Sharpen it! The Spyderco Military was introduced in the early 1990’s by Sal Glesser as a knife designed to be carried by military personnel. M390 vs S90V (CPM S90V) The S90V offers the same/close edge retention compared to the M390, … Don’t worry—we’re going to break down and compare all the best knife steels you can expect to find at Blade HQ so that you can determine the supreme steel for your needs. Personally i think they're both great steels. With slightly decreased edge holding and a tendency to corrode in extreme conditions, O1 performs very well despite requiring light maintenance. Previous steels like S60V, Elmax, and M390 all had 17-20% Cr which gave them more chromium carbide and … I would say that the difference in edge retention and corrosion resistance between S90V and M390/204P/20CV is pretty insignificant. AUS-8 steel. I say get both. Originally designed for use in razor blades, this is true cutlery steel through and through. Advantages: Extremely high wear … ... CPM S90V. Strength and toughness are comparable to that found on VG-10 or 154CM. A knife with great edge retention will vaporize cardboard even after months of carry. Essentially, CPM steel (also called powdered steel) is produced from a very fine powder of carbide particles. Neither is a slouch. Touching up certain steels with your sharpening stone is an easy, pain-free process whereas harder steels can make for an all-day affair to bring them back to sharp. Exhibiting very good edge retention, corrosion resistance, and sharpenability, S30V is utilized by a variety of makers for its performance and balance. Not use. Equally at home as an EDC folder or as a fixed blade, this blade steel is easy to sharpen, corrosion resistant, and mixes very good edge retention with sufficient toughness. Yeah, I misread that. What is there really to say? An easy to sharpen knife will generally not exhibit excellent edge retention. Inherently, more acute sharpening angles will see better cutting performance than more obtuse angles. If your going for very high wear resistance then S110V is king in the (near future of) production knives, keeping S90V into the sprint run and … They are both very stainless and have great edge retention. When we call a normal steel stainless, it really means that the steel will stain LESS than carbon steel. If you frequently use your knife to slice up cardboard, there may not be a better steel than CPM-S110V. Often overlooked is the job at hand. Over the years there have been a vast number of variations and sprint runs using various steels and handle materials.Steels have run the gamut from ATS-34 back in the 1990’s to CPM S30V in the early 2000’s and now the cov… Easy to sharpen and quite corrosion resistant, maintenance is a breeze. When it comes to getting the job done there are four main factors that determine steel quality. CPM-S35VN is the new, upgraded brother of S30V. M390 vs S90V (CPM S90V) M390 Benchmade 20cv is outstanding in my book. Ha, I didn't realize it was a necrothread and I didn't read your post right. Certain steels are so good at resisting rust and corrosion that they can be left abused and salty without ill-effect. BD1N is a completely different steel. There are a million out there, and this page will surely be updated over time to include more. M390 steel is very resistant to corrosive … S90V VS M390; S90V VS S30V; S90V VS S35VN; S90V VS M4; Conclusion; Reach your true potential; Reach your true potential; What is s90v steel? I am told it is as tougher than s30v, but I have not broken nor chipped either steel so cannot say for sure. Bohler M390 is widely revered as being the best all-around knife steel, which has led top companies to widely utilize it in higher end knives. It's what I did. M390 would likely win when it comes to corrosion resistance though. Realistically, in normal day to day use you would struggle to pick out any differences in comparison. Like S90V, it’s a high-hardness steel, but it’s more balanced than S90V. Compared to CPM-3V, A2 is available more much affordable and is much more easily sharpened. No one would ever confuse AUS-8 for being premium, but that's okay. This is a comparison chart that compares the toughness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of 8 grades of steel suitable for knifemaking. Are you in a humid, wet, and salty environment? Is blade steel a mystery to you? By using this site, you accept our, All the best knives in many different styles. M390 is super stuff, I always want more CPM-M4 in my life, and there's never going to be anything wrong with a fixed blade made out of A2. Heat treat, blade geometry, the job at hand, and the sharpening of the blade all play a massive role in the performance of the steel. Them using so many steels is just a way to confuse customers. S90v is in no way better vs M390, it's really just splitting hairs though. The 400 Series of steel has been popular for longer than almost any knife guy has been alive. Sandvik steels are largely found on affordable, entry-level knives. In my experience, it takes a keener edge, holds it much longer, and is not markedly more difficult to sharpen. Blade steel is totally a super important factor to consider when buying a knife, but wait a second—it isn’t the be-all, end-all. If you’re interested in the perfect fishing knife, look no further. So what is the best steel for knives? Don’t know 20CV from M4? Buy Folding Knives with M390 Steel from Knifecenter.com - The Original and Largest Online Catalog of Cutlery Folding Knives with M390 Steel - 1 to 30 of 632 results - Knife Center HUGE PRESIDENTS' DAY … Once again Maxamet fares well in edge retention, but lags in other measurements such as toughness, corrosion resistance, and difficulty in sharpening. ", If you don't have anything good to say, then don't say anything at all, http://www.youtube.com/user/mwvanwyk/videos. The following are deserving of mention, but there are just not enough knives produced from these steels to give a rating. There’s no doubt—H1 is a specialty steel. With 90% the corrosion resistance of H1, you also get much improved edge retention. Both of these steels are a real bear to sharpen up! Use it. Since its introduction it has been extremely popular and quickly rose to flagship status. This is a small list of steels that aren't necessarily in high production anymore, but still offer high-end or mid-range performance. Based on experience and testing, M4 steel may outperform blade steels such as M390 and S90V in terms of edge retention and M4 is in a completely different league in terms of toughness. If you find a knife you love in AUS-8, it's okay! The most well rounded steels like CPM-154 and 154CM create an even shape while a steel like CPM-3V is severe due to high toughness and lower scores in all other categories. Tough blade steels are ideal for camping and hard-use. M390 is usually cheaper, easier to sharpen and has more corrosion resistance than S90V. Enjoy it! 14C28N may be an improvement over 12C27, but realistically the performance between the two is not significantly different. Cutting and slicing performance improves as the thickness behind the edge decreases. Carbon steels will pit and rust aggressively in wet environments if not properly cared for. M390 I find sharpens easier but S90V holds up to aggressive cutting longer in my use. High hardness (60 HRC+) increases the edge retention of the steel at the cost of brittleness. LC200N is an amazing steel! Just keep in mind that knives made from AUS-8 are generally very affordable. CPM-154 is an excellent EDC blade steel with above average edge retention, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening. Known as a super-steel, M390 is a premium powdered stainless steel. This steel has extremely good corrosion resistant properties. CPM-20CV can be found on my knives today and is made by the USA-based Crucible Industries.