Spyderco super steels (m390, m4) ur daily users or safe-squatters?

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FloridaDreams

Joined
Apr 11, 2021
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I’ve just ordered my first 2 Spyderco’s and I’m excited to catch the bug… or, ‘insect‘? You get it. I have plenty of tools in s35vn (a few Cold Steels, Tops Camp Creek fixed blade) and it’s fine but it doesn’t seem to hold an edge very long for me. I know it’s not exactly the same, but I’d like to avoid s30V because variety is the spice of life and I’m easily bored… I’ve researched all the sprint runs and different steels that Spyderco offers and I wanted to take the temperature of the community for a general consensus - I only see the super steel models on ebay selling for hundreds more than the original price - always brand new. Leaving me to ask… does anyone use the Manix 2 M390 or M4 PM2 or Elmax Para 3? If you chose to edc one of these (or similar less-stainless super steels) do you regret it? Versus the normal S30V for most models, what do you find to be the actual, real world pluses and minuses of the super steels and would you say they’re worthy of the 2x or more investment for a knife that will be used every day? Ideally we would all have a copy of the blades we love in a box somewhere to ogle and pamper, but this economy ain’t gettin any better soon, so any input/thoughts appreciated… I understand the technical differences - this is more of a call for personal opinions / experiences. Thanks.
 
I use my M390 Manix 2 (and several other M390/20CV knives), and my CPM M4 GB2 all the time. The way I treat it, M390 actually is "super stainless" - of all the Spyderco steels it is closest to LC200N and H1 wrt to corrosion resistance. The only problem that I had with Spyderco M390/20CV is chipping. Other, a little softer M390 implementations (~60 HRC instead of Spyderco's 62) are tougher and require less "chip fixing" in my use.

M4 is really cool wrt mix of toughness, hardness, and just enough chrome (4%) so it requires no maintenance for me. My GB2 is used every day for work-shop duties, and basically corrosion/maintenance free in my applications.
 
If you aren't in it for profit, a light to medium used sprint or exclusive sells on the exchange for about its retail price, often above it still. You only lose money using them with respect to potential profit. If you aren't in it for the money, just buy and use it.

Buying without carrying or using defeats the purpose to me. Maybe I'm not as much of a visual person as others, but only looking at a knife (or just putting it away in a safe or drawer forever) does nothing for me. I don't buy a knife I don't plan to carry.

I don't feel the price bump for super steels is worth it normally if you're talking price to performance, but once you have a bunch of knives in your collection, an extra $50 or whatever is what it takes to justify another. It's a hobby after all, so a bit more for something new doesn't seem like a big deal.
 
All the Spyderco knives I use daily are pretty well all tool steel or super steel. No problems with that or with keeping them sharp.

Here's a few Blade HQ flavored ones.

aCopT3I.jpg
 
I've got a Delica with M390 under the hood... and a Dragonfly hiding some K390.
Both of them are holding up really well.
(I'd hate to live on the difference...)
 
I have folders in all kinds of super steels and I like them and use them all. The whole point of a good knife is to be used. And when I sell a knife, it is not only because of the steel, mostly I don't like the locking mechanism or the ergonomics.
When I like a knife, I will buy it in different configs - eg I have five different Natives - and similarly, when I like a steel I will buy it in different knives.
 
I've been carrying Rex 45 for almost 3 years, in several different models. I would not want to go back to something like S30V.

I mostly get them on the original drops, so the premium is usually something like $10-15 over the base model.
 
I have all kinds of different steels in spyders and I use them all.
My favorite is the cpm cruwear,
FBfuPiU.jpg
easy to sharpen and holds that edge for a long time.

I really don't think it's worth hundreds of dollars more in performance.
I have watched sprints and exclusives pretty closely to get what I wanted.
I have Trouble paying someone else for buying it out from under me and selling it back for more .
 
I agree - I didn’t even realize, but I think I just happened onto Blade HQ when I was looking for a PM2 because I went back after I bought it to look at the M4 specs and it was sold out - like 5 minutes later. Wild. I’ll post some pics when it shows up and I sign up for Flickr.
 
My favorite user steels are honestly 14c28n, S35Vn, LC200N, and Cruwear. Nothing wrong with super steels, but I have chipped M390 too much, and both it and M4 are diffcult for me to sharpen (because I sick at it). I find Cruwear, 14c28n, and LC200N to be really easy, even for me.
 
M390 and its derivatives are excellent, depending on the heat treatment. Spyderco seems to do an excellent job in this regard. When it comes to the really tough tasks, the CPM-M4 in my Spyderco Gayle Bradley folder is fantastic, though more difficult to resharpen than S35VN.

I'm rather obsessive about not letting my knives get dull, so I will choose a more wear resistant knife in situations where I might be cutting heavier, thicker, stronger stuff. In my experience, of what I own, CPM-M4 and CPM-S90V are my favorites for the heavier stuff.
 
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