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At A Glance
CPM S90V is a high-end stainless steel manufactured by Crucible Industries, recognized for its outstanding wear resistance, good corrosion resistance, and excellent edge retention, thanks to its high carbon and vanadium content. While the steel is more challenging to sharpen and can lead to more expensive knives due to its hardness, it offers a great combination of toughness, wear resistance, and sharpness that is highly valued in the knife industry. CPM S90V steel demonstrates superior performance compared to many other popular knife steels, making it an attractive choice for high-quality, durable knives, particularly for users who prioritize wear resistance and edge retention.
CPM S90V is a high-end stainless steel manufactured by Crucible Industries, known for its exceptional wear resistance and good corrosion resistance. Produced through the Particle Metallurgy process, this steel contains high amounts of carbon and vanadium elements that contribute to its impressive performance. Often utilized in the knife industry, CPM S90V is a popular choice for creating durable and versatile cutting tools.
This premium martensitic stainless steel offers numerous benefits when used in knife production. Its outstanding wear resistance ensures a long-lasting sharp edge, while its stainless-steel composition provides resistance against rust and corrosion. Additionally, CPM S90V features superior edge retention compared to other steels; however, it can be more challenging to sharpen. Ultimately, choosing a knife made with CPM S90V steel depends on the user’s preferences and the intended purpose of the knife.
My Favorite Knife That Uses CPM S90V Steel
What Is CPM S90V Steel
CPM S90V steel is a high-end martensitic stainless steel manufactured by Crucible Industries, known for its exceptional wear resistance and corrosion resistance. It is produced using a powder metallurgy process, which contributes to its unique properties and performance as a knife steel.
The chemical composition of CPM S90V steel includes significant amounts of carbon (2.30%) and vanadium, along with other elements such as chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, silicon, manganese, sulfur, phosphorus, and nitrogen. The high carbon content contributes to the steel’s hardness and wear resistance, while the vanadium provides impressive strength and edge retention. Chromium and molybdenum enhance corrosion resistance, making this steel suitable for a variety of applications, including knives for outdoor and marine environments.
In terms of mechanical properties, CPM S90V steel exhibits excellent wear resistance due to the presence of vanadium, resulting in superior edge retention compared to other types of stainless steels. Moreover, it offers good corrosion resistance, which is a crucial feature for knives that are frequently exposed to moisture or corrosive substances.
The powder metallurgy process used in the production of CPM S90V steel ensures a uniform distribution of elements throughout the steel, leading to a consistent and improved performance. This manufacturing technique involves combining the alloying elements in a powdered form, which are then heated and consolidated to produce the steel. This process results in a fine-grained structure that enhances the steel’s properties, making it particularly well-suited for knife applications.
Edge Retention and Toughness
CPM S90V is a high-end stainless steel, known for its exceptional edge retention and toughness. This steel is manufactured by Crucible Industries and is designed to provide wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and maintain a sharp edge in demanding applications.
Edge retention refers to a knife’s ability to maintain its sharpness when used over time. S90V excels in this regard due to its high carbon and vanadium content, which contributes to the formation of hard vanadium carbides. These carbides effectively resist wear and help knives made of S90V to keep their sharp edges for a long time. In comparison to other popular knife steels, such as S30V and S110V, S90V offers superior edge retention, ranking near the top among high-end stainless steels.
Toughness, on the other hand, refers to a steel’s ability to resist chipping, cracking, or breaking under impact or stress. S90V is also impressive in this aspect. The process by which S90V is made, known as powder metallurgy, ensures a uniform and fine-grained microstructure – providing excellent toughness. While it may not be as tough as some other steels, such as S30V, it still demonstrates a good balance of edge retention and toughness, making it a popular choice for knives that require both qualities.
One factor to keep in mind is that the excellent edge retention of S90V may make it harder to sharpen than some other steels. However, sharpening difficulties are generally offset by the infrequency at which S90V knives need to be sharpened due to their long-lasting edges.
