Evil D wrote:
This could be my lack of general knowledge of other brands but I don't believe many other makers have used ZDP near as much as Spyderco. This means unless you're a Spyderco fan, you may not even be aware of it. By comparison S30V is far more common.
I think the Caly Jr. was the first use of ZDP in a production knife large scale....I remember it was a big deal and I was very excited--- I bought 2 just in case I wore the first one out...yeah right :rolleyes:
I'll always have a fondness for ZDP. It still has excellent performance even compared to the super vanadium powder steels. It's combination of wear resistance and high hardness will always make it a great cutlery steel. For me though it was the first "super" steel that really got my latent steel junkie blood going. I had read everything I could about it and eagerly awaited it's Spyderco release. I had 3 Caly jr's ( burgundy) on pre order that fell through. By the time the Black Caly jr', the Delica and Enduras came out I had about 5 of each on pre order. I sold those here and there for several years after that. :)
I still have 5 or 6 ZDP knives around here and they aren't used much any more. I just like other steels better for different reasons but I still really respect the performance ZDP gives. I still think the Caly Jr and Jess Horn lightweight models that were sold for around $60 were some of the best high performance knives ever offered. I just prefer CPM M4, Cruwear, 3V, and some more steels for my uses more. I still have a Caly jr. ZDP and will keep it as long as I live most likely.
The Mastiff wrote:I'll always have a fondness for ZDP. It still has excellent performance even compared to the super vanadium powder steels. It's combination of wear resistance and high hardness will always make it a great cutlery steel. For me though it was the first "super" steel that really got my latent steel junkie blood going. I had read everything I could about it and eagerly awaited it's Spyderco release. I had 3 Caly jr's ( burgundy) on pre order that fell through. By the time the Black Caly jr', the Delica and Enduras came out I had about 5 of each on pre order. I sold those here and there for several years after that. :)
I still have 5 or 6 ZDP knives around here and they aren't used much any more. I just like other steels better for different reasons but I still really respect the performance ZDP gives. I still think the Caly Jr and Jess Horn lightweight models that were sold for around $60 were some of the best high performance knives ever offered. I just prefer CPM M4, Cruwear, 3V, and some more steels for my uses more. I still have a Caly jr. ZDP and will keep it as long as I live most likely.
Joe
Same here. I had very little knowledge of steel (**** still do) when I got my first taste of ZDP. It came at a time when I had made leaps and bounds in my sharpening skills (basically going from knowing absolutely nothing to finally being able to get a shaving edge) but ZDP put me in my place and showed me that I had a lot left to learn. I've spent so much time sharpening that steel that I'd confidently say I can sharpen it just as easily as VG10 (of course, reprofiling still takes more time).
This is one that really sort of hits home with me because it was the first Spyderco knife I ever owned that had one of the "supersteels". Back in 2005 my dear friend Doctor Hannibal Lecter MD contacted me to let me know that Spyderco had finally made a knife with ZDP-189. Up till that time we had heard a lot about ZDP-189 and Spyderco had even put it on one of their own steel charts. But the Burgundy Caly jr. with ZDP-189 was the very first Spyder that I know of that had that great blade steel. I still own that knife even though I've temporarily misplaced it and I have stories to tell about it ( good & bad :rolleyes: ) .
But the ZDP-189 Burgundy Caly Junior was my main EDC for a little over a year at one point. Then I got to needing a longer bladed EDC and I went to the Ayoob and C-44 Dyad for a while afterwards.
To answer EVIL D's question >> YES I do believe we'll still be seeing ZDP-189 Spyders for some time to come. My current favorite steel is M390 which I believe had just a bit more endurance on tough jobs than does ZDP-189. For relatively thin blades like the one on the Caly Junior I do think ZDP is a great performer overall. But with the flood gates being opened in the past 4 to 5 years we now have a plethora of supersteels to chose from>> but don't despair because ZDP-189 will have many fans and enthusiasts for a long time to come>> I'm certain of it.
Glad to hear that you've had great luck with your Spyderedged ZDP-189 blade!! Because Spyderco quit making Spyderedged ZDP-189 blades because of complaints of the teeth being too brittle or breaking off. I've never yet owned a Spyder with a serrated ZDP-189 blade because of what I've heard about it.
There is one big problem with ZDP-189 that I found out about the hard way. ZDP-189 does not work well with food or food acids>> I cut up some tomatoes a few years back and forgot to rinse it off and the next day it was as though someone had deliberately soaked the blade with an industrial strength acid or caustic chemical with super corrosive properties. It was so bad that I sent the knife back to the Spyderco factory. They re-sharpened it and polished it nicely but I did learn my lesson and I never used a ZDP-189 blade with any food again.
It does seem like blade steels with an exorbitantly high carbon content don't make very good blades for Spyderedges from what I've experienced and been told by others.
My favorite japanese steel, I don't think it takes much more time to sharpen than others with the proper stones but maybe not the easiest steel to get a hair-splitting scalpel. About the chipping issues, I've experienced about the same with S30V before sharpening the factory edge. It's not stainless but doesn't require the maintenance of others... if they ever make a carbon fiber ATR with japanese steel I really hope it's ZDP-189, IMO this HAP40 has no advantage over S30V.
