CTS-20CP Performance

Slash · #21

Don't believe the hype.

chuck_roxas45 · #22

Slash wrote:Don't believe the hype.

So what are your experiences with the steel?

bh49 · #23

Evil D wrote:You have to push them and cut a lot to see their benefits.

Right. I think that most of the knifenuts cut a lot, just most of us can take much longer time to cut as much as Yablonovich cuts in one day.
I think every knifenut will benefit from increased edge retention or option to used more acute edge angles.

Spook410 · #24

Completely agree that one person's experiences are anecdotal, not statistical. Still, by way of user feedback, I've gone out of my way with the M390 Mule to see how the edge would hold up. I've been surprised at how well it has performed. I'm not running particularly fine angles (probably 36 deg inclusive/polished) but I am cutting cardboard and small amounts of sheet rock while paying attention to how well it holds up. This prompted to buy several others like the CF millie and the upcoming 204P paras. If it's all a scam, I am totally fooled.

Evil D · #25

bh49 wrote:Right. I think that most of the knifenuts cut a lot, just most of us can take much longer time to cut as much as Yablonovich cuts in one day.
I think every knifenut will benefit from increased edge retention or option to used more acute edge angles.

It also comes down to how much you like to sharpen and at what level of sharpness you're willing to drop to before you sharpen again. I've come to the conclusion that for me i need a steel that's a bit more tough than S30V and easier/as easy to sharpen with similar (not less) edge retention and i'm happy. Yeah i'd love to have a steel that holds a hair popping edge for a long time, but i don't buy knives for shaving arm hair.

NoFair · #26

With a bit of stropping and UF rods my CTS 20CP Para stays hair whittling :D

Ferris Wheels · #27

Man I need to find one of these para2's in cts20cp. I was a little concerned at the beginning of this thread but after reading through all the posts I want one even more now. The search continues.

wquiles · #28

I am EDCing a CF M390 Milie now, but for the time I EDC'ed my Royal Purple PM2, I have to say that although sharpening took longer, the CTS-20CP steel remained sharp far longer than the average steels - to me it is definitely a premium steel, and worth the higher price/premium.

Will

chuck_roxas45 · #29

Ferris Wheels wrote:Man I need to find one of these para2's in cts20cp. I was a little concerned at the beginning of this thread but after reading through all the posts I want one even more now. The search continues.

When I first got my Grey Para, I immediately rebeveled to 36° inclusive and I just happened to be hanging out a lot at a friend's auto shop at that time. Heavier spare parts came in dirty, heavy gauge cardboard and just to get a feel for the steel, I cut open and broke down a lot of those boxes. I resisted the urge to sharpen for two weeks. At the end of two weeks(which was all the time my OCD would allow without sharpening) , it wouldn't shave arm hair, it wouldn't slice paper but it still didn't have any trouble cutting dirty, heavy gauge cardboard.

If you like fine, hair whittling edges on your knives at all times, maybe 20CP is not for you. OTOH, if you want a knife that cuts what needs to be cut and continues at that level of sharpness for 2-3 times longer than a para 2 with S30V, you'll love the grey para. Another thing to look at would be your sharpening skills because 20CP does need a lot more time to sharpen when it gets dull. A solution to that is to not let it get dull, as has been mentioned earlier.

jackknifeh · #30

Evil D wrote:My only issue is that it seemed to chip pretty easily at 30 inclusive, but a micro bevel took care of that.

phillipsted wrote:Good point, Evil. I am going to put a microbevel on it today at about 40° and see if this helps out.

Oddly enough, this blade came from the factory with a primary bevel just under 30°. That may have been part of the issue here...

TedP

I had similar performance with ZDP-189. I was expecting to be able to use low edge angles. Any edge angle at or below 30 deg incl would chip and not hold an edge. Put a micro-bevel of 36-40 deg on it and that increased edge performance dramatically. Also, touching up the edge with a micro-bevel was very quick and easy.

Ankerson wrote:20CP is finer grained than S90V so it will tend to like a slightly finer edge from what I have seen.

Some of the problems could be from just working with the original edge instead of removing enough metal for a fresh bevel.

I've had several knives that came very sharp but lost it quicker than after I had the knife for a while. I'm thinking Ankerson is right about putting a fresh bevel on the blade. Spyderco's come with a toothy edge. Toothier than I ever put on an edge. Does that mean we may be into the question of "does a toothy edge hold an edge longer than a smooth one? Or is that reversed?"

The "standard" angles Spyderco backs is 30 deg back bevel and 40 deg edge bevel. I say that because of the angle settings of the Sharpmaker. Most of their knives come with angles between 30 and 40 deg inclusive in my experience. ANYWHERE in that range is fine for most EDC knives and cutting tasks IMO. However, if you want your angles to be more specific you can't count on Spyderco to provide that out of the box. Also, they don't claim to be extremely accurate as far as edge angle consistancy. Their primary goal is sharpness and they meet that claim most of the time. So, IMO if you are going to pay close attention to edge retention you can't count on the factory edge since edge retenion changes with angle accuracy..

What I've said is just my opinion based on limited experience.

Jack