M390 vs D2. Is it worth it?

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EatingSarma

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Jun 22, 2020
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I'm eyeing Viper Berus 1 ever since I first saw it, but it's just too expensive for me.
It's 150€.

Now I'm finally on the fence to get it, but there is one issue.

Do I need it?

Currently I use Boker GoBag as my EDC. I've used it for a long time, I even put it through some abuse, and it only suffered some schratches, no rolls, no chips, really good edge retention and really good performance. Also no corrosion, despite the fact I never oiled it. It only got slight patina from cherry cheesecake.
It cost me 30€.

Now, is the M390 so much better than D2?
What are the advantages?

Does it justify fact it costs literally 5x more?
 
I honestly don't think any of the premium steels are SOOOO much better than one another. If you like the design though and it'll bring some joy or pride in your life owning it, its worth it. I find cutting performance is mostly based on blade shape, thickness, type of grind...comfort of grip... if you like the knife I say go for it. I own many blades, s30v, s35vn, s90v, m390, 20cv...whatever. my most carried blade for the last 8 years or so is my s30v PM2...
 
If you are someone that cuts with your knife many times a day, super steels might mean a significant advantage for you. To the average Joe Knyffuser, I bet most couldn’t tell the difference between 440A and Vanax Superclean. I only own 1 knife in what most people would call a super steel, the rest are mostly S30V or 154CM. I use my knives a lot and never felt those “inferior steels” to be lacking in performance
 
EatingSarma said:
I'm eyeing Viper Berus 1 ever since I first saw it, but it's just too expensive for me.
It's 150€.

Now I'm finally on the fence to get it, but there is one issue.

Do I need it?

Currently I use Boker GoBag as my EDC. I've used it for a long time, I even put it through some abuse, and it only suffered some schratches, no rolls, no chips, really good edge retention and really good performance. Also no corrosion, despite the fact I never oiled it. It only got slight patina from cherry cheesecake.
It cost me 30€.

Now, is the M390 so much better than D2?
What are the advantages?

Does it justify fact it costs literally 5x more?
Click to expand...

5x's more? No
EatingSarma said:
I'm eyeing Viper Berus 1 ever since I first saw it, but it's just too expensive for me.
It's 150€.

Now I'm finally on the fence to get it, but there is one issue.

Do I need it?

Currently I use Boker GoBag as my EDC. I've used it for a long time, I even put it through some abuse, and it only suffered some schratches, no rolls, no chips, really good edge retention and really good performance. Also no corrosion, despite the fact I never oiled it. It only got slight patina from cherry cheesecake.
It cost me 30€.

Now, is the M390 so much better than D2?
What are the advantages?

Does it justify fact it costs literally 5x more?
Click to expand...
 
I use 14c28n as my edc fixed blade, which has lower edge retention than d2...

it serves me very well and I hardly ever need to touch it up, & stropping brings it right back, so it takes very little time and effort

... in my mind, the only time m390 really makes sense is if you're cutting leather all day (or something like that) and need something that will hold up to that without losing its edge
 
M390 (same as CPM-20CV and CTS-204P for all practical purposes) might be a bit easier to sharpen than D2. It holds a fine edge very well and should be more corrosion resistant than D2. Go for it. "You can never have too many knives," according to Logen Ninefingers (a.k.a. The Bloody Nine) in Joe Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy:D.
 
Is M390 worth the extra cost over D2?
Depends on your usage.
M390 is much more corrosion resistant than D2. But if you are using D2 with no issues, then that's not a reason.
M390 will hold an edge significantly longer than D2. But unless you are cutting all day long and needing to resharpen frequently, then that's not a reason, either.

For some few folks, it's worth the cost because of their usage habits.
For most folks the cost is justified only because it's the latest and greatest.
 
I've carried and used a Enzo/Brisa Birk 75 Scandi grind in D2 for a couple of years (in addition to my trusty SAK Tinker) and have never had to do a full resharpening, just run it across a strop a time or two and it's ready to go again. Love D2.
Rich
 
stick with what you have, it sounds like it already proved itself out, if anything buy another as a back-up
 
You don't likely need it.

