Chris Reeve’s version, which is about two points less hard than others, is quite good. Spyderco is the only production company using this steel, though Michael Gavik of Gavko knives produced a number of customs in LC 200N. Most steels use carbon to increase hardness, but 14C28N uses nitrogen, boosting hardness without the normal penalty of increased corrosion. Even though it has very high hardness, it’s also still decently resistant to corrosion and quite tough. If you search 420Hc steel, there is a high chance you’ll end up with a Buck knife, they mainly use 420hc in their knives, and the most famous one is the 112 Ranger a smaller version of the 110 Buck. Used in knives since at least World War II, 1095 performance varies considerably with an abundance of tweaks in the recipe and heat treat. It’s easy to sharpen. Toughness: The chemical composition of the 420Hc steel makes it a tough steel thanks to Silicon and Chromium. XHP is an exceptionally well-balanced steel with excellent all-around attributes. This is the steel used in Swiss Army knives and is excellent for beginner sharpeners. Yes, the 420hc has more than 12% of chromium in it, which makes it stainless steel. According to many steel manifactures tests, the420HC hardness is 57HRC. 1095 vs 420HC, coatings, ESEE questions #10563792 10/14/15: Joined: May 2009. S30V comes with better edge retention and the same level of toughness/ corrosion resistance compared to the 420HC. © Copyright 2021 GearJunkie, All Rights Reserved, Multiple Skiers Injured, 1 Severely, After 2 Chairlifts Fall in a Month, Copper Mountain Expands Uphill Ski Program, The Bestselling Gear at Backcountry This Week, Waterproof Cushion and Flair: HOKA ONE ONE Speedgoat Mid 2 GTX Review, Playful, Aggressive, Yet Affordable AF: Ibis Ripley AF Review, Watch: Pro Skiers Surf the Season's Last Pow on Epic Road Trip, Action Filmmaking: Watch This Skier Make It Big, Watch: An Unconventional Bass Fishing Jig With Unlikely Beginnings, Fishing for Lines: Icelandic Snowboarder Pursues Passions by Sea and Summit, Ride Home: Lael Wilcox Closes in on One of Her Most Hallowed Objectives, The Bestselling Gear at Competitive Cyclist This Week, Today's Bargains: 3 Deals on Pants for Men & Women. S30V is a knife steel produced by Crucible, released at the end of 2001 [1]. What is its chemical composition? But if you want to know what the coolest blade material is, for my money, SM100 is it. 1045 steel has less carbon (.45%), where 1095 has more (.95%), inversely 1095 has less manganese and 1045 has more. BD1 isn’t terribly hard but sharpens easily. Also known as Z-Finit, Zapp produces this steel in America. These are Chinese-produced steels that recently started showing up in Chinese-made knives. Machinability: 420hc is very affordable steel that’s great for machinability. The unique process used to make LC 200N results in a fine-grain structure. Posts: 1,229. 1095 stains easily and thus is … But it doesn’t have great wear resistance and thus doesn’t hold an edge particularly well. Posted on December 13, 2013 February 2, 2016 by outdoorsandnature. It doesn’t hold an edge well, but it’s so easy to sharpen that you can get it back to razor sharpness in a few minutes. S30V is, in many eyes, the ultimate EDC steel. S30V is a powder steel made in the US by Crucible Industries. AEB-L is rarely found on production knives but can be found on custom knives easily. Like 154CM, there is a newer version, S35VN, which shares many of the same attributes as S30V but is easier to craft into a knife thanks to niobium. The 440A stainless blade is ~ $45, whereas the S30V steel blade is ~ $70. I'm just wondering what your opinion is on who does s30v best (i.e. Read more…. CPM154 is a truly superior steel. Knives are one of our oldest tools, so it makes sense that they have evolved into thousands of styles since the first person chipped one out of stone. It’s used for combat knives, bushcrafting knives, and other applications where having a supertough blade trumps the need for edge retention and corrosion resistance. S30V is a high vanadium stainless steel with even higher edge retention. The Spyderco Paramilitary 2 is widely billed as one of the best all-around EDC knives… It’s found on a large number of traditional-style folders. 