When comparing S90V to other steels, such as S30V and S110V, it can be seen that each steel has its own strengths and weaknesses. S30V may be easier to sharpen and offer greater toughness, while S110V boasts even better edge retention but perhaps at the cost of some toughness. Nonetheless, S90V strikes an appealing balance between these properties, making it an attractive choice for many knife users.
To sum up, CPM S90V is a well-rounded knife steel that offers a strong combination of edge retention and toughness. Its high carbon and vanadium content contribute to its wear resistance and ability to maintain a sharp edge, while its powder metallurgy process ensures excellent toughness. Although it may be harder to sharpen than some other steels, the impressive edge retention of S90V makes it a worthy contender for high-quality knives.
Corrosion and Wear Resistance
CPM S90V is a high-end martensitic stainless steel that offers exceptional corrosion resistance, thanks to its vanadium and carbon content. As a stainless steel, it is inherently stain resistant, making it a popular choice for use in knife blades. Moreover, its corrosion resistance also allows it to be used in various environments without succumbing to rust or damage due to exposure to moisture.
The wear resistance of CPM S90V is another distinguishing characteristic. This steel has remarkable wear resistance qualities, which can be attributed to its high carbon and vanadium content. This composition ensures that knives made from CPM S90V retain their sharpness for an extended period, even after frequent use. The excellent wear resistance it offers is especially useful for knives used in heavy-duty applications, requiring less frequent maintenance for optimal performance.
However, it should be noted that CPM S90V’s impressive wear and corrosion resistance come with a trade-off. The steel is hard to sharpen compared to other types of stainless steel. Additionally, knives made from CPM S90V tend to be more expensive due to the hardness of the steel, which is tough on grinding belts and the machinery used in the production process.
To summarize, CPM S90V boasts outstanding corrosion and wear resistance, making it a suitable choice for knife blades. Its stainless steel composition ensures its stain resistance and enables it to perform well in various conditions. However, its hardness can make it challenging to sharpen and may result in higher-cost knives.
Hardness and Sharpening
CPM S90V is a high-end, martensitic stainless steel known for its exceptional wear resistance and hardness. The steel contains a significant amount of vanadium and carbon, which contribute to its impressive characteristics. With a Rockwell Hardness (HRC) around 59-61, CPM S90V is a highly durable choice for knife users.
While the hardness of CPM S90V provides excellent edge retention, it also presents a challenge when it comes to sharpening. Due to the high HRC, it may take a bit more effort and experience to achieve a perfect edge. However, once sharpened, the steel maintains a sharp edge for an extended period.
To efficiently sharpen an S90V knife, it is recommended to use specialized sharpening tools such as cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamond-based sharpeners. These materials are harder and more effective in sharpening high-HRC steels like CPM S90V.
When it comes to the ideal type of edge, whether toothy or polished, it depends on the intended use of the knife. A toothy edge with increased bite is suitable for tasks that require aggressive cutting, whereas a polished edge is more suitable for precise slicing and push-cutting tasks.
In summary, CPM S90V is a good knife steel with high hardness and wear resistance. Its sharpening process may require more effort and specialized tools like CBN or diamond-based sharpeners, but the results are worth it, as the steel maintains its sharpness for extended periods.
CPM S90V Steel vs. Other Steels
When comparing CPM S90V steel to other popular knife steels, it’s essential to consider factors such as hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.
CPM S90V is a high-end martensitic stainless steel, known for its excellent wear resistance due to the addition of vanadium and carbon. Its corrosion resistance is equal to or better than 440C, a commonly used stainless steel in knives.
S30V and S35VN are also stainless steels from Crucible Industries, but they have lower amounts of vanadium in their composition. While still offering good wear resistance and edge retention, they may not perform at the same level as S90V in these aspects. However, S35VN has better toughness, making it less prone to chipping and breakage under harsh conditions.
S110V is another steel from Crucible Industries with even higher vanadium content than S90V, resulting in superior wear resistance and edge retention. However, this increased hardness makes S110V more difficult to sharpen, and its overall toughness is inferior to S90V.