Maybe it is just me but I'm over it. Really love the forest green frn endure but after loosing mine I replaced it was a gray ffg endure in vg-10. It arrived the sharpest of any knife I've ever received. Love how easy vg10 is to get screaming sharp.
I'm still a fan. As my sharpening skills have increased over the last year of so it is no longer an issue but I do touch up frequently.
I just switched my SE Delica in ZDP into a black handle (BRG is the one thing I didn't like about it) but I have never had any chipping issues. I don't pick that knife for carry if it is going to see a lot of use. It will handle most of my day to day with no issue.
I'm carrying my ZDP cf stretch right now so definitely has not ended. Probably the sharpest knife i have of course i really took this one through the grits to almost a mirror polished edge. I don't have any other ZDP knives but i feel like I have one of the best ones.
I only have one in ZDP, the Dragonfly. (Edit : and the Caly 3 CF)
I like it now I made it nicely sharp !
But it was not easy as other steel ! So I can understand "why" people don't like them...
I hope they continue with that steel in the actual models and on futur ones !
Last edited by Nasgul on Sun Jan 31, 2016 4:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The ZDP Caly 3.5 was my second Spydie and I also have the British racing green ZDP Stretch & Endura and the new brown G-10 Stretch 2. I've really never done more than touch them up, but I don't remember having too much difficulty with the medium Sharpmaker rods. I may have used 400 Congress stones clamped to the SM rods a time or two. I haven't had problems with oxidation. But I do like VG-10 just fine, and I was a little disappointed when I found out the new G-10 Stretch 2 didn't use VG-10 to keep the cost down.
K-390 on hand: Mule Team 17, Police 4 G-10, Endela (burlap micarta), Endela backup, Endura (canvas micarta), Straight Stretch (now blade-swapped with G-10 Stretch), Delica Wharncliffe, Dragonfly Wharncliffe, & Dragonfly Wharncliffe shorty mod Note to self: Less is more.
Have avoided zdp anything as i'd been put off by the "hard to sharpen" reputation by many forumites. S30V, 60V, 90V, 154CM, ATS34, among other "lesser" steels in my possession have never been a problem- some just take a bit more time. My 1st zdp knife arrived midweek(a Dragonfly btw) out of the box sharper than any blade I've ever recieved. Spent approximately 2 hrs this a.m. reprofiling to 11dps and gave it a light mirror polish(I say light as there are imperfections that will be fixed on subsequent sharpenings someday when it dulls) . I'm suitably impressed with the steel and kicking myself for holding off so long. "Love affair ended" should definitely be changed to "reaching a new audience" , for now, I am on the hunt for more :D
I think it's easier to work with than S90/110V. That could just be my history with it and experience. I think I understand what this steel wants probably more than any other that I've owned, even steels that I've used and sharpened far more. You could say it made it's point very clear in the beginning that it was the teacher and I was the student and I just follow what I've learned every time I sharpen it.
I'd also have to agree, overall my ZDP knives have come sharper out of the box than any other steel. I wonder if that's a perception thing due to carbides?
RjB wrote:Have avoided zdp anything as i'd been put off by the "hard to sharpen" reputation by many forumites.
Yeah, exactly as you have found out; that is all BS, and I'm still baffled at how or why that stale assumption still lingers!?
I think it's a lingering idea that has stuck around since the earliest days of this steel being used as a knife steel. Compared to the steels that were common in those days, the reputation was probably well earned and somewhat true. Depending on your skill level, especially if you're sloppy about making and leaving burrs, this steel can still give you a hard time. I think much of the "brittle" reputation is due to people leaving burrs and then those burrs breaking off in use and causing chips. I wouldn't call that brittle, I'd call it what a high hardness steel does when you leave it with a toothy burred edge. I would expect similar experience with S90/110V. If a person's primary experience is with something like 440 or even 1095, I could see how ZDP would seem brittle and prone to chipping. I also don't think that's a fair assessment of this steel.
It's been 10 full days since the DF2 ZDP was reprofiled, several dozen corrugated boxes, clam shell packages and plastic bags have been felled by the MightyLBK and I can still shave with it. I'm impressed. It may not the "be all, end all" but I am impressed! So. I ordered a Stretch 2 in ZDP. :p Bases should be covered but I'm still hunting up more.
I'm also surprised this thread dropped so far back so quickly?
Mebbe the "love affair" has ended and I'm in denial? :o
RjB wrote:It's been 10 full days since the DF2 ZDP was reprofiled, several dozen corrugated boxes, clam shell packages and plastic bags have been felled by the MightyLBK and I can still shave with it. I'm impressed. It may not the "be all, end all" but I am impressed! So. I ordered a Stretch 2 in ZDP. :p Bases should be covered but I'm still hunting up more.
I'm also surprised this thread dropped so far back so quickly?
Mebbe the "love affair" has ended and I'm in denial? :o
Good to hear!
Many very good threads here fall back rather quickly just due to the limited amount of regulars and so many new topics popping up to obscure the others where everyone has their say and moves on.
I like to thread dig occasionally and rebump valid threads. :p
