San Mai Vs O1 Edge Retention?

M

mastiffhound

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Dec 27, 2013
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I've been going back and forth trying to figure out what my next knife purchase will be and I'm down to 2 but it also comes down to a choice of steel. I've been thinking about a Recon Scout in O1 or getting a second Trail Master in San Mai. The San Mai appeals to me for the corrosion resistance but if it doesn't come anywhere close to the O1 in edge retention I couldn't justify the purchase to myself. So, which has better edge retention San Mai or O1? As always thanks for all the help!
 
mastiffhound said:
I've been going back and forth trying to figure out what my next knife purchase will be and I'm down to 2 but it also comes down to a choice of steel. I've been thinking about a Recon Scout in O1 or getting a second Trail Master in San Mai. The San Mai appeals to me for the corrosion resistance but if it doesn't come anywhere close to the O1 in edge retention I couldn't justify the purchase to myself. So, which has better edge retention San Mai or O1? As always thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...

Do you already have a Trailmaster in SM3, or just a carbon steel Trailmaster?

If you don't already have a San Mai 3 Trailmaster, get one!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Cold Steel's San Mai III VG-1 core has good edge-holding, and should have better edge-holding than most Carbon steels, just like Randall's 440B knives have slightly better edge-holding than their 0-1 equivalent. The difference will be too small to really notice either way.

If the 0-1 has a V-edge, it should perform better and be easier to re-sharpen than the rather fat Cold Steel convex edge of recent SM IIIs.

Gaston
 
From what I understand the San Mai option is going to be phased out, not sure if that's important to you. I would personally wait and see if they do a CPM-3V TM. Cos if they do that will definitely be the one to get!
 
I think the Sanmai III (or rather VG-1 core laminate) definitely has better edge retention than my 0-1 TM. The Sanmai may chip and the 0-1 will roll,
have experienced both. As mentioned above the V-grind of the 0-1 makes for easier sharpening. The SM TM is the last model still being made by Hattori Seki for CS and we don't know how long that will last. If and when CS announce a 3V TM that would suggest that the end of the SM TM is not far off.
 
Vg1 being a stainless steel should have better wear resistance and edge retention than O1 tool steel. But I would say the difference should be minor. Both are decent steels. Your sharpening angle and finishing grit will determine the edge retention more than the difference in steel.
 
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