M390 from Bohler is a high-performance stainless steel with excellent edge retention, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. M390 contains molybdenum, which contributes to its durability and ability to maintain a sharp edge. Despite its similarities to S90V, M390 has better overall toughness and ease of sharpening.
D2 is a popular tool steel, but it falls short in comparison to S90V when it comes to corrosion resistance. However, D2 offers good wear resistance and edge retention, making it a suitable choice for heavy-duty knives and cutting tools.
Elmax is a stainless steel from Bohler that offers an excellent balance between corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and toughness. While it may not outperform S90V in wear resistance, Elmax’s well-rounded properties make it a popular choice for various knife applications.
In conclusion, CPM S90V is an excellent choice for a knife steel, especially for applications where wear resistance and edge retention are of utmost importance. While other steels such as S30V, S35VN, S110V, M390, D2, and Elmax may have their unique strengths, CPM S90V consistently demonstrates superior wear resistance, making it a top contender in the knife industry.
Price and Availability
CPM S90V is considered a premium steel for knife making due to its excellent performance in terms of edge retention, wear resistance, and overall durability. As a result, this super steel tends to be found in high-end knives and is often priced accordingly.
When looking for a knife made with CPM S90V, expect to find them at a higher price point compared to other knife steels. This is because the manufacturing process and materials used in creating this steel contribute to its superior characteristics. However, its price can vary depending on factors like the knife’s brand, design, and additional features.
Knife enthusiasts and collectors who are willing to invest in a high-quality tool may find it worthwhile to choose a CPM S90V knife over more budget-friendly options. By doing so, they are ensuring that their knife is made from one of the most sought-after high-end steels available today.
Popular CPM S90V Knives
Spyderco CPM S90V Models
Spyderco is a well-known brand in the knife industry, and they have a few models that feature the high-end CPM S90V steel. One of their popular models is the Paramilitary 2, which is highly regarded by knife enthusiasts due to its excellent cutting performance, durability, and ergonomics. The Paramilitary 2 has a full-flat-ground blade, which provides a perfect balance between strength and cutting ability. The blade length is 3.44 inches, making it a suitable option for various applications.
Another notable Spyderco model with CPM S90V steel is the Manix 2. The Manix 2 is a lightweight folding knife that offers exceptional cutting power and control. The blade length is 3.37 inches, and it features a leaf-shaped design, providing a large cutting edge. This makes the Manix 2 an excellent option for everyday carry and various tasks.
Benchmade CPM S90V Models
Benchmade is another reputable knife manufacturer that utilizes CPM S90V steel in some of their models. One such example is the Benchmade 940, a popular everyday carry knife with an iconic design. The 940 features a 3.4-inch reverse tanto blade, providing strength and versatility for a wide range of cutting tasks. The lightweight aluminum handle ensures comfort during extended use.
Another Benchmade model that uses CPM S90V steel is the Benchmade Bugout. This is a lightweight, slim, and compact folding knife designed for various outdoor activities. The Bugout features a 3.24-inch drop point blade, making it ideal for precision tasks and general-purpose cutting.
Conclusion
CPM S90V is a high-end martensitic stainless steel, specifically designed by Crucible Industries to offer exceptional wear resistance and good corrosion resistance. Its composition includes a high amount of carbon and vanadium, which contributes to its superior edge retention. However, the trade-off is that it can be harder to sharpen compared to other steels.
In comparison to other knife steels like CPM S30V, S90V shows distinct advantages and limitations. While CPM S30V might be easier to sharpen and maintain, it generally falls short in edge retention compared to CPM S90V. The choice between these two steels ultimately depends on the knife’s intended purpose and the user’s preferences.
In conclusion, CPM S90V steel is an excellent choice for those seeking a high-quality knife with exceptional wear resistance and edge retention. Although the steel may be challenging to sharpen, it is worth considering for those who prioritize performance and durability in their knives.
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When you visit a merchant by clicking a link on this site we may make a commission on anything you buy (at no additional cost to you). Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to Amazon Associates and the eBay Partner Network.”