15V Regular Production Plea

[hambone56rx]

Please make it readily available! I’m still holding out for a Yo2!

Hamilton

[RustyIron]

As long as we're talking about future 15V knives, didn't I read someplace that there was a collaboration knife with Spyderco and Shawn H. that would be sportin' a 15V blade? Maybe I misunderstood or dreamt it.

[zhyla]

Hey Skywalker,

Maybe you'll like it?

sal

Someone getting sent to the principal’s office.

Seriously though guys, 17VN going to rock your socks.

[WilliamMunny]

As long as we're talking about future 15V knives, didn't I read someplace that there was a collaboration knife with Spyderco and Shawn H. that would be sportin' a 15V blade? Maybe I misunderstood or dreamt it.

It’s coming, it was in the case at the Blade Show. Might even be the last knife made of 15V depending on stock I am sure.

[RustyIron]

It’s coming, it was in the case at the Blade Show. Might even be the last knife
made of 15V depending on stock I am sure.

I'm assuming that the knife in the case was just for lookin' and not for photographin', lest you end up Jimmy Hoffa'ed in the foundation of the new Spyderco building?

[WilliamMunny]

It’s coming, it was in the case at the Blade Show. Might even be the last knife
made of 15V depending on stock I am sure.

I'm assuming that the knife in the case was just for lookin' and not for photographin', lest you end up Jimmy Hoffa'ed in the foundation of the new Spyderco building?

Correct, I did not see it myself but was told about it from someone who did. Someone else mentioned that it also made an appearance at the Amsterdam meet.

[Red Leader]

Hey Skywalker,

Maybe you'll like it?

sal

Someone getting sent to the principal’s office.

Seriously though guys, 17VN going to rock your socks.

17VN? Do tell.

[zhyla]

17VN? Do tell.

Forget 17VN, VX181 will make it obsolete.

[Red Leader]

17VN? Do tell.

Forget 17VN, VX181 will make it obsolete.

[SteveMidwest]

I will provide this link for validation.

https://arcticknife.com/blog/goodbye-cpm-15v/

The just of it, 15V is going down with Crucible. No more 15V will ever be made. Another interesting tidbit, it's quite possible SPY27 will suffer the same fate.

There is one major problem with that article "Posted by Harley on 13th May 2025" - Goodbye CPM 15V

The part where he writes about 15V: "It requires extremely high smelting temperatures and specialised equipment that, up until now, only Crucible Industries had." - Is simply not a true statement.

In order to help clear-up some of what has been said about the making of CPM-15V, and what was said by: "Posted by Harley on 13th May 2025"

To boil down what I have said about Harley's statement not being true - "It requires extremely high smelting temperatures and specialised equipment that, up until now, only Crucible Industries had."

A truer statement would be: "up until now, only Crucible Industries has been willing to do."

It does take a higher temperature to properly atomize (PM) 15V steel. Done so, to keep the V carbides relatively small, but many other steel companies are able to go higher as well. It has only been Crucible Industries willing to making a 15V class steel so far. Also, this higher temperature operation comes at a cost, that again, only Crucible Industries has been doing, and have been willing to do, in order to make 15V. With this higher temperature atomization (PM) operation comes some sacrifice, and that is in the form of shortening the life of the ceramic refractory holding the liquid steel, when feeding the atomizer (PM).

So other steel makers can make 15V, it's just that they have not done so, yet, and when/if they do, they will have to either come up with a better ceramic refractory (to keep costs down), or use their current ceramic refractory like Crucible Industries was doing, but figure on a shorter ceramic refractory life. This of course, increases the cost of a Melt.

In a report by Crucible Industries, they stated that "there is a limit of about 3250°F for production before the refractories see major issues." (That was 30 years ago) It was later found, that they could meet their carbide size goals, while only operating at a 3020°F atomization temperature. Increasing the life of their ceramic refractory.

Knife Steel Nerds: May 24, 2021 by our favorite PhD, Doctor Larrin Thomas
https://knifesteelnerds.com/2021/05/24/ ... n-you-add/

. . . . in the early 1990s Crucible metallurgists William Staska and Kenneth Pinnow looked at increased liquid steel temperatures to allow higher vanadium contents. This is the temperature the steel is “atomized” from in the powder metallurgy process so it is often called the atomization temperature. Higher temperatures are not necessarily desirable because it leads to shorter life of the ceramic refractory holding the liquid steel, but is necessary for the higher vanadium content. Interestingly, Stasko and Pinnow did not only look at 15V, however, but also higher vanadium versions called 18V and 20V in the patent and published papers on the research. The patent reports that there is a limit of about 3250°F for production before the refractories see major issues."

[kobold]

We don't own enough knives in S90V either.

[Naperville]

I'm all for more steels, and better steels. That is why we buy Spyderco knives.

If the experts and people with tens of millions in equipment related to steel making think 15V is ground breaking, somebody will make the investment to make 15V.


Did you know that Larrin has an Instagram feed?
https://www.instagram.com/knifesteelnerds/?hl=en

Larrin said, "Can finally say the name and general properties for the upcoming steel MagnaMax from @niagaraspecialtymetals This has had several temporary names like Proto X and CPM Prototype or even MagnaTuff but the name is MagnaMax. It is essentially a higher wear resistance version of MagnaCut which retains the excellent combination of hardness and corrosion resistance from the improved microstructure design of that grade. Another way to think of it is the same properties as CPM 10V or K390 but stainless. It has similar toughness to stainless grades like S35VN or CPM-154 but much higher edge retention. Or similar edge retention to S110V but with double the toughness. A new combination of properties not previously available. More information in the coming weeks and months."

MagnaMax is step in the right direction. We need more of this.