POLL: s90v or m390

s90v or m390

  • CPM S90V

    Votes: 23 19.3%

  • M390/ CPM 20CV/ CTS-204P

    Votes: 96 80.7%
  • Total voters
    119
  • Poll closed .
M

microtech85

Joined
Dec 1, 2015
Messages
468
Hey guys, I am interested to know what steel you all prefer for folding edc pocket knife up to 4 inches long. I would suggest only people with personal experience using these steels respond so we can try to get an accurate idea of preference with actual use.

I have had s90v on my 940-1 for almost 2 years and i like its cutting performance. I just got the valet which is my first in m390, so i have not yet formed a complete opinion on it yet. So for that reason, i am not casting a vote yet.
 
microtech85 said:
Hey guys, I am interested to know what steel you all prefer for folding edc pocket knife up to 4 inches long. I would suggest only people with personal experience using these steels respond so we can try to get an accurate idea of preference with actual use.

I have had s90v on my 940-1 for almost 2 years and i like its cutting performance. I just got the valet which is my first in m390, so i have not yet formed a complete opinion on it yet. So for that reason, i am not casting a vote yet.
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In my experience m390 has all the excellent edge retention of s90v while being quite abit tougher. M390 is related to Elmax which is considered one of the toughest stainless powdered super steels. Also m390 seems to be much easier to touch up as it doesn't burr as stubbornly as s90v during sharpening. Altogether m390 also seems to take a finer edge than s90v wants to.
 
i have noticed less burr while sharpening the m390 too. I have also noticed the m390 is taking what seems to be a finer edge. So, it sounds rather consistent. Good to hear so far. One thing that i am really liking about the m390 is how mirror like the metal is. I think its quite beautiful, but i am assuming it will have superior corrosion resistance, but i have had no issues with the s90 as of yet. I love the aggressive cutting performance of the s90v. The m390 is not seeming to have that, but i have not had to chance to cut much with it.
 
M390(20CV, 204P) for sure! User friendly, tough, gets (very)sharp with ease, holds a great edge, very corrosion resistant, etc.
All around great steel! That is based off having both, both with great HT and blade geometry. I have never had either steel Benchmade knife. Just got a 20CV full size Griptilian, so we'll see how that is.
 
microtech85 said:
i have noticed less burr while sharpening the m390 too. I have also noticed the m390 is taking what seems to be a finer edge. So, it sounds rather consistent. Good to hear so far. One thing that i am really liking about the m390 is how mirror like the metal is. I think its quite beautiful, but i am assuming it will have superior corrosion resistance, but i have had no issues with the s90 as of yet. I love the aggressive cutting performance of the s90v. The m390 is not seeming to have that, but i have not had to chance to cut much with it.
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Both s90v and m390 are very stainless. Some stainless steels are more resistant to corrosion thab others. The finish of the steel matters too, mirror finish being the most resistant bare steel finish.

S90v is more difficult to get a mirror edge on than m390 which seems to accept polishing very well.
 
I like both. S90v has better edge retention but m390 gives really good edge retention with less chipping because it adds some toughness. Can't go wrong with either but more folks avoid the s90v cause it's harder to polish and sharpen for them.

Depending on the job I choose one or the other. Tho I prefer s90v. I know most people will not pick s90v.
 
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mo2, have you personally had chipping? i have never experienced chipping with s90v on my benchmade 940-1 in 22 months of ownership and every day carry. In fact, my 940-1 has had the most stable edge of my powder metal knives, although i have not had the m390 long enough to say whether its better or not. has anyone else had chipping?
 
M390 keep takes and maintains a better edge. I have a PM2(M390) I use for taking insulation off of 1/0 gauge wires and above. No kidding I will touch up that blade about once every month and a half or so. I sadly don't have any experience with 90v but ive heard like others have mentioned it is "tougher" which in my eyes means the steel is more prone to chipping.

Also M390 has some chromium mixed in their for a "true mirror polish" if your into that sort of thing.
 
Overall I would say M390, best all around steel from many makers (Spyderco, Benchmade, KAI, Lionsteel, Shirogorov, Steel Will, Giant Mouse and others i'm sure I'm forgetting that I own). However, Spyderco's S-90V is some wicked stuff, especially on the Military.
 
Haven t used the manix xl that I have with s90v, but my manix2 with s110v is very hard to sharpen compared to any other steel I have. On the other hand, m390 and 204cp are easy to sharpen and have very good edge retention. I can t personally judge the tendencies for chipping. If s90 is similar to s110, I prefer the m390.
 
M390 is a fantastic super steel and IMHO, has the best all-around balance of steel attributes (stain resistance, wear resistance, edge retention, toughness, etc.) for a high-end steel blade.
 
CTS204P/M390 all the way for me. My favorite stainless steel, followed closely by S35VN (at the right HT).
 
microtech85 said:
mo2, have you personally had chipping?
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Yes. On my spyderco military with factory edge and benchmade 940-1 after sharpening. Also had chipping on manix2 s110v. A micro-bevel should help but I'm a bit lazy.
 
I have always liked the cutting performance of my s90v 940-1 but i do not like sharpening it. From the very beginning, i have always wished that the 940-1 came with a different steel. I had considered asking benchmade if could buy the s30v blade to replace mine with. I think i even mentioned that i a post a year or so ago. I think i would really like to have this knife in their 20cv or m390 or s30v. I do like that the knife and the steel are made in USA.
 
Benchmade 20cv is outstanding in my book. Easy maintanence as well.
 
wow, the poll result is a lot more one sided than i thought it would be. I would be interested if some people would be willing to compare and contrast the use and maintenance of both steels.
 
Ill bet you'll be hard pressed to find people who prefer ANYTHING over M390 on a folder. Its widely considered the king in terms of performance and reliability. Not sure about maintenance.
 
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