CPM Prototype Steel

[Deadboxhero]

I will say, after months of use, that's it's very nice. Thanx Larrin.

sal

I agree.

Thank you Larrin.

[horzuff]

17% carbide so almost exactly the same amount as 10V or K390 :D - as MagnaCut was modeled on 4V maybe this will be a satainless 10V? Impressive if yes

[mooniesdl3]

Larrin is awesome, just joined his Patreon but have been following his work for years and as I said, I've been making knives from MagnaCut from the first heat that was available to purchase.

[Larrin]

Very nice micrograph!

[WilliamMunny]

I will say, after months of use, that's it's very nice. Thanx Larrin.

sal

Sal,

Is there still a chance of a mule team offering for this or did the closing or Crucible have a negative impact on that possibility?

Thanks!

[Red Leader]

I will say, after months of use, that's it's very nice. Thanx Larrin.

sal

Sal,

Is there still a chance of a mule team offering for this or did the closing or Crucible have a negative impact on that possibility?

Thanks!

This is a good question! Interested to know as well.

[sal]

Hi WilliamMunny,

My lips are sealed.

sal

[WilliamMunny]

Hi WilliamMunny,

My lips are sealed.

sal

Nice, no news is good news. Thanks!

[Jayrod1980]

To me this is the grail of knives I want to carry. 15V and K390 are my favorite Spyderco steels and if you gave me a stainless analogue I don’t think I’d ever buy a knife in any other steel again.

This could be a much bigger development for folders than even Magnacut, which I also love and have loads of Spyderco knives in. Of late, I like S90V better, but having edge retention better than S90V AND more toughness while not rusting seems like the holy grail of steel in a folder.

Please please please Spyderco make some models of this with a stonewash finish! Stonewash is so much better for a user knife than satin.

[Deadboxhero]

[Jeb]

The sanding lines are running with the length of the blade on this bad mamajammer. Cool, let's see more of it you... lol

[MrGibson]

So the mystery steel is actually…adamantium? Wow!

[WilliamMunny]

Something you made for testing?

[Wandering_About]

I'm looking forward to seeing this stuff in the wild. "Proto X" may be a fine name for it, in the end, though I suspect the good doctor has his own ideas.

[sal]

The good Doctor has his own name for the alloy. We will be doing a run of Mule Team of the alloy. Good stuff.

sal

[Deadboxhero]

I'm looking forward to seeing this stuff in the wild. "Proto X" may be a fine name for it, in the end, though I suspect the good doctor has his own ideas.

It's just a placeholder name for the limited amount of material that was sent out for testing.

All of this is rather eccentric; knife steels are not usually launched this way. This material is a fully-featured and functioning version of the final steel without the official name disclosed. It was sent out to makers and manufacturers for extended testing and labelled as a "prototype"

Makers and manufacturers were also allowed to sell the knives they made in the steel they received.


This first melt was indeed a prototype and wasn't in large quantities.

I feel this place holder name has its place for the limited prototype steel knives sold before the full production launch of the steel and official name release.

I am currently not allowed to even put the official name on the custom blades I make yet so I have to use the prototype moniker.


Also, the future material will not be made by Crucible in the Geddes, New Work mill since Crucible Industries LLC is closed.

So, it won't have the "CPM" added to it.

However, this material I am holding in my hand was made by them. It was one of the last things they did before they closed so I feel a certain obligation to honor them and their legacy.



For those completely in the dark, this steel is a innovative design by Dr Larrin Thomas backed by Niagara Specialty Metals who contracted Crucible Industries LLC to make the initial melts before they closed. So, it wasn't a Crucible innovation, it came from the mind of Dr. Larrin.

I feel this quirky place holder name has its place in history and I feel it pays homage to the wonderful people at Crucible Industries LLC that were so responsive to the knife industry over the years.

That's not to discredit Erasteel and Carpenter who have been working tirelessly with Niagara Specialty Metals and Dr. Larrin to get their unique material into production for the knife industry and a larger audience to enjoy.

In the meantime, I'm going to get some of these knives in the hands of people before it's released as was allowed and when released and when I get the new material I will label it accordingly.


The official name could be released before the mule team knives hence we may not see the place holder name used on them?

That's far beyond my scope.

I just figured it was fun to share the "CPM Proto X" moniker that Spyderco came up with which appears to be an amalgamation of the original PDF for the material named "project X" and the bars of steel labelled "CPM Proto"

I thought it was a charming name that allows people to trace its development. Folks in the future can look back on a very interesting history in how a innovative knife steel was developed in a unique way and how it was launched and persevered despite the tragedy of losing Crucible Industries LLC along the way.



I'm sure Dr. Larrin will open a new thread in the future when the official name is officially released.