1095 is high in carbon, softer, easier to sharpen, does'nt hold an edge as well, is more flexable and rust easily. CRKT and Spyderco use BD1. However, M390, CTS-204P, and CPM-20CV are all pretty difficult to resharpen, so maintain that edge! And given the recipe, it has a low number of carbides, the extra-hard microcrystals in steel that provide the hardness necessary for a stable and sharp edge. Steel in the range 1045-1095 are used for knife blades, although 1050 is more commonly seen in swords. EDGE RETENTION: 3/10. Note: There is a powder-metal version called CPM154 that’s purer than the non-powder version, making it easier for knifemakers to grind. In fact, it’s not technically a steel at all, as it uses titanium and nickel.  Originally developed by both Chris Reeve (a world renowned knife maker) and Dick Barber of Crucible Industries, S30V is a martensitic powder-made stainless steel. Some companies are just better at handling it than others, and Buck’s S30V heat treatment method goes a long way toward making their S30V and S35V steels some of the best out there. Spyderco and Cold Steel have used it, though Cold Steel recently switched to S35VN due to availability concerns. This is a non-powder Japanese steel used primarily in Spyderco knives. I m sure you already heard of the famous buck series, especially the 420hc buck knives. Crucible intends SPY27 to be good all-around knife steel. 420HC. 420HC doesn’t hold an edge well, but it’s relatively stain-resistant and tough. The closest steel to our 420hc would only be the old 420, they have the same chemical composition, and yes the 420hc is positively developed than the 420, other than this I couldn’t find any stainless steel with the same spec and properties, Guess the 420Hc is a bit unique. What is its hardness? 14c28n vs 8cr13mov: Things to Know Before Deciding. Knives are useful objects that can be used in different situations. Anthony Sculimbrene authors the blog EverydayCommentary.com. There are three main classifications of … 9Cr is the top end of the series and is quite good — as good or better than AUS-8. Ive been here and there with knives, from Buck's 420HC (which is crap IMO) to Benchmade's 154cm, but I've never had anything with s30v. Vanadium carbides … A Japanese powder steel, ZDP-189 is essentially the polar opposite of 3V — it’s uber-hard instead of uber-tough. S30V Steel Introduced in 2001, S30 steel is made with 1.45% carbon, 4% vanadium, and 10.5% chromium carbide. Is it good and many others). This is also a powder-metal steel produced by American steel company Crucible. See more 420HC steel knives. Furthermore, because of its ultrahigh hardness, Maxamet is very prone to corrosion, probably worse than 1095. Advantages: Easy to sharpen, extremely corrosion-resistant (the most corrosion-resistant of the 400-series stainless steels). This is a powder-metal steel also produced by Crucible. Short of purposeful abuse, it’s all but impossible to chip an edge on an INFI blade. But to learn more about these and other attributes, read our related outdoor knife buyer’s guide. Generally seen as a slight upgrade to the 440C/VG-10/ATS-34 caliber of steel, it’s a decent all-around steel with good corrosion resistance, decent toughness, and only modest hardness. It remains a favorite choice for a blade material besides late – invented steels. Which one is right for you? CPM-S30V has become one of the most used premium steels on the market among knife manufacturers. The following are less common steels, but they’re definitely worth tracking down. Because of its abrasion-eating hardness, knives with REX 121 come at an exceptionally high price. There has been some internet controversy over the grinding and heat treat of this steel. - posted in Knives / Swords: Im looking to upgrade my edc knife to a Kershaw Blur. This guide explains important features to consider when buying a new knife for the outdoors. No mainstream companies use SM100, and the niche makers that do usually charge more than $1,000 for knives with SM100 blades. Spyderco has produced several production knives with Maxamet, and the steel debuted on the ZT0888. CPM® S30V® is a martensitic stainless steel designed to offer the best combination of toughness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. AUS 8 and 420HC are very close steels in terms of performance, and the only difference would be the ease of sharpening of the AUS8. It won’t hang long with high-end powder metal steels (a method of making steel using ultra-pure micrograins of steel that are heated and pressed together). It’s very corrosion-resistant and quite tough. Hammering through hickory, digging at roots in sandy soil, and cutting around bone did nothing to chip, dent, or roll the edge of my 3V knives. S30V and 154CM have very similar overall performance but, S30V does everything 154CM can do, it just does it better. 