New Spyderco-Exclusive Steel CPM SPY27

100 new knife models come out every month and no one complains. We get two new steels within a few months and the response is, “The knife steel market is oversaturated with choice.”
I think it may be because knives are selected in a fairly subjective manner, while steels may be viewed more objectively (supposedly). Takes small differences in a knife design to create a visceral response, while larger differences in objective steel properties are needed to get the same amount of interest.
 
I don’t see how this new steel has any definitive benefits over steels that already exist.
Bag with ingredients is known .Ingredients are already mixed almost on all possible way .So whatever new you mix will be close to something already done :)
I think that we need some more drastically changes for new steel .New process or new ingredients........:D
 
100 new knife models come out every month and no one complains. We get two new steels within a few months and the response is, “The knife steel market is oversaturated with choice.”

Seriously.

People bemoan when a knife is released in "yesterday's" steel and cast dismissive glances at many very good steels but when a new one is released, people come out of the woodwork to criticize it.

We have two significant players in the cutlery world teaming up to formulate a new, knife specific steel. That's just good for everyone involved in this hobby, whether you will ever buy the steel or not. I won't because my knife tastes have moved to traditionals but I'm excited for Spyderco on this. Most steels we use were not designed specifically for cutlery and have been adapted so when we see things like this I say heck yes! Knife steel innovation is awesome.

As DeadboxHero DeadboxHero has been trying to point, this steel has potential that may exceed what an initial paper review might suggest. Will it live up to that real world? That remains to be seen but we should at least let, ya know, a single knife hit the general public to start deciding that. Yeah, you're probably going to need to know how to sharpen to take advantage of it. If you don't sharpen, or have someone sharpen your knives, then I don't see why you care all that much about a given steel anyway.

Further, it's an American company working with an American company. I don't get too concerned about such things but it sure seems to get a lot of press around here but in this case, bah. Marketing BS! I don't get it.

I'll choose to celebrate the effort regardless of the end results. The market will sort that part out.
 
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I love to see Spyderco continuing to innovate, explore, and just generally be interested in blade steels.

There has been so much emphasis lately from other companies on producing fancy handles, titanium and carbon fiber scales, intricate milling and inlays, opening and closing action, etc.
Most production companies are interested in everything BUT blade steel. They use what they think people will buy, and couldn't care less if they heat treat it into a complete turd or not. D2? M390? Sure whatever you guys want. It will all perform like crap when we're done with it but who cares?!

And for those of you who chastise people for buying an existing, proven Spyderco model in new steels, I could just as easily chastise you for buying a new knife model, an 1/8th of an inch longer than your last knife, with a slightly differently shaped finger groove, with a modified drop point instead of a spear point, with the same exact blade steel you already have. You're Benchmade Griptilian was already good enough! Why would you waste your money buying a Benchmade Freek?! Idiot!

Not picking on Benchmade, just an example.

My point is, I like what Spyderco is doing here with SPY27, and will continue to support them with my wallet. Now if only I could convince them to grind their blades thinner behind the edge...
 
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$140 (MAP) for this SPY27 variant. 30% more expensive than the standard BD1N version. More expensive even than the upcoming FRN Rex45 Sprint...

That’s the only question for me, where is this steel targeted? If it’s to be the mainline steel S30V replacement, then the price-point is well off. It’s higher than or equal to M390 and S110V steel versions. If it is a US VG-10, would people pay that much of a premium, or a premium at all, or does the pricing come down if they take it to the general production line for baseline knives? I like M390 as a best all around value for me, and since it seems to be cheaper than knives launching with SPY-27, it probably wouldn’t be something I pursue...unless real world testing is really good.
 
I love Spyderco but this knife steel seems like an overpriced Vg-10. The performance doesn’t-seem to warrant the price.
 
It's all BS and armchair science until someone has made a knife and used it, that's emperical knowledge.

Spyderco's done this in the past with their special steel, ATS-55. It was OK steel, but no rockstar, quikly eclipsed by VG10 and 440V.
 
These new steels dont motivate me one iota to buy. Design alone does.

Chasing steels is something that I always want to do but design and ergonomics play a bigger role in my choices when I am truly ready to buy.

For example, I purchased a Spyderco D’Allara 3 last year. My goal was to own one Spyderco besides their Clip-it Rescue knife.

The D’Allara is almost perfect for my needs and I would be content if I never own another Spyderco.

The fact that it is S30v helped with my decision but I still would have purchased the knife if it wasn’t.
 
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My point is, I like what Spyderco is doing here with SPY27, and will continue to support them with my wallet. Now if only I could convince them to grind their blades thinner behind the edge...

At least their knives from Taiwan and Italy have thin grinds behind the edge. If only Golden would follow suit.

My take on this is to wait to see how the steel behaves with Spyderco's heat treat. There are many steels that don't look spectacular on paper but prove to be really good in actual use. This could be one of those, and it could offer a good balance of properties. If you are only cutting cardboard and rope all day, by all means look for S110V. But for general edc use a more balanced steel could be the better approach, with better edge stability being more important.
 
SPY27 looks great to me as long as it is heat treated well.
The thing I am not liking is the price.

Am I correct that the Para3 lightweight in SPY27 is 40 bucks more than the BD1N version?
 
Well, BD1N is not a PM steel and uses the lowest cost method to get the Nitrogen in the steel with blow by over the melt.

I don't think they made a lot of SPY27. So no bulk discount for them.

Cost of making any new steel is high.

Making a new PM steel however is 10 times higher than that.

This is a big reason why the knife industry uses steels that another industry application uses and payed for. It already exists in bulk and R&D for the material is there except the fine tuning that's needed to apply to knives.

So, if they wanted a budget steel they would not use the PM technology and also dump the cobalt which is expensive.

Also niobium and vanadium due to cost and also since without PM, they would grow to massive blocky carbides.

If the price is upsetting, can always vote with your wallet and not buy.

Although, seems like folks have no problem buying the same titanium frame lock flipper in the same soft steel every year. Yet when a new steel to try comes out it's cause for outrage :D






SPY27 looks great to me as long as it is heat treated well.
The thing I am not liking is the price.

Am I correct that the Para3 lightweight in SPY27 is 40 bucks more than the BD1N version?
 
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