I am certainly looking forward to the massive knowledge transfer to the public by Knife Steel Nerds with all the information folks could ever desire when the time comes.

Thanks

shawn

[weeping minora]

I'm looking forward to seeing this stuff in the wild. "Proto X" may be a fine name for it, in the end, though I suspect the good doctor has his own ideas.

It's just a placeholder name for the limited amount of material that was sent out for testing.

All of this is rather eccentric; knife steels are not usually launched this way. This material is a fully-featured and functioning version of the final steel without the official name disclosed. It was sent out to makers and manufacturers for extended testing and labelled as a "prototype"

Makers and manufacturers were also allowed to sell the knives they made in the steel they received.


This first melt was indeed a prototype and wasn't in large quantities.

I feel this place holder name has its place for the limited prototype steel knives sold before the full production launch of the steel and official name release.

I am currently not allowed to even put the official name on the custom blades I make yet so I have to use the prototype moniker.


Also, the future material will not be made by Crucible in the Geddes, New Work mill since Crucible Industries LLC is closed.

So, it won't have the "CPM" added to it.

However, this material I am holding in my hand was made by them. It was one of the last things they did before they closed so I feel a certain obligation to honor them and their legacy.



For those completely in the dark, this steel is a innovative design by Dr Larrin Thomas backed by Niagara Specialty Metals who contracted Crucible Industries LLC to make the initial melts before they closed. So, it wasn't a Crucible innovation, it came from the mind of Dr. Larrin.

I feel this quirky place holder name has its place in history and I feel it pays homage to the wonderful people at Crucible Industries LLC that were so responsive to the knife industry over the years.

That's not to discredit Erasteel and Carpenter who have been working tirelessly with Niagara Specialty Metals and Dr. Larrin to get their unique material into production for the knife industry and a larger audience to enjoy.

In the meantime, I'm going to get some of these knives in the hands of people before it's released as was allowed and when released and when I get the new material I will label it accordingly.


The official name could be released before the mule team knives hence we may not see the place holder name used on them?

That's far beyond my scope.

I just figured it was fun to share the "CPM Proto X" moniker that Spyderco came up with which appears to be an amalgamation of the original PDF for the material named "project X" and the bars of steel labelled "CPM Proto"

I thought it was a charming name that allows people to trace its development. Folks in the future can look back on a very interesting history in how a innovative knife steel was developed in a unique way and how it was launched and persevered despite the tragedy of losing Crucible Industries LLC along the way.



I'm sure Dr. Larrin will open a new thread in the future when the official name is officially released.

I am certainly looking forward to the massive knowledge transfer to the public by Knife Steel Nerds with all the information folks could ever desire when the time comes.

Thanks

shawn

Interesting and informative, Shawn. Thank you for taking the time to share.

I'm curious after reading, as it sounds as though Erasteel will be making the steel, and Carpenter will be importing the steel for NSM to distribute? Will this become a "Carpenter" product in the process? I understand if further information regarding such detail cannot be discussed at this time.

Highly looking forward to the upcoming Mule.

FWIW, a huge thank you to all at Crucible for their efforts, and innovative spirit over the years. Blessings to all in their future endeavors.

[Deadboxhero]

I'm curious after reading, as it sounds as though Erasteel will be making the steel, and Carpenter will be importing the steel for NSM to distribute?

Will this become a "Carpenter" product in the process?

No, it is not a direct Carpenter product, it's made for NSM and designed by Dr. Larrin.

More details about the "nitty-gritty" inner workings of Erasteel and Carpenter and their roles in the production of the new steel will come directly from NSM and Dr Larrin, not from me.


Be patient.

Highly looking forward to the upcoming Mule.

Yes, it will be very exciting to see what Sal and Eric cook up and get into as many people's hands as possible.

The spirit of the mule team lives for this and it's a what makes Spyderco so special.

FWIW, a huge thank you to all at Crucible for their efforts, and innovative spirit over the years. Blessings to all in their future endeavors.

I agree, long live the pioneers.

[aicolainen]

Shawn, thanks for bringing us up to speed with CPM Proto X.

With the “CPM Proto X” label being limited to blades made from the prototype series, as well as being representative of the final days of CPM, I can imagine these blades will be very sought after collector items.

Looking forward to the big reveal

[Deadboxhero]

Shawn, thanks for bringing us up to speed with CPM Proto X.

With the “CPM Proto X” label being limited to blades made from the prototype series, as well as being representative of the final days of CPM, I can imagine these blades will be very sought after collector items.

Looking forward to the big reveal

Yeah, I think in the next couple years, this thread will be a quirky little "blip" in history documenting a rather unconventional release and the eventful circumstances happening in the background.

It feels like with Crucible gone, a chapter was closed and a new story is beginning. It will be interesting to look back with the clarity of hindsight from the future to see the big picture of it all better.