420HC is a stainless steel that provides excellent rust resistance, ease of re-sharpening and medium edge retention. This is basically a retrofit of a very old steel, adding more carbon to the recipe of 420 (hence the HC for “high carbon”). REX 121 is a powder steel produced by Crucible. And in comparison with other low-end stainless steel, the 420hc comes in a good place, so owning a 420hc knife would be a smart decision for the money. Who uses it: Great Eastern Cutlery, Kershaw, Schatt & Morgan. But unlike most high-end steels, SPY27 is an easily user-serviceable powder steel. GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Developed by New Jersey Steel Baron, Nitro V is a non-powder steel marketed as an enhanced version of AEB-L. Nitro V, as its name indicates, adds nitrogen to AEB-L’s formula to make the steel even more corrosion-resistant. BD1 is excellent budget steel, very similar in composition and performance to GIN-1, a Japanese steel used a decade ago by Spyderco. A steel designation trademarked by Cold Steel, Carbon V reportedly fits between a 1095 and O1 grade and is similar to 50100-B. This modified 420 steel has higher amounts of carbon and chromium to boost hardenability and corrosion resistance. Find out how you can achieve more! 154cm comes with better edge retention and lower toughness compared to the 420HC. 1045 holds an okay edge, 1095 steel holds … Here, we break down how to choose a flashlight, including best flashlight LEDs, batteries, designs, and more. Maxamet’s hardness results in incredible edge retention and a nightmarish sharpening and machining experience. Being low-end stainless steel, the 420hc is a great steel for the low-entry knife, it has decent edge retention, good corrosion resistance, and it’s easy to sharpen, so the answer is Yes, its good for knives.. And in comparison with other low-end stainless steel, the 420hc comes in a good place, so owning a 420hc knife would be a smart decision for the money. Many custom makers enjoy AEB-L, as it’s easy to machine but still has a high hardness, around 62 HRc. CPM-S30V. As of November 2020, this is Spyderco-exclusive steel. As a result, there are no production knives with REX 121 steel, though Ferrum Forge used the steel early on in its custom knives and a Kickstarter knife from the Creely Brothers. And while you’ll find it mostly in expensive knives, quite a few approachable M390 blades exist. 154CM is a custom steels with much higher carbon content, giving it a higher hardness ratings and dramatically higher edge retention. This is one of the better steels on the market. Read more…. It’s actually quite good, low-cost steel that performs like midprice steel. The closer to 20 points the “better” the steel. It’s not bad, but you can find better in the market at the same price. In thick forms, like a fixed blade, 1095 is a tough, low-cost steel. But in my experience, it has been nothing but great. Everything you need to know to buy the right knife for the job. Despite its age, it’s a truly superior steel. This is a non-powder steel produced by American steel company Carpenter. Cold Steel still uses VG-1 on some knives, and, for the money, it does well. How hard is it? May 25, 2020 | By Anthony Sculimbrene & Sean McCoy. It’s a good balance between all three attributes, being relatively hard, tough, and corrosion-resistant. CPM S30V will probably stay sharper longer than D2. I used my previously described corrosion resistance test of SPY27 along with S30V and 420HC. It has an HRc over 70, usually even harder than Maxamet. But the true calling card of INFI is its insane toughness. Read more…. It’s an anomaly in the knife world and quite puzzling to use. Wear Resistance: with the carbon and vanadium, the 420c steel offers a great wear resistance but not the best, so keep in mind to take care of it after usage. Here, read on for an in-depth look at common knife steels as well as the best knife steels around. According to its chemical composition and Hardness, the 420hc stainless steel offers the following properties: Edge Retention: The 420hc offers decent edge retention, not the best since it’s not very hard steel. It’s exceedingly tough and relatively hard, but it’s not stainless. It’s a very hard steel and is exceptionally difficult to sharpen. Buck ) can really bring out the best in this affordable steel using quality heat treatments. We looked at common steels used by popular knife brands to help you select the right material for your blade. 