it sharp and keeping it sharp is easy on the sharpmaker.
Sure, it is not stainless, but imho myich more so than for example m4.

[Spicy Suplex]

^ Above M4 and below REX-45 seems a good ballpark

[bladesandbeverages]

My first knife in K390 was a police 4. This one came with a not so great edge that was wider than the 40 degree set up on the sharpmaker. I tried to initially reprofile on the diamond rods with no success. So I took the edge down with a wicked edge pretty easily. Took a fantastic edge. Once the edge bevels are good the sharpmaker should be great.

If the edge on your knife is already pretty good, you should be fine. If it comes to you like my police did, you will likely need to freehand or use a guided system with diamond stones to set a good edge first. It really is a fantastic steel.

[gunmike1]

As stated touchups are great on the Sharpmaker if your bevel angle is less than the angle you are using on the Sharpmaker (so less than 15 or 20 degrees per side depending on what setting you use) since you are just sharpening a microbevel. Even the 15V at 65 RC in my Manix 2 touched up in a few light passes per side in the 15 degree setting (I have the angle set at 13 degrees per side). The Sharpmaker can work to lower your full bevel angle with the diamond or CBN rods, but it will be slow and inefficient if you have to lower the angle much with steels like K390. I use XXC and XC diamonds either freehand or using a Hapstone when I set my main bevels and it goes much faster than using a sharpmaker.

[cjk]

This guy (the father of Magnacut) seems to think K390 is alright.

https://knifesteelnerds.com/2023/04/11/ ... nce-steel/

Yep, it's worth it.

[dsm]

Adding to the chorus here, but K390 is my favorite steel. I really like the patina you can get, mine won't rust unless you're using it on the water or live in a coastal climate and do not keep it maintained, and the cutting performance is fantastic. Couple that with a much easier sharpening experience (again, in my experience) than S30V or other stainless steels and it's a winner.

[Matus]

I have a PM2 in k390 that I got second hand. That thing is a proper user. I have thinned & convexed the blade, love what it can do. I can't do any meaningful comparison to other PM2 versions, but the edge holding and stability is great IMO.

[Fireman]

I like the edge that a fine DMT puts on it. I am sold on it but it will patina.

[Albatross]

I think M390 sharpens a little faster, so the sharpmaker might not be ideal for a full sharpening of K390. If you are doing frequent touch-ups with the brown rods, it's not so bad, but you will also (eventually) fatigue the edge, which will lower the edge retention and edge stability. This may or may not be noticeable in your use, but should be pointed out. In my experience, K390 sharpens nicely with diamond or CBN stones.

[Foehammer]

Thanks everyone. Just pulled the trigger. Now hopefully I have better luck with this seller than the last one who ripped me off.

[RamZar]

Dr. Larrin Thomas (Knife Steel Nerds) has a new article on K390:

K390 – Best High Wear Resistance Steel?

BÖHLER K390 MICROCLEAN


https://youtu.be/UhfBLjuyqsU

[Stuart Ackerman]

I own two Blue Edgematters K390 Pingos.

I Kalgard Gunkoted one in Flat Grey, and so I never have corrosion issues.
The edge is exposed, but I use it enough to keep it "clean."

I love K390 and i just touch it up with grey ceramic rods, so I never had to actually sharpen it.
Whitling wood, or cutting ripe tomatoes is just fine and dandy...

The other EM marked as-delivered Pingo is in its box, and I might Gunkote that one's blade with GK Pink if my wife wants it badly enough? :)

Obviously, the Gunkoted one has hidden the EM mark.

[olditguy]

Just ordered the K390 Stretch 2. Finally showed in stock at SFO.

[benben]

I have a K390 Endela, I’m definitely no sharpening guru, heck I use the Brown rods only for everything. Last time I spent a couple of minutes touching up my Endela I finished it with the White rods, man it gave it a crazy sticky sharp edge!

So yeah, definitely worth it!

[kennethsime]

It’s great stuff. Get yourself the CBN rods and it’s not too bad.