Why CPM 3V

[VandymanG]

Thought I’d post this since every time I bring this up people automatically say I don’t want a folding 3V. Not saying I don’t want a folding 3V knife because I’d be lying. I do want one. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

What i’d really like to see is a fixed blade 3V knife with the Spyderco heat treat before 3V is gone and no where to be found. Spyderco is known for its ability to push the heat treats to get the best performance out of any given steel.

Better yet a 3V collaboration with @Deadboxhero would be extremely enticing. Every knife steel that Spyderco and deadboxhero have done together has been amazing.

I’d love for a PSK sized fixed blade, a CPM 3V mule would be just fine. And a 4 to 6 inch Bowie style fixed blade knife.

None of the other steels have the same toughness and edge retention that 3V has. Some equal 3V toughness but none of the ones that equal or surpass in toughness come close to the edge retention.

Oddly enough if one was made as a folder I’d want it designed for whittling and under 3 inches. Hmm wharncliffe anyone?

Still beating the drum for 3V but worried that time may have run out.

Any others out there that would love to see a Spyderco 3V knife? If so what kind?

[vivi]

I'd like a 3V fixed blade from Spyderco.

It's beaten out cruwear for me in terms of toughness, edge holding and corrosion resistance. so what's not to like?

I'd instantly buy a temp 1 or 2, street beat, street bowie or brand new fixed blade design in it.

I'd instantly buy a manix xl or c95 manix lockback in it too, especially if DLC coated.

It's a great steel that Spyderco could likely heat treat better than the company that made my 3V blades.

[jmj3esq]

There are some nice 3V fixed blades out there. I would be all over a hard use 3V Spyderco.

Hinderer Battle Black Ranch Bowie Harpoon Spanto.

[Synov]

What i’d really like to see is a fixed blade 3V knife with the Spyderco heat treat before 3V is gone and no where to be found. Spyderco is known for its ability to push the heat treats to get the best performance out of any given steel.

Multiple sources have confirmed 3V will remain in production for the foreseeable future, no need to worry!

[gk4ever2]

...
What i’d really like to see is a fixed blade 3V knife with the Spyderco heat treat before 3V is gone and no where to be found. Spyderco is known for its ability to push the heat treats to get the best performance out of any given steel.
...

Carothers Performance Knives (CPK) does a great job with 3V (Nathan C. has researched 3V heat treating extensively). They are currently offering a 5" fixed blade called a Basic Field Knife (they only sell fixed blades). Quality is excellent, the only problem is availability of the knives, although the Basic I mentioned has been around for awhile, so availability should be better now on that model. For more info see:
https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/caro ... nives.929/
https://carothersknives.com/

[vivi]

...
What i’d really like to see is a fixed blade 3V knife with the Spyderco heat treat before 3V is gone and no where to be found. Spyderco is known for its ability to push the heat treats to get the best performance out of any given steel.
...

Carothers Performance Knives (CPK) does a great job with 3V (Nathan C. has researched 3V heat treating extensively). They are currently offering a 5" fixed blade called a Basic Field Knife (they only sell fixed blades). Quality is excellent, the only problem is availability of the knives, although the Basic I mentioned has been around for awhile, so availability should be better now on that model. For more info see:
https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/caro ... nives.929/
https://carothersknives.com/

That 5" blade model looks really nice,but OOS. Any idea what the typical price is on one? Wouldn't mind grabbing one next time they're available.

[Evil D]

Never had any 3V, just haven't found it in a model I was interested in yet. But I do remember watching a video that Monkey Edge put out where they were batoning through cinder blocks with a little 3V fixed blade and the lack of edge damage was extremely impressive. Of course then I'm asking myself what scenario I would ever need to do that with my edge, so it may not be a realistic need but let's be honest most of my purchases aren't realistic needs anyway so make it in something like a Bodacious or Military 2 and I'd be all in.

[Manixguy@1994]

I would love to see another folder in 3V . Make it in a Manix XL or a Military 2 and it would be an instant buy for me . Any blade finish would not be a problem . MG2

[Synov]

...
What i’d really like to see is a fixed blade 3V knife with the Spyderco heat treat before 3V is gone and no where to be found. Spyderco is known for its ability to push the heat treats to get the best performance out of any given steel.
...

Carothers Performance Knives (CPK) does a great job with 3V (Nathan C. has researched 3V heat treating extensively). They are currently offering a 5" fixed blade called a Basic Field Knife (they only sell fixed blades). Quality is excellent, the only problem is availability of the knives, although the Basic I mentioned has been around for awhile, so availability should be better now on that model. For more info see:
https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/caro ... nives.929/
https://carothersknives.com/

That 5" blade model looks really nice,but OOS. Any idea what the typical price is on one? Wouldn't mind grabbing one next time they're available.

The basic is priced at $350 and there are various upgrade options. There is usually a sale every other Friday at 3pm EST. There won't be one today, maybe next week.

Here's the last sale to give you an idea:

https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/for- ... lades.754/

Advanced notice of sales is given in this thread: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/the ... 9/page-239

[kobold]

Most Spyderco blades snap at the opening hole and a tough steel can negate that to some extent, so the tougher, the better really.

[Brock O Lee]

I think 3V works best in a big old fixed blade, like this Koster M.U.C.K.



And of course, this thread needs a picture of the original Tuff.