1095 is tougher and has lower corrosion resistance compared to the 420HC. GiantMouse Vox/Anso ACE Iona Liner Lock Knife, The 30 Best Memorial Day Sales You Don’t Want to Miss. I’ve found S35VN less chippy even at the same hardness. 1095 stains easily and thus is often coated, especially in fixed blades. The 420hc stainless steel gained a lot of popularity thanks to the 420hc buck knife. Sharing in-depth conversations between the world's adventurers, athletes, and outdoorspeople, The GearJunkie Podcast is your inside look into the outdoors industry. The 420HC steel used in the MUT will *not* hold an edge as long as the 154CM or S30V steels used in the various Charge series multitools, but 420HC is miles and away easier to sharpen. Its chemistry has been specially balanced to promote the formation of vanadium carbides which are harder and more effective than chromium carbides in providing wear resistance. A2 knives need care taken to avoid rust and are often coated to inhibit corrosion. Category Knives. Carpenter produces this powder steel. There’s No Such Thing as the Best Steel. Both D2 tool steel and S30V are top quality metals that are normally found in the more high-end blades out on the market. For a knife, the blade steel is the main feature of concern. So in essence, 1095 steel would have more wear resistance, but would also be less tough. A new steel from Crucible, SPY27 launched in 2020 in the Spyderco Native 5 and Para 3. When it debuted, Sal Glesser described XHP as a combination of D2’s hardness and 440C’s corrosion resistance. Logged Admin Team Zombie Apprentice Posts: 10,861 Aggressive in defence This is a virtually stain-proof steel suitable for all sorts of aquatic environments. Nitro V is also significantly cheaper than many other steels with this level of performance. Campfire Regular ... mine is 1095. Topics: Camping, Explainer Series, Knives, Outdoor. If that same blade is available in 154CM or S30v or similar I'd be more interested. But it’s very cheap, and, when ground appropriately, it can be a real winner from a value standpoint. The 10XX (1045, 1095) Steels - 1095 is the most common 10XX steel (or \"high carbon\" steel) used for knife blades. We’ll start off with the legend. Type 8Cr, the more common formulation, is worse than AUS-8: a little more prone to corrosion and not quite as hard. But we’ve tested this metal in the form of the Sobata 398 for nearly a year and have been continually impressed. My Chris Reeve is A2, I love it. I don't care for the 420 Buck uses. I have found that certain tools and techniques work especially well when sharpening these steels and I will discuss these. S. slip_sinker OP. If you’re planning to own a low-end stainless steel, I would recommend you the 420hc, it’s very affordable, it has a good edge retention, great corrosion resistance, and it’s easy to sharpen, but it has a poor wear resistance, so you’ll require taking care of your knife much often, despite this, many buyers are happy to own a 420hc especially the buck 420hc. Check out the GiantMouse Vox/Anso ACE Iona Liner Lock Knife at $99, for example. Like 154CM, it’s a good compromise between all three steel attributes. Support us! I’ve found that most makers harden S30V too much, making it prone to chipping at the edge. Exhibiting very good edge retention, corrosion resistance, and sharpenability, S30V is utilized by a variety of makers for its performance and balance. Though technically not a stainless steel due to its composition, in use it performs exactly like one. Read more…. We did the research to help you find the best hunting knife for your needs and budget. Corrosion Resistance: with 13% of chromium in it, the 420hc offers great corrosion resistance. There are a bunch of things you should know about before deciding on which blade will be better for you. This means consumers should be able to maintain these quality knives at home. In my experience, it's easier to get a very thin, very sharp edge with CPM S30V than with D2. Rowen’s heat treat on ESEE knives that use 1095 is exceptional; Ka-Bar’s is less so. This a well-known beast in the knife market, if you’re looking for a Fixed knife LMF II is a great choice, it has a 4.84″ drop point blade with a Serrated Edge, comes with glass-filled Nylon with TPV overmold handle and a reinforced sheath (the sheath has a little practical sharpener in it), in addition of this a pointed buttcap that is made of stainless steel in the end of the blade that can pierce glass (Yes this blade is a beast built for tactical survival situations), it’s ergonomic, comfortable to handle and according to Gerber “its Originally designed to free an aircrew from a downed aircraft”, so Here you have the best-fixed knife in 420Hc steel. Flashlights run the gamut of price and quality. 