M390 or CPM S30V

IIRC, there are no equivalent versions of CPM-S30V.
M390 from Bohler has 2 equivalents.
CPM-20CV from Crucible and CTS-204P from Carpenter.
It's worth mentioning that all 3 are essentially the same steel. I've not read much about any differences in performance or heat treat.
I own several knives in M390 (coincidentally my favorite steel) and 20CV, and a few in S30V as well. Hands down I like the M390 and 20CV for the edge holding ability. I hate stopping mid-task and touching up an edge.
I agree that S30V can get hair popping sharp but does lose that razor edge quickly. In my experience, if the heat treat is done well, it will hold a decent working edge for a while but nothing compared to the M390,20CV, 204P bunch.
 
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Jan Z said:
I don't know that m390 is actually made into kitchen knives. I repurposed an SOG boning knife in s30v into my kitchen and it's quite handy.
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A few of my favorite kitchen knives from Bradford are M390.
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Wowbagger said:
S30V really requires diamonds to get sharp, especially polished sharp, and . . . I hate using diamonds (got piles of 'em . . . even the latest Matrix diamond stones kind of T me off cause the stone gets black and I'm supposed to leave it that way . . . I like looking at a nice clean swarf free stone ready to go. I guess that's just a personal flaw of mine.
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I don't think I've ever had to use anything beyond sapphire to get a nice polished edge on S30v. That was only because it was on hand and not because lesser stones wouldn't do the job.

allenC said:
S30V is a fine blade steel.
And S30V does not micro-chip like some harder steels.
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When the Native first came out it was one of the first S30v knives that Spyderco offered and it was chip city. Pretty much everything I have from the first half of the 2000s in S30v has been chippy. It seems like recently they've been running it at lower HRC numbers to prevent that but it's a long way from "does not micro-chip".
 
allenC said:
No doubt heat treatment does matter...but that matters in all blade steels.
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Yes, but just asking "which steel" ignores the bladesmith/manufacturer. What they do with the steel can matter so much more than which they choose.
In the kitchen knife world, Shun Classics are known for their iffy heat treatment of VG-10. Judging by that it is a steel to avoid. (There are also design aspects I object to.)
But few in the J-knife world say no to a Kato or Masakage, which can also be had in VG-10. Performs fine.

The skill makes so much difference. I pick the maker and design before I worry about steel. Honestly a good design/grind/heat treat is going to give me less headaches than a wedge of S30.
Sure, other things being equal-ish, pick the steel. But unless it is a sprint run, it happens rarely.
 
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