CTS BD1 steel - impressions?

[glbpro]

Dear All,

I recently acquired a Manix 2 lightweight with the relatively new CTS BD1 steel. My experience up to this point has been with AUS 8 and VG-10 so I was wondering what the more experienced members here thought of this steel, and how it compares against the other common steels that Spyderco uses.

My impression so far is that it offers good cutting performance and I like the 'smoked mirror' finish that it takes :D

Regards,
Bruno

[greenewk]

In my experience, it's very very easy to sharpen to a very nice, razor edge. But it does not hold that edge for an adequate enough amount of time to perform as a work knife.
YMMV

[razorsharp]

Its pretty decent, gets sharp, sharpens fast, holds an edge fairly good, I wouldn't put it up with vg10 edge retention wise, but it makes up for it in sharpenability and sharpness on the stones

[glbpro]

Thanks for the replies - looks like it's time to invest in a Sharpmaker then :)

[Cliff Stamp]

But it does not hold that edge for an adequate enough amount of time to perform as a work knife.

This is most likely a sharpening problem.

If this was true for example then it would mean all the ABS knives with 1084 and similar steels were not adequate for work knives. If you want long term slicing aggression then adjust the edge angle down slightly and reduce the grit finish.

[Eee]

Isn't BD1 an American made equivalent to Gin1? If so, it's based on a steel that help build the reputation of Spyderco.

VG10 replaced it in some knives so is presumably a slight improvement in some respect.

[CarbonFiberNut]

Isn't BD1 an American made equivalent to Gin1? If so, it's based on a steel that help build the reputation of Spyderco.

Basically, yeah it is. I find the "not adequate for a work knife" statement puzzling - we got away just fine with these sorts of steels for a decade or more before some of the more modern stuff came out. If I still had any of my old Gin-1 Spydies, I'd still be using them today, the same as I am still using my Aus-8 knives regularly.

Sure, we have some fancier stuff that's come out since then, but the improvements are incremental at best. CTS-BD1 is still a fine working steel.

[jsveiga]

The Manix2 FRCP is one of the Spydercos my shopping list (I can only buy them when I travel to the USA, roughly once a year), so I'm interested in this thread too.

From what I found in forums (please someone correct me if I'm wrong), it sounds like BD1 is a low(er) cost steel (an American substitute for 8Cr13MoV?). It doesn't mean it is bad. As it was said above, it is at Gin1 (G-2) levels (some knives which were once G-2 are VG-10 today, but that was then - G-2 was "the VG-10" in the 90's, I suppose).

I do not expect it to perform as my ZDPs, but closer to my 8Cr13MoV and G-2. Edge retention is not a problem to me; I don't use the knives a lot, and I love retouching/resharpening - daily if necessary (not for the blade, but for my cravings)

I added the Manix2 blue FRCP to my wish list "despite" BD1 (the other two in the list are S30V), because it looks so beautiful and I like its size, blade shape, price, and weight, and I find the locking mechanism interesting. I also read about its nice polished looks, so I want to "learn" this steel.

As I think someone already wrote in this forum, there is no "bad" steel used by Spyderco. Some are better than others in some aspects, but at a point you just have to pick the knives that pleases you the most and go for them.

[Blerv]

It's entirely possible VG10 replaced it (GIN1) due to a movement in Japan for a specific recipe for fruit grafting and cutlery. As I understand it, unlike a boutique folding knife steel (cpm-s30v) there are other things to consider like quantity being produced. Really the carbon and chromium are close with VG10 and BD1.

I've never had problems with AUS8 Spyderco steel which it's probably fairly close too. If you need more edge retention play with angles, finishing (as Cliff said), or go serrated BD1.

[nirvanero]

Interestingly today I had the chance of watching the edge of my Manix LW using a magnifying glass and it looked quite nice with very little work. I'm not impressed about the edge retention, however the knife is a great EDC.

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

I usually put BD1 and Aus8 in the same general area...it doesnt have the edge holding of vg-10. But it works quite well as a day to day steel. Just a little touch up more often than other steels.

[greenewk]

To defend myself, when I say "work knife", I mean breaking down dozens of corrugated cardboard furniture boxes/tape/ties/rope in a day.

[Blerv]

What is preferable? How many more boxes do you get out of it?

[greenewk]

Can't really quantify it as I didn't count or anything, but CPM-M4 got me through a day very well.

[glbpro]

Isn't BD1 an American made equivalent to Gin1? If so, it's based on a steel that help build the reputation of Spyderco.

Yes, that's correct - Sal Glesser describes it as a 'good all round steel' in this interview that he gave in Show Show 2011: http://youtu.be/zVuW214v2d8?t=8m30s

Regards,
Bruno

[glbpro]

From what I found in forums (please someone correct me if I'm wrong), it sounds like BD1 is a low(er) cost steel (an American substitute for 8Cr13MoV?). It doesn't mean it is bad. As it was said above, it is at Gin1 (G-2) levels (some knives which were once G-2 are VG-10 today, but that was then - G-2 was "the VG-10" in the 90's, I suppose).

According to Sal Glesser CTS-BD1 is Spyderco's 'entry level' steel for American made knives, so as you say it's lower cost than powdered metal steels but still a very good basic knife material.

As far as I know it's not equivalent to 8Cr13MoV because it has both high carbon and high chromium levels, so it has much higher corrosion resistance than the former, and apparently higher even than VG10.

Regards,
Bruno

[DeathBySnooSnoo]

As far as I know it's not equivalent to 8Cr13MoV because it has both high carbon and high chromium levels, so it has much higher corrosion resistance than the former, and apparently higher even than VG10.

Regards,
Bruno

I compare the two in terms of edge retention and toughness...they aren't identical, but close enough to put in the same general category. At least in my experience.

[Dragonguy]

I have been very happy with my Spyderco Cat with BD1. It sharpens easily and seems to keep its edge very well. It gives me the impression of knives I have with AUS8 steel.

[jdw]

I think that it is easy to make it crazy sharp but it doesn't
hold an edge very long against every day tasks. I have a Cat that
I use all of the time. I prefer 440c, heck they may be the same for all I know.

[me2]

A couple months ago I cleaned out my garage and used a Manix in S110V and another knife in BD1. I alternated using them to break down all the cardboard boxes and other such stuff. When I was done, the BD1 was as sharp as the S110V, maybe a tad sharper. I have not tried to repeat this yet, but based on that afternoon, BD1 is a fine steel.