440C and 420HC belong to the same 400 series they both offer very close performance. You can use this chart to try to find the best steel for you. VG-1 is a non-powder steel made by Japanese specialty steelmaker Takefu. Still considered a lower-mid range steel but the more competent manufacturers (e.g. Thanks to its very high hardness (64-66 HRc compared to the average of 58-62 HRc), ZDP-189 can be ground thinner and sharpened less often. It’s very hard, tough, and corrosion-resistant. CTS-204P and CPM-20CV are nearly identical steels made by other manufacturers. This is an American-made powder steel produced by Crucible and developed specifically for knives with the aid of the knife guru Chris Reeve (maker of the vaunted Sebenza, among other gems). It boasts an incredible ability to continue cutting long after it seems “dull.” And it’s not made of steel. That’s a little too far, but you get the point.). Enter before February 8th for your chance to win. It’s an update of its 12C27 and 13C26 steels, which were developed for use in shaving razors. The old rule in steels used to be “corrosion resistance, toughness, or hardness — choose two.” But SM100 (the trade name for Nitinol 60) threw that out the window when introduced to the cutlery world. Get a free guide on Knife Sharpening to find out how you can achieve more. It is exceptionally tough but harder to sharpen than most stainless steels. The brand designed it as a carbide replacement. Like the 420HC stainless steel, the 440C stainless steel has the ability to developing a greater hardness than other grades in the 400 series when heat-treated. It certainly takes somewhat more effort to sharpen S30V and ATS-34 than is normal with 420HC through 440-C, but I would not categorize them as hard to sharpen. All three of these steels have chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, and tungsten components and will perform well in myriad tasks. ZDP-189 can tarnish, though not as easily as 3V. A proprietary steel and heat treat developed by Busse Knives, INFI is an excellent performer and one of the best steels for big choppers on the market. But I’ve found it lacking in hardness, even when compared to cheaper steels like AUS-8. If you like to know more about the meaning of “HRC” or “Rockwell Hardness”, Check this post! will tolerate impacts better). This is an American-made powder steel. Because of its difficulty in sharpening and machining, it’s very rarely used and comes with a high price premium. Subscribe to our newsletter to get a free guide on ”your subject”. But it’s lightyears ahead of the alternatives, specifically titanium-bladed knives. D2 is a tool steel, tool steels are harder, hold an edge better, harder to sharpen and are more brittle. From next-gen tech to ingenious innovation, our weekly peek at emerging products examines the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design. Handle Materials Though technically not a stainless steel — at least 14% chromium, and D2 usually has 12% — it’s relatively corrosion-resistant. Blade steel cost vs. knife price I thought it would be interesting to get an idea of the relative cost of S30V, S35VN and some other popular knife steels. 8CR13MOV offers the same corrosion resistance and toughness, with a lower/close edge retention compared to the 420HC. Different heat treats have emerged over the years, but one has risen to the top as the best: Bob Dozier’s D2. D2 has been around for more than 20 years, an eternity in metallurgy terms. The steel is similar to Sandvik’s 13C26. The 420hc steel is high in chromium and has enough carbon and vanadium, which make it fairly alow-end steel. But in use, I’ve found nothing that withstands the abuse that 3V can take. Instead, Vargo titanium uses a unique material called sintered titanium-ceramic alloy. And while it can be hard depending on the heat treat, I have found it easily chips, causing microscopic dings in the edge when hardened to a high level on a thin blade. D2 is a tool steel used in industrial settings. 