Blade steel Survey results - Favorite EDC

Sonny · #1

The following link, by hollar44, was a survey requesting favorite EDC's.
http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38991

I had also asked (Sonny - earlier post) on this forum for reco's for a new folder model, and you folks kindly reco'd a few and I picked the Caly 3, VG-10, G10. Mine will arrive on Monday...Happy Day.
Also, I was very interested in the blade steel you folks prefer, and so used the EDC survey to gather the results.
Since I was mostly interested in those folks who have lots of experience with, or have shown great interest in Spyderco products, I screened the posts and used only the favorite EDC knife models (about 50) from forum members who:
1. were members of this forum since 2007 or before...
or
2. are relatively recent members but had many posts to their credit, about 300 posts/year or more.
There were some forum members who listed and carried two models of equal estimation and so I tried to give equal weight in those instances. If I missed anyone, it was not my intent. There will be several instances where a particular model has been offerred in several steel choices; I did the best I could.
The chart shows that VG-10 is the bang-up favorite of you members, with ZDP-189 in 2nd and CPM S30V is the hot 3rd place winner. Obviously, there are various other factors in picking an EDC, but my primary interest was the blade steel.
There are no surprises here for you "old-timers" but folks new to Spyderco can learn from the results.

The Deacon · #2

Excellent work. The only question I would have would be whether, with the possible exception of H-1, it is logical to assume the models chosen were chosen for their steel rather than the steel simply being a factor of the model. As an example, if the Stretch II were only available in AUS-6 I would still carry one, because I like the knife. If it were available in Odin's Eye Damasteel, I'd be carrying one and grinning from ear to ear. There are probably folks holding out for the ZDP-189 version of the FRN Stretch just because it's blue, rather than black.

Jay_Ev · #3

Good work, Sonny. It looks like you put some time and/or effort into collecting that data. Although I would like to add that a member's post count and forum join date is not always an accurate way to gauge ones knowledge and experience. Many people "lurk" for a long time, sometimes years before taking the plunge and registering. So even though the little date stamped next to their screen name may be fairly recent, they may have some years under their belt. Also, to use myself as an example, although I have over a thousand posts, a large majority of them are 1 or 2 word replies - there is little substance there. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

npueppke · #4

Nice thread, thanks for compiling this. I think ZDP might be in 2nd only because it seems like it's the steel of the year... and interest might fade in a year or two as a hot new steels come out. Unless it's so good that it moves up on the list, but I doubt that will happen.

VG-10 is awesome.

vampyrewolf · #5

The forum moved in sept 2004, so a lot of us have the Sept 2004 join date, though our first posts are a lot older. My first post was Feb 2001.

As Paul (Deacon) stated, some of us picked models up for the steel. I'd wager that most of the people who got a D2 millie already had either a CPM440V or S30V millie. Sometimes the choice of steel comes down to the maker (my latest custom is L6 simply because he was comfortable with the steel).

I'll be getting a ZDP mule on my next paycheck, already have a S90V sitting beside me on the shelf. I've got a zdp caly jr and can't wait to beat on a fixed blade with it (and not have to take my stones when I go camping).

gunmike1 · #6

By model, VG-10 is very prevalent in great models, and I like it a lot. However, ZDP-189, especially in Stretch 2 and Caly 3 CF, is just a great steel. IMO it isn't a fad at all, it is an excellent steel with tremendous edge retention and it takes very sharp edges at acute angles. I hope there are more ZDP sprint runs in knives like the Police 3 and Barong, as I really like those knives in VG-10 but they would be so much better with ZDP. I will also enjoy my ZDP Mule, and I'll have Tom Krein pimp it out to make sure I use it a lot.

I think one reason people like VG-10 (it's an excuse I see a lot) over ZDP is ease of sharpening. The truth is that rebevelling ZDP is harder than with VG-10, but if you do microbevel sharpening there is almost no difference in ease of sharpening. On microbevels, you are working so little steel that the steel that burrs the least is the easiest to sharpen. IMO ZDP burrs less and takes a crisper edge, so for me it is easier to sharpen, especially if you are using clean cutting stones (waterstones, clean ceramics, or diamonds). Full bevel sharpening on the Sharpmaker would be easier with VG-10, but IMO pocket knives are best used with a thin backbevel and a microbevel. With a microbevel I just find it hard to complain about ZDP being hard to sharpen.

Mike