Spyderco Forums

I just don’t swim in the sea with my knives to need the corrosion resistance H1 offers.
Honestly I think M4 with a bit of froglube over the blade every now and then does the trick for me.

I had a Salt 1 I used as a straight razor briefly. I hung it on the shower caddy with no worries of edge loss due to rust. I wish I knew who stole it later after I started carrying it to work.

I’ve had several full flat ground over the years. Some by Krein, others by Southard. Good stuff as long as long you don’t need oodles of edge retention. It’s about as good as I’d ever need.

zhyla wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 10:29 am

Unless I'm missing something, your argument is basically: "it's easy to sharpen." But can't you say that about all kinds of steels? Why is H1 better than GIN-1? Or BD1? Or 8Cr13MoV?

Because it's also ridiculously tough and rust proof. Can we say the same about the others?

I'd put LC200N above it. I've not beat on it much, but I love how it sharpens, and it has many of the perks of H1, but without the here-today-gone-tomorrow edge of H1. But for serrated use, you make a nice argument.

For me, one thing that keeps me from using it is that it is not available in my favorite EDC size platforms. I prefer something the size and usefulness of the Urban LW/Cat/Chaparral range. I do not need uber edge retention. Something around BD1 is fine in an EDC blade.

Doc Dan wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 6:16 pm

For me, one thing that keeps me from using it is that it is not available in my favorite EDC size platforms. I prefer something the size and usefulness of the Urban LW/Cat/Chaparral range. I do not need uber edge retention. Something around BD1 is fine in an EDC blade.

Urban LW and Dragonfly Salt are pretty close.

I agree, I love H1 too. Most days I am carrying a Salt, PE or SE.

Daveho wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 1:33 pm

I just don’t swim in the sea with my knives to need the corrosion resistance H1 offers.
Honestly I think M4 with a bit of froglube over the blade every now and then does the trick for me.

Overall M4 is probably my favorite steel, so I tend to agree with ya here. Honestly though I can't say I need the edge retention anymore. This topic obviously depends greatly on a person's uses so it's a little ridiculous to claim any steel to be perfect, I just wanted to get a fun discussion going. I do think H1 deserves more credit though.

I have to agree with you David. So far, since I have not yet used lc200n, until the Caribbean will be available, I have found that H1 is the best steel for EDC knives for me. Namely, the Spyderco Pacific Salt. I have assorted knives but this one is the king of them all. The Serrated Edge Pacific Salt with H1 stainless steel blade.

Evil D wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 7:33 pm

Daveho wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 1:33 pm

I just don’t swim in the sea with my knives to need the corrosion resistance H1 offers.
Honestly I think M4 with a bit of froglube over the blade every now and then does the trick for me.

Overall M4 is probably my favorite steel, so I tend to agree with ya here. Honestly though I can't say I need the edge retention anymore. This topic obviously depends greatly on a person's uses so it's a little ridiculous to claim any steel to be perfect, I just wanted to get a fun discussion going. I do think H1 deserves more credit though.

If nothing else, these conversations reveal something of the context for preferences - you do not prioritize edge retention, which works for you, and obviously favor corrosion resistance, with toughness thrown in as a bonus. I like M4 for edge retention and toughness and don't worry too much about corrosion resistance (obviously, given my preference for non-stainless steels such as M4). But one thing that has been stated many many times is how great H1 is in SE, so I think it gets a lot of credit, at least for that. I need to pick up a Df hawkbill in SE H1, which I think will be a great running partner (not quite as great as my dog, but need a knife with me too ). Sweat is as close to salt water as my knives get!

XHP is sort of like M4 with good corrosion resistance.

Maybe it's just half way between.

Evil D wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 4:59 pm

Because it's also ridiculously tough and rust proof. Can we say the same about the others?

I don't know, I have never owned an H1 blade and have never had a rust issue with any stainless steel. Is it really tough or just not very hard? I know that's essentially the same thing, but I wonder if any steel at a lower hardness would yield about the same result?

zhyla wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:41 pm

Evil D wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 4:59 pm

Because it's also ridiculously tough and rust proof. Can we say the same about the others?

I don't know, I have never owned an H1 blade and have never had a rust issue with any stainless steel. Is it really tough or just not very hard? I know that's essentially the same thing, but I wonder if any steel at a lower hardness would yield about the same result?

That's definitely possible. I don't know if I'd say it's tougher than M4, but I know you can bend an H1 blade farther than most steels would go without snapping.

Evil D wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 7:33 pm

Daveho wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 1:33 pm

I just don’t swim in the sea with my knives to need the corrosion resistance H1 offers.
Honestly I think M4 with a bit of froglube over the blade every now and then does the trick for me.

Overall M4 is probably my favorite steel, so I tend to agree with ya here. Honestly though I can't say I need the edge retention anymore. This topic obviously depends greatly on a person's uses so it's a little ridiculous to claim any steel to be perfect, I just wanted to get a fun discussion going. I do think H1 deserves more credit though.

I’d love to give it a go but haven’t looked too far into it because of the yellow, as the knife laws here are quite harsh it’s not great to go high vis.. I’ll have to see what I can get

SE H1 holds an edge as well as anything else I own. Add to that its rust proof and as toughbas carbon tool steels and you have a true super steel.

i'd love to own a parang or a kukri machete in PE H1 though.. its toughness and corrosion resistance will be just perfect for my uses since all my big blades always tend to get neglected and abused unlike my edc blades

I just yesterday sent my old PE Salt 1 to a former work colleague. I carried that knife for years at work and put a lot of scratches on it. Would I like a bit more edge retention? Sure, but it did the job and was easily maintained to a high sharpness with zero concern for maintenance. Use it, get it dirty, wipe it down next week if you get to it. I have never needed super edge retention, because I am never far from a sharpener and I don't mind touch ups now and then. Serrated H1 removes any edge retetntion concerns as it just keeps cutting. I like 8Cr13 just fine as a working steel, but it'll rust if you don't keep an eye on it. I would say H1 is almost perfect for an EDC work knife.

Daveho wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 11:08 pm

Evil D wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 7:33 pm

Daveho wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 02, 2018 1:33 pm

I just don’t swim in the sea with my knives to need the corrosion resistance H1 offers.
Honestly I think M4 with a bit of froglube over the blade every now and then does the trick for me.

Overall M4 is probably my favorite steel, so I tend to agree with ya here. Honestly though I can't say I need the edge retention anymore. This topic obviously depends greatly on a person's uses so it's a little ridiculous to claim any steel to be perfect, I just wanted to get a fun discussion going. I do think H1 deserves more credit though.

I’d love to give it a go but haven’t looked too far into it because of the yellow, as the knife laws here are quite harsh it’s not great to go high vis.. I’ll have to see what I can get

I hear you. While knives are not illegal where I live, it is illegal if a police officer says it is, despite the law. So, I see no need to have a brightly colored knife that is not also small enough to palm. Out of sight out of mind, so to speak.

While I also like the pictures everyone posts, I have to say, my favorite pictures that people have shown on here of H1 Stainless Steel Salt knives are the pictures posted by Peacent of his Spyderco Pacific Salts and Surf Gringo of his and also those posted by Jazz and anagarika of the Atlantic Salt knives. These are excellent and really "whet one's appetite" for more Spyderco Salt knives :)

Doc, would you agree that the way H1 catches light is also one of the great appeals of the satin-finished Salt knives made with H1?