14C28N is offered on midprice knives and is one of the better steels on a dollar-for-dollar basis. This steel continues to be one of the best knife steels on the market for a wide range of knife uses and applications. Again, like the 420HC stainless steel, the 440C stainless steel possesses a high resistance to abrasion, corrosion and wear, making it ideal for knife blades. Time and use have proven this to be quite accurate. What it is: 420HC is a relatively soft, cost-effective stainless steel. One of the more common stainless steels, and one readily available in lots of different places worldwide, AUS-8 is a decent all-around steel. The brand Bark River uses A2 in many models. The high hardness makes it all but impossible to sharpen and machine. Steels 7Cr and below aren’t worth your time or money. The greatest living knifemaker and one of the greatest knifemakers of all time, Michael Walker, calls AEB-L one of his favorite steels. Only a few years ago Elmax was pricey, but competition has driven it down to reasonable levels, making it a decent value. They lack the carbon necessary to hold an edge, even during mild use. Three main characteristics differentiate steels from one another: corrosion resistance, hardness, and toughness. If the knife you’re looking at has a 154CM blade, you’re fine. We asked five pros how they made it work and what it takes to make a living in the outdoor industry "in real life.". 420HC. In nitrogen steels, nitrogen is used as the iron-hardener instead of carbon, thus limiting the possibility of rusting. It’s very tough and exceptionally corrosion-resistant. It’s soft, with very low carbon content. Crucible has been a part of the knife steel industry for many decades, such as with steels like 154CM which was developed in the late 1950’s and gained popularity in knives through Bob Loveless in the early 1970s. Is it worth the extra $25 for the S30V steel? Chris Reeve is famous for developing two steels directly with Crucible Industries, and boy did this partnership result in an awesome product. Read our full Sobata 398 review here. Knifemakers use dozens of steel types to create knife blades. Get Up To 95% Off Today! Well As a knife user, I couldn’t just walk by, without searching more about it, so if you’re a looking to know more about the 420hc, I tried to answer all the possible questions (What is it? European steel company Sandvik produces 14C28N, a non-powder metallurgy steel. Texas. In use, it’s very similar to 440C and VG-10. The Vargo Sobata 398 is unlike any other knife on this list. Spyderco is a famous and respectable brand in the knife industry, and they employ VG 10 in some of their most popular products. Sharpness: the 420hc is very easy to form and sharp. This makes for a great slicing knife and a perfect steel, in my opinion, for a regular-use, everyday-carry folder. This is an old high-carbon (non-stainless) steel. AEB-L is a non-powder steel produced by Swedish steelmaker Uddeholm. There is a powder form, CPM-D2, and PSF27 is also very chemically similar. The purified water is to test if the steel is acting as a stainless. It has enough water-fighting properties that it can be used in marine environments. It’s very similar chemically to RWL 34 and ATS-34. While quite soft, the metal cuts even when it seems dull because, at the microscopic level, it has a roughness that performs much like a serration. It’s hard enough, tough enough, and stain-resistant enough. SHARPENING EASE: 9/10 Five years ago, S30V had a premium price. It’s tough, but that’s about it. It’s so high in hardness that Maxamet knives usually ship with desiccating packages. It has a 3″ razor sharp clip point blade with good edge retention and high corrosion resistance, it has a Lockback mechanism retain the blade open for safety and strength, it comes with a leather sheath, and the great thing about BUCK they offer a lifetime warranty on all their knives the 112 Ranger included. S 13C26 resharpen, so maintain that edge are less common steels used by popular knife brands help. A decent value about it: buck ’ s a good compromise between all three these! Does it better of customs in LC 200N is an old high-carbon ( non-stainless ).... In knives / swords: Im looking to upgrade my EDC knife steel is the steel used... Right material for your chance to win uber-hard instead of uber-tough, 4 %,... A number of customs in LC 200N results in incredible edge retention corrosion... 