The question you should ask yourself is "do I want it, can I afford it?"

Because honestly, do any of us actual need another knife? I honestly don't. But I do want, and sometimes that means I buy myself things I merely want because I want.
 
I'm usually all for trying the newer steels but that would be when you can afford it and want to. No, I don't think you need it and the steel difference alone for sure wouldn't be worth 5 times the amount. If you have had good service from D2 before than stick with it. You should be able to find something in the M390 family for a better deal if you don't get in a hurry.For me they are both good steels. I have used D2 for years and still have no problems selecting it for use now. M390 also.

Joe
 
I find a lot of folks that get into knives follow this pattern. They start by saying "AUS-8, 8CR, and D2 are fine for what I need. I can't believe that people spend 5 times more for something in a fancy steel." Then after a few years they are eyeing the knives in better steel thinking: "Wow I could spend the money now and get a knife with an edge that will last be 5 times longer than my cheaper knives!"

We all get those expensive knives then we are saying to ourselves: "Wow now I need to go out and get some sharpening supplies to work on this super hard fancy steel"

We do that and then years later start thinking "well had I known how to sharpen this well when I had my cheaper knives I would have had no need for the edge retention those more expensive knives offered in the first place..."

It is a condition and I struggle with it myself.
 
You got the money? Do you want the knife? So what's the issue then? You want the Chevy or the Ferrari? All steels perform a little differently, some you'll like some you'll hate but if you never tried you'll never know. There's a reason M390 costs more than D2 but all steels cut stuff at the end of the day, some just cut better for longer
 
You would like the way M390 behaves and how long it holds an edge. Personally, I do not like spending whopping amounts of money on knives that I can find a cheaper one to do the same thing, though I am guilty of doing it a few times. It comes down to whether you really want it, or not. I certainly would not spend the money unless I was sure it is comfortable to use and I would be happy with it long term.
 
Well here is the thing.

I can afford to spend 150€ right now.
I just need to know it's worth it.

This D2 has proven to be tough, and as corrosion resistant as I need.
But, ever since I bought it I did have few complaints on fit and finish, such as handle scales not being symmetrical.

Handle shape is comfortable, so no complaints there.

Another issue I do have with it is the blade.
It's some kind of mix between drop point and a tanto, and while it will cut, it just doesn't exceed either the tasks tanto or drop point would exceed.
While it is doable to complete many tasks with it, plain drop point would be better.
It is like downsides of both, drop point and tanto being combined in one blade. It's not really for stabbing and it's lacking for utility work too.
Second issue I have with the blade is the blade lenght. It's not as short as I'd like, and also it is kinda on the edge with law too. And I would like to avoid problems with law. It is not illegal, but it's not far from it either.
I'm not planning to use a pocket/neck knife for self defense as that would be stupid. I have pepper spray for that, it gives me way more reach and will keep me out of court.

And the Boker GoBag is discontinued. So I'd like to save this one as a memory if nothing else.

If I buy this Viper Berus, it will probably be the last knife I bought.
I like the handle, I like the blade shape and lenght, I like the overall design, and it has extremely good sheath for carry.
 
My take on this would be:

M390 alone isn't worth 5x more than D2, but as you said before, blade shape and length, handle ergonomics, sheath and fit and finish... then yes it might be worth 5x more.
If it was the same knife in 2 different steels, M390 and D2 for those prices - then that'd be a definite no, I'd tell you to stick with the D2, but that's not the case here.

I don't doubt you can get by with your D2, and I don't doubt it can serve you for many more years. But I see you're not very happy with it lately, and this other knife might provide a much better experience for you in the long run.
 
Great inputs from knarfeng and co556.

I can’t really comment on either knife since I don’t own them. In my experience though, D2 is a capable EDC steel that should last for years with proper maintenance. M390 will certainly have the edge in terms of wear resistance and corrosion resistance.

If you really like the knife and you see yourself using it long-term, I say go for it. The knife will remain long after the price is forgotten.

However, there are plenty of other great choices in the €150 range.
 
It's not just a difference in steel. The quality of construction is going to be a big difference. The Boker is made in China, vs the Viper in Italy, so higher cost of manufacturing.
 
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