S30V, S90V or rex 45 native chief?

[Skar]

I have all 3 steels and do prefer the s90v for the stainless, however the extra cost of the sprint has kept me from purchasing chief model. The Rex 45 is a fantastic deal, upgraded steel, nice color g10 and not to hard to get. However Rex is not stainless so there is a trade off.


I would snatch one of the sprints asap, before they are gone.

Wait...
Where is the rex version ?

 

[Elgatodeacero]

Technically the Rex 45 is not stainless, but here are both sides of my Shaman Rex 45 after around 6 months of daily carry. This has cut food, vines, small trees, weeds, etc.

It really does seem sharper and harder than other steels I have used, and the factory edge is pretty refined, and I understand this steel can be taken even finer with good edge durability.

 

[Colorodo]

Or CTS-XHP soon.

 

[dan35]

I have the S90v sprint and it’s a fantastic piece. CF handles. Light, long and lean.

 

[Skar]

Jeez....
I Need to stay away from you guys.
I get suckered in to knife purchases waaay to easy.

Got both s90 and rex now : |

 

[John_0917]

Rex 45 has slightly less vanadium carbide than S30V but also has tungsten and molybdenum carbides as well, it is also lower in carbon overall and is a totally different type of alloy.

The SxxV steels are all stainless and primarily vanadium carbide (hence the sharpening challenges), S90V is more of a semi stainless (like D2) and has roughly the same wear resistance as S110V (which is highly stainless).

They have also made S125V and S145V but neither have really made any significant commercial progress and are borderline impractical.

For as hard as Rex 45 is, the sharpening is nothing near as bad as ZDP and can reasonably be done with ceramics.