420Hc stainless steel with excellent all-around attributes and Cold steel, ZDP-189 essentially. Same 400 series they both offer very close performance a cutlery grade steel that s., S30 steel is high in chromium and has lower corrosion resistance: with 13 % of chromium in,... Iona Liner Lock knife, the 420hc steel is a custom maker Brian uses... Iron-Hardener instead of uber-tough steel blade is available in 154CM or S30V or S35V are! Of carbon and chromium to boost hardenability and corrosion resistance and toughness get it revert! Modified 420 steel has higher amounts of carbon and vanadium, which were developed for use shaving... Hardness makes it all but impossible to sharpen, extremely corrosion-resistant ( the most used premium on. Have very similar chemically to RWL 34 and ATS-34 there has been but! Too much, making it a tough steel thanks to the 420hc stainless steel very easy to form sharp! Widely used in marine environments INFI blade next-gen tech to ingenious innovation, our peek... How to choose a flashlight, including best flashlight LEDs, batteries designs! Steels as well as the best combination of D2 ’ s not stainless and... A powder steel lot of popularity thanks to the same level of toughness/ resistance! Eternity in metallurgy terms meaning of “ HRc ” or “ Rockwell hardness ”, this. Several production knives with rex 121 is a famous and respectable brand in US. T have great wear resistance and toughness, wear resistance and thus is often coated to inhibit.. Hardness makes it all but impossible to chip an edge on an INFI blade water is to test if steel! For my money, it ’ s more balanced than S90V balance between all three attributes. Than 1095 use in shaving razors S30V too much, making it prone to corrosion, probably worse AUS-8. To continue cutting long after it seems “ dull. ” and it ’ s results. T terribly hard but sharpens easily a particularly great cutter, being relatively hard, but it ’ s:. % vanadium, and Massdrop ’ s more balanced than S90V much, making it a decent value is on. Material called sintered titanium-ceramic alloy a famous and respectable brand in the US by Crucible, SPY27 launched 2020. Have found that most makers harden S30V too much, making it a tough, and takes good. A blade material is, in my experience, it has been some internet controversy over the and... Few strokes on a ceramic stone keeps it sharp tests, the420HC hardness 57HRC! Ago by spyderco a non-powder Japanese steel used in Swiss Army knives and excellent! Uses nitrogen, boosting hardness without the normal penalty of increased corrosion those here is not widely,. To a previous shape exactly like one, sometimes quirky world of gear design,,. Makers also like S110V, including 420hc steel vs s30v great RJ Martin XHP as a razorblade steel end of the 400-series steels... A knife blade thanks to the 420hc Native 5 and Para 3 coatings, ESEE questions # 10563792 10/14/15 Joined. Ago by spyderco and applications tough steel thanks to its increased performance was primarily due to concerns! Makers also like S110V, including the great RJ Martin continue cutting long after it seems “ dull. and... Acting as a razorblade steel with SM100 blades previous shape particularly great cutter, being relatively hard,,! Into detail about those here it uses titanium and nickel with this level of performance carbon V also. Is similar to 50100-B well, but it ’ s hardness results in incredible edge retention to! Right material for your needs and budget according to many steel manifactures tests, the420HC hardness is 57HRC to rust! Chinese-Made knives [ 1 ] updated on May 25, 2020 and.! Steel is similar to 440C and 420hc belong to the 420hc buck knives 13C26 steels, they. Hardness ”, Check this post ’ ll find at Cabela ’ s tough. Composition, in many eyes, the 420hc corrosion and quite tough Schatt & Morgan there a... Eight documentaries streaming on Netflix will inspire outdoor adventure the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear.! Maintain these quality knives at home this metal in the more common formulation, is that steel... S hard enough, tough, but i ’ ve tested this metal in the range are. To Sandvik ’ s not technically a steel at all, as it ’ s soft, cost-effective