S90V or Magna Cut?

[RedRaiderRick]

I hear these are the two best tier 1 blade steels these days. I have both and I must say they are awesome. I have a Leek with Magna Cut and an Osborne with S90V. What say guys?

[1967redrider]

I love Magnacut, but my first S90V is on the way. So, too soon to tell for me just yet, but I'll keep you posted.

[RedRaiderRick]

Apparently noone knows or cares. Cool. The two I mentioned above are the sharpest knives out of the box I've experienced.

[1967redrider]

I also like Elmax, S35VN, S30V and M390. These are usually steels on modern tacticals. Most guys around here are into Traditionals.

[C-WADE7]

I’ll put my ¢.02 in, I have a couple s30v and s35 and don’t care for them. The steel is fine but the blade grind is off, too thick and an abrupt taper at the cutting edge, so it will not sharpen to a fine enough edge. I’ve noticed this to be true with several different brands and blade profiles. I have a Buck 110 auto elite with the typical Buck style hollow grind and it is razor sharp, first knife in CMP steel I’ve liked yet. My buddy got 2 new benchmades and one is scary sharp the other is just ok because the blade is too thick. I guess long story short is the blade shape can greatly affect the way you feel about an otherwise great steel.

[Mumbleypeg]

None of the new super steels, nor any other for that matter, is worth a flip if the maker (or the buyer) messes up the grind or the edge, or if it’s not properly tempered. I’ve used a Buck Paradigm in S35VN as an EDC for nearly two years - it’s a great knife. But if it’s one iota better than my much older custom G.W. Stone folder in 440C I can’t tell the difference. And I dare say no one else here honestly could either.

The same goes for S90V, Magna Cut, or whatever. Maybe a metallurgist or someone with the time and equipment to do exhaustive testing could discern a difference but even then it’s likely inconsequential for 99% of knife users. JMO

Ken

[RedRaiderRick]

That's probably true. I think alot of tactical knives probably have a 25 or 30° angle with the idea that a hard use knife needs to hold an edge even chopping or being batoned through a log. I have a ZT 0100 I reground with a course Lansky stone to a smaller angle to be sharper.

This last BM Osborne however with S90V is stuuupid sharp.

[1967redrider]

I had to sharpen, via Lansky, my Hinderer XM-18 3" pretty much right of the box when I got it. But it has held an impressive edge ever since.

[RedRaiderRick]

I suspect that most of us here won't ever need the extreme Capabilities of some of these new and exotic blade steels. However I look at the tens of thousands of traditional knives shown here with badly corroded blades and think what a shame if they had Only used Stainless.

[Mumbleypeg]

I suspect that most of us here won't ever need the extreme Capabilities of some of these new and exotic blade steels. However I look at the tens of thousands of traditional knives shown here with badly corroded blades and think what a shame if they had Only used Stainless.

I think “if only they had taken care of their tools”. Prior to mid-20th century stainless steel did not produce very good cutlery. It retained a poor reputation for decades after stainless steels were improved, and because of that cutleries shied away from its use in other than specialty knives (fishing knives for example). That has changed in the past 50-60 years.

Good stainless is still generally more difficult to sharpen than good carbon steel, which is still popular with many for that reason and its good edge holding capability. It’s hard to beat good carbon steel and the “patina” it develops with proper care.

Ken

[Ivoryman]

I suspect that most of us here won't ever need the extreme Capabilities of some of these new and exotic blade steels. However I look at the tens of thousands of traditional knives shown here with badly corroded blades and think what a shame if they had Only used Stainless.

You say "badly corroded blades"? What a shame? You've missed the whole point and don't even get what you're talking about with our old blades. What you say here is insulting like you think people around here don't know about Stainless. Shame you don't know or have respect for the tried and true historical evidence from hundreds of years worth of experience, wisdom, and learning. They did have stainless back then and we choose carbon steel and like it better than stainless. Why do you think GEC and Case and Buck use 1095 today? Hello. Because it's great steel and people like it for many reasons you must not get. So sad to read stuff like that around here.

[RedRaiderRick]

Lighten up Francis!

[Jeepergeo]

I suspect that most of us here won't ever need the extreme Capabilities of some of these new and exotic blade steels. However I look at the tens of thousands of traditional knives shown here with badly corroded blades and think what a shame if they had Only used Stainless.

Even modern steel blades can and will be abused by many knife owners.

Those that appreciate knives as tools, art, and collectables, like most of the folks here I'm pretty sure, will likely take care of their blades and not have issues.

My collection includes blades from carbon steel to Damascus steel, CV, surgical steel, new high tech CPM steels, and a full alphabet and number soup of 420HC, S30V, S35, MagnaCut and probably others that I missed, and I'm pretty sure most of those are more than I really need or am able to optimize their use. But I like the variety.

I will admit Buck got me hooked on 420HC years ago, and that material has never let me down. I often opt for that steel to help stretch my knife-buying budget when the more modern steels push blades to cost levels that I'm just not willing to pay.

[1967redrider]

Sometimes I think there was a knife blade grinding competition years ago just to see who could hone down a carbon steel blade the quickest. My dad was bad about whet stoning a blade so it tapered from the spline to the cutting edge, almost as if the whole blade was the cutting edge.

[RedRaiderRick]

As the new Comer here I could use an education on steels. There is probably a chart out there somewhere that compares different kinds of steals and their various attributes.

[edge213]

As the new Comer here I could use an education on steels. There is probably a chart out there somewhere that compares different kinds of steals and their various attributes.

There is an app that I downloaded to my phone and tablet "Knife Steel Compositions".
This has about anything on knife steels that you would ever want to know.

[RedRaiderRick]

Well thanks for that! Just downloaded.

[edge213]

Well thanks for that! Just downloaded.

You're welcome

[Mumbleypeg]

The data charts are interesting, and tell us what a steel is capable of, if properly heat treated and tempered. However this https://www.jayfisher.com/index.html is a good source for practical application of steel in knives. It is from someone who makes knives for some most discerning customers, whose very lives may depend on their knife. Take a minute to read his biography. Then scroll down to the bottom of the home page to “Blades and steels” to find practical information about various steels in actual application.

I can’t afford his work, but if my job was such that my life depended on it I would seriously try to buy a knife from him.

Ken

[RedRaiderRick]

The data charts are interesting, and tell us what a steel is capable of, if properly heat treated and tempered. However this https://www.jayfisher.com/index.html is a good source for practical application of steel in knives. It is from someone who makes knives for some most discerning customers, whose very lives may depend on their knife. Take a minute to read his biography. Then scroll down to the bottom of the home page to “Blades and steels” to find practical information about various steels in actual application.

I can’t afford his work, but if my job was such that my life depended on it I would seriously try to buy a knife from him.

Ken

Thanks for the link Mumbley. I spent some time reading there and will like buy the book he recommends for sharpening. He's a big proponent for waxing rather than oil for protection. I've always oiled with olive oil in case the knife is used for food. Seems to work well. On knives i know i will never use or guns i like Fluid Film. What do you guys use?

[Mumbleypeg]

On knives i know i will never use or guns i like Fluid Film. What do you guys use?

There are many good products and many here have their favorites. This site is filled with threads on the subject. Here is just one of many viewtopic.php?t=65917

I’ve used Tuf-Glide for both knives and firearms for years, for both users and non-users. It’s a protectant, lube, CLP all in one, great on metal parts. Renaissance Wax aka RenWax is great for knife handles, I use it on non-users. Many use it for everything but I find it takes more effort to apply than Tuf-Glide.

Ken