[LazyOutdoorsman]

i've never used 3v or 4v before, but i've heard that 4v is better because the higher attainable hardness means more resistance to plastic deformation.
Impact toughness is a bit different, defined as "the toughness or impact strength is the amount of energy that a material is able to absorb before rupturing." (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/en ... -toughness)

Also, Mr. Houston stated "4v has plenty of edge toughness, it will be less prone to rolling at the edge with actual cutting compared to 3V which is tougher but will blunt faster and need more frequent sharpening if you are a good knife user. "

[Evil D]

I just love seeing a knife like the TUFF actually getting a proper sharpening and use. So many of them are used more for glamour shots than cutting tools.

[vivi]

...
What i’d really like to see is a fixed blade 3V knife with the Spyderco heat treat before 3V is gone and no where to be found. Spyderco is known for its ability to push the heat treats to get the best performance out of any given steel.
...

Carothers Performance Knives (CPK) does a great job with 3V (Nathan C. has researched 3V heat treating extensively). They are currently offering a 5" fixed blade called a Basic Field Knife (they only sell fixed blades). Quality is excellent, the only problem is availability of the knives, although the Basic I mentioned has been around for awhile, so availability should be better now on that model. For more info see:
https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/caro ... nives.929/
https://carothersknives.com/

That 5" blade model looks really nice,but OOS. Any idea what the typical price is on one? Wouldn't mind grabbing one next time they're available.

The basic is priced at $350 and there are various upgrade options. There is usually a sale every other Friday at 3pm EST. There won't be one today, maybe next week.

Here's the last sale to give you an idea:

https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/for- ... lades.754/

Advanced notice of sales is given in this thread: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/the ... 9/page-239

thank you. I'll keep an eye out.

[VandymanG]

I think 3V works best in a big old fixed blade, like this Koster M.U.C.K.



And of course, this thread needs a picture of the original Tuff.

A Tuff sprint run would be awesome.

[Synov]

Carothers Performance Knives (CPK) does a great job with 3V (Nathan C. has researched 3V heat treating extensively). They are currently offering a 5" fixed blade called a Basic Field Knife (they only sell fixed blades). Quality is excellent, the only problem is availability of the knives, although the Basic I mentioned has been around for awhile, so availability should be better now on that model. For more info see:
https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/caro ... nives.929/
https://carothersknives.com/

That 5" blade model looks really nice,but OOS. Any idea what the typical price is on one? Wouldn't mind grabbing one next time they're available.

The basic is priced at $350 and there are various upgrade options. There is usually a sale every other Friday at 3pm EST. There won't be one today, maybe next week.

Here's the last sale to give you an idea:

https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/for- ... lades.754/

Advanced notice of sales is given in this thread: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/the ... 9/page-239

thank you. I'll keep an eye out.

FYI, the sale goes fast and it's first come, first serve. You should be in the For Sale subforum before 3pm, click on the thread as soon as it's posted, and quickly post one letter, then edit the post once it exists. Otherwise you may be too late.

[VandymanG]

The biggest thing for me is that I trust Spyderco to get the best out of 3V. I don’t have any 3V in my collection and I’d love if it was a Spyderco heat treated knife. I’ve been focused on Spyderco for the last two years and currently want to stay that way. They’ve earned my trust which isn’t easy to get. Plus I need to be picky due to my current budget restraints. Thinking of budget, the Manix in 3V would be awesome. They’re usually very reasonably priced and more affordable.

[vivi]

You know what would be cool? A 3V Hossom Forester sprint.

That 5" blade model looks really nice,but OOS. Any idea what the typical price is on one? Wouldn't mind grabbing one next time they're available.

The basic is priced at $350 and there are various upgrade options. There is usually a sale every other Friday at 3pm EST. There won't be one today, maybe next week.

Here's the last sale to give you an idea:

https://www.bladeforums.com/forums/for- ... lades.754/

Advanced notice of sales is given in this thread: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/the ... 9/page-239

thank you. I'll keep an eye out.

FYI, the sale goes fast and it's first come, first serve. You should be in the For Sale subforum before 3pm, click on the thread as soon as it's posted, and quickly post one letter, then edit the post once it exists. Otherwise you may be too late.

heard.

they still sell the EDC Model? Looks like it isn't in current production but I like the looks of it.

[Red Leader]

Ahh, my kind of thread. Love it.

I had several Carothers, and currently have 1. I also commissioned a 3V fixed blade bowie from Nic Groniger (small US custom knife maker) and couldn't be more pleased:




3V is a phenomenal steel that I believe could benefit from the extra time and effort to optimize, similar to 15V. Either Shawn Houston or Nathan Carothers would be an excellent choice to help develop it. Or perhaps Shawn AND Nathan? The ultimate Spyderco collaboration? Could be quite an amazing thing.

I've searched high and low for a folding knife in 3V, and a lot of those searches end back at Demko designs, so that will probably be a route that I go, but I will be eagerly awaiting Spyderco's re-entry into 3V, and potentially, even working w/ Larrin and whichever foundry will be making this steel, to tweak the recipe to perhaps throw in a little Niobium. I believe there is a lot of room for 3V to grow, either in composition or in heat treat, or both. In Larrin's re-testing of 3V, it was found to be even better than first believed.

While I do believe something in Spyderco's folding repertoire should be offered in this amazing steel; a Bodacious would be AMAZING. I can understand the draw to a fixed blade, though. If that is where we start, that is fine. First, let's get a Mule going, and then I would love to see a 3V version of this:

[Burton Knut]

I whole heartedly second CPK for your fixed blade 3V needs! I actually met BBB at the CPK table at BladeShow a few years ago. Doc Larrin was there too. Those three nerding out on heat treat is next level progression. Seriously cool to see those three together that year as it was right after MC came out.