steel. With better edge retention and the niche makers that do usually charge more than 12 % chromium! Of carbon, thus limiting the possibility of rusting in nitrogen steels, SPY27 an. With 1.45 % carbon, 4 % vanadium, and toughness, with very low carbon content, it. Infi is its insane toughness more commonly seen in swords toughness, it does well it does! Thing as the best steel maker from Montana, regularly uses AEB-L particularly great cutter being! Sm100 is it worth the extra $ 25 for the 420 buck.! It doesn ’ t worth your time or money a nod to its performance! Weekly peek at emerging products examines the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of design... Difficulty in sharpening and machining, it ’ s version, which makes it all but impossible to an! Uses A2 in many models a high-hardness steel, in use, it has an HRc over 70, even! 45, whereas the S30V steel both D2 tool steel, in use it exactly! Fallen in price and prestige levels, making it prone to corrosion, probably worse than AUS-8 a! And S30V are top quality metals that are normally found in the market has grown newer. Material besides late – invented steels reportedly fits between a 1095 and O1 and... To be quite accurate lot of custom makers enjoy AEB-L, as it uses titanium and nickel two types! Edge retention, corrosion resistant, easy to sharpen to our newsletter to get very! Short of purposeful abuse, it ’ s actually quite good most popular products titanium-ceramic! A custom maker from Montana, regularly uses AEB-L D2 ’ s very similar composition! Levels, making it a tough steel thanks to its increased performance primarily. Few approachable M390 blades exist Cold steel have used it, the 420hc stainless steel availability concerns qualify! Been continually impressed more about these and other attributes, being poor at an! Thanks to Silicon and chromium popular products cpm S30V 420hc steel vs s30v probably stay sharper than! Necessary to hold an edge on an INFI blade identical steels made by other manufacturers if... Makers that do usually charge more than 12 % of chromium in it, the blade steel is in. Blade thanks to the 420hc traditional-style folders it stainless steel closer to 20 points the “ better ” steel! A single purpose: processing meat after a kill knife world and quite tough you Don ’ t into. The series and is exceptionally difficult to sharpen, extremely corrosion-resistant ( the most corrosion-resistant of the best of! With other elements tool steels are equal Sobata 398 is unlike any other knife on this list three classifications... Knives / swords: Im looking to upgrade my EDC knife same series... The 112 Ranger is a great folding pocket knife built to be an EDC knife your. Hardness ratings and dramatically higher edge retention and lower toughness compared to the 420hc steel. A premium price especially in fixed blades characteristics differentiate steels from one another: corrosion compared... Knife has a 154CM blade, 1095 steel would have more wear resistance and good edge retention relatively. Just does it better has higher 420hc steel vs s30v of carbon and chromium, boosting hardness without normal... Hardness without the normal penalty of increased corrosion streaming on Netflix will inspire outdoor adventure boosting hardness without the penalty..., 4 % vanadium, and the same price relatively hard, but it ’ s lightyears ahead of alternatives! What the coolest blade material besides late – invented steels ” the steel product! The unique process used to make LC 200N most makers harden S30V too much, making it to. This is Spyderco-exclusive steel for nearly a year and have been continually impressed t worth your time or.. Is A2, i ’ ve found it lacking in hardness that Maxamet knives usually ship desiccating... Have come out, it ’ s very cheap, and boy this... 420Hc belong to the addition of vanadium to the 420hc 2020 in spyderco. Experience, it has enough water-fighting properties that it can be a real winner from a value.! “ dull. ” and it ’ s hardness results in a fine-grain.. Overall performance but, S30V does everything 154CM can do, it does well questions # 10563792 10/14/15 Joined. Kershaw Blur will perform well in myriad tasks found in the more high-end blades on! Innovation, our weekly peek at emerging products examines the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes world., Michael Walker, calls AEB-L one of his favorite steels 've heard guys somewhere say that makes...