M4 vs S90 which has better all around edge retention ?

Michigan Fancyman

Michigan Fancyman

Joined
Apr 17, 2011
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I keep hearing different opinions on which blade material is better for edge retention . Basically just wanting to know is M4 better than S90 or 110V ?
 
S90V has better edge retention than M4.

S110V is even better than S90V.
 
ar0maticdecay said:
ankerson isn't it true phil wilson said if u can get m4 up to 64-65 it passes s90v?
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No, not really, it in that range though depending, no real free lunch there, you would have to drop the HRC on S90V for M4 to beat it.

10V would be a MUCH better choice though, it's a real step up from S90V.

M4 doesn't really do as well as the Alloy content would have you think it would for some reason.

If you want S90V type edge retention get S90V.

M4 gets a lot of Hype because it's used in Blade Sports, but it's just not as good as some other steels when you start talking about straight edge retention.
 
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That's surprising. Since it landed in group 2 in your testing I thought it proved to be a pretty amazing steel. The M4 in my two GBs didn't impress me, but I just got two M4 Manix 2s so we'll see how that works.



Ankerson said:
No, not really, it in that range though depending, no real free lunch there, you would have to drop the HRC on S90V for M4 to beat it.

10V would be a MUCH better choice though, it's a real step up from S90V.

M4 doesn't really do as well as the Alloy content would have you think it would for some reason.

If you want S90V type edge retention get S90V.

M4 gets a lot of Hype because it's used in Blade Sports, but it's just not as good as some other steels when you start talking about straight edge retention.
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CrimsonTideShooter said:
That's surprising. Since it landed in group 2 in your testing I thought it proved to be a pretty amazing steel. The M4 in my two GBs didn't impress me, but I just got two M4 Manix 2s so we'll see how that works.
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Like I said it's up there in that range, but it's not as good as it really should be based on Alloy content.

For non stainless 10V and K294 are much better choices, Stainless it would be S110V and there is a BIG gap between those and S90V.

S90V at 60 HRC is hard to beat except for the 3 steels I just mentioned.

K390 is too new yet, haven't tested it or seen anything on it testing wise yet.
 
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In real world use M4 seems to hold the sharper edge and S90V holds the overall working edge. Both great steels and both will likely to never be pushed hard enough by the average user to really find out.
 
knifenut1013 said:
In real world use M4 seems to hold the sharper edge and S90V holds the overall working edge. Both great steels and both will likely to never be pushed hard enough by the average user to really find out.
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Very true on that.... The ave knife users aren't using premium steels in the 1st place...
 
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also note, m4 is MUCH tougher, and would allow for a thinner edge, and what would *feel* like a sharper edge.... no?
 
SpartanSaint said:
also note, m4 is MUCH tougher, and would allow for a thinner edge, and what would *feel* like a sharper edge.... no?
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That's going to depend on hardness and how thin the edge is, to get something you must give up something else to get it.

No free lunch with steels.
 
Hey Jim, I just got a S90V blade that was HT to 60-61 by Peters. I haven't put it through its paces yet, just use in the kitchen but should I expect better edge retention from it that I would spyderco's S90V? I plan on using it mainly for processing meat and skinning. I know that edge geometry grind etc... probably have just as much to do with edge retention as the HT but I was just curious if I would see any difference.
 
KalEl said:
Hey Jim, I just got a S90V blade that was HT to 60-61 by Peters. I haven't put it through its paces yet, just use in the kitchen but should I expect better edge retention from it that I would spyderco's S90V? I know that edge geometry grind etc... probably have just as much to do with edge retention but I was just curious if I would see any difference.
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Don't think you will be able to tell the difference in real use between the two.
 
Makes sense. There is SO much more to alloy steels than I think I can ever learn. I'll just stick to asking questions. :)



Ankerson said:
Like I said it's up there in that range, but it's not as good as it really should be based on Alloy content.

For non stainless 10V and K294 are much better choices, Stainless it would be S110V and there is a BIG gap between those and S90V.

S90V at 60 HRC is hard to beat except for the 3 steels I just mentioned.

K390 is too new yet, haven't tested it or seen anything on it testing wise yet.
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It comes down to what the steel will be used for and what the users expectations of performance are. When you start talking about Super Premium steels like S90V you may be able to say there is better but as far as practical edge retention is concerned that's about tops. Steels with higher vanaidum may have more wear resistance but that does not have the affect most think it does.

To the OP original question it will all ALL depend on what you use the blade for regardless of which steel is slightly better than the other.
 
knifenut1013 said:
It comes down to what the steel will be used for and what the users expectations of performance are. When you start talking about Super Premium steels like S90V you may be able to say there is better but as far as practical edge retention is concerned that's about tops. Steels with higher vanaidum may have more wear resistance but that does not have the affect most think it does.

To the OP original question it will all ALL depend on what you use the blade for regardless of which steel is slightly better than the other.
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When talking about the big V steels like S90V, S110V, 10V all of will cut longer than most people would ever need a knife to cut, they just keep cutting for a very, very long time, well beyond most people would be used too, but there is a difference from S90V to the 10V, S110V range taking into count good proper HT and hardness for the steels.
 
And that's part of what I am trying to say without going into every detail, you can look on paper and see that S90V may have more wear resistance but if your job is cutting meat all day M4 would be the better choice. If you were cutting cardboard all day then S90V would be the better choice.
 
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