What's the best Benchmade Steel?

C

castello

Joined
May 30, 2014
Messages
11
154cm
D2
N680
S30V

?

I am putting together a Custom Mini Griptilian on the Benchmade website. And I'm not sure which steel material for the blade is the best choice.

Any Advice would be appreciated.

Thank you
 
What will you be using it for? Zip ties? opening mail? Cutting up boxes? Camping? Humid environments? How you use it will help determine what steel will work best for you. 154CM is their basic steel and is a good all-around steel. s30v has better edge retention, and D2 is even better than s30v. Difficulty sharpening also increases, though, so keep that in mind.
 
I may be in the minority here but I really like Benchmade's 154CM. Holds an good edge and very easy to maintain/sharpen.
 
Both 154CM and S30V have been around for years, and remain good steels for the average user. They're easier to sharpen generally, compared to M4 and D2. I love how M390 cuts but have limited experience with sharpening, yet have heard good things about it. I am mindful that all good steels cut well, and it's difficult to tell which is what in real use. YMMV.
 
jkarp_53 said:
Both 154CM and S30V have been around for years, and remain good steels for the average user. They're easier to sharpen generally, compared to M4 and D2.
Click to expand...
I haven't noticed a real world difference between the two. They seem to keep an edge roughly around the same length of time and both seem easy to sharpen.

jkarp_53 said:
I love how M390 cuts but have limited experience with sharpening, yet have heard good things about it. I am mindful that all good steels cut well, and it's difficult to tell which is what in real use. YMMV.
Click to expand...
M390 is a little more difficult to sharpen than S30V or 154CM, but it's still not difficult.
 
If you can give more specs of what you"ll be using it for and what environment you"ll be using it in you"ll get more descriptive anwsers. I like all the steels you listed in their own way.
 
In addition to steel choice remember the grinds are different as well, the sheepsfoot is a hollow grind while the others are flat ground.
 
Got a Grip a few weeks ago in M4 and like it so far. Easy to touch up on my Sharpmaker and holds a good edge. Always liked the S30v on my Ritter too...sharpens right up on my kitchen steel. :thumbup:
 
loonybin, is exactly correct. However you asked 'What's the best Benchmade Steel?" Ever ? = ATS 34.. I would forgo what you think you want and purchase an older BM with ats34. Can find many still on various sites around $175.00. I buy steel, not knives, so my answer revolves around function and form. The extra money ='s a knife that your Grandchildren will have. Today's BM ? 154cm, and ALWAYS use the LIFESHARP program, great deal.
 
In my opinion, the answer to a question in what the best Steel Benchmade have and is using is "depends" along side of what Loonybin has pointed.

There are 3 main opposing characteristics one would consider in blade. Toughness, edge retention, corrosion resistance. Also there are two sub category, harness and ease to tool come into deciding factor.

With given identical blade geometry and price is not a factor, I would rank M390, CPM-M4, S90V at this point. I am not dismissing D2 and 154cm, and they are very good steel.

With corrosion resistance and relative wear resistance, I would chose M390.

Now, only if they use S110V :D
 
My grips and barrage are all in 154CM. I sweat heavily during the summer working outside. I've had my barrage for about five years and have never had an issue with corrosion. D2 and I don't get along at the sharpening bench...lol. So I avoid it like the plague. S30V isn't too bad to sharpen though.
 
jkarp_53 said:
Both 154CM and S30V have been around for years, and remain good steels for the average user. They're easier to sharpen generally, compared to M4 and D2. I love how M390 cuts but have limited experience with sharpening, yet have heard good things about it. I am mindful that all good steels cut well, and it's difficult to tell which is what in real use. YMMV.
Click to expand...

Funny you say that.. i found my BM 810 M4 steel just as easy to sharpen as i did my 154CM on my ZT 0200.. Perhaps its the diamonds i am using (as opposed to stones or ceramic), but the M4 sharpened VERY nicely actually..
 
I agree Benchmade does 154cm great and would handle most chores, but I also have s30v and d2 both are great and I don't have much trouble at all sharpening them but the slightest edge would have to go to the D2 for taking a scary sharp edge just a bit better than s30v. My next Benchmade custom will be D2.
 
MobileFireLord said:
In my opinion, the answer to a question in what the best Steel Benchmade have and is using is "depends" along side of what Loonybin has pointed.

There are 3 main opposing characteristics one would consider in blade. Toughness, edge retention, corrosion resistance. Also there are two sub category, harness and ease to tool come into deciding factor.

With given identical blade geometry and price is not a factor, I would rank M390, CPM-M4, S90V at this point. I am not dismissing D2 and 154cm, and they are very good steel.

With corrosion resistance and relative wear resistance, I would chose M390.

Now, only if they use S110V :D
Click to expand...

The problem is, the OP wants to order a knife from the custom build program, and M390, CPM-M4, and S90V are not an option.
 
Choosing the steel really comes down to how much you will use the knife, and how hard you will use it...

I haven't used BM's N680, so I can't comment on it, but all of their other offerings are good. There will be some difference if you "upgrade" from their 154CM, but in all honesty, for a person that only uses their knife once in awhile, and for fairly mundane tasks, most people will never notice much, if any difference.

IMHO a lot of people become over obsessive about blade steel. Granted I can understand that if some of the options are what would be considered lower grade steel, but for a company that only offers good steel, it really isn't something to lose sleep over.

The main reason I would suggest something other than 154 if you are ordering a Mini Grip is, you are paying quite a bit more for a custom, than you would for the standard Mini Grip. If you order a knife with 154, you essentially paid a lot more just to have different color scales. If you are going to pay a premium, might as well order a blade that is considered an upgrade from production knives.
The S30V and D2 blades will hold an edge a little better than 154CM, but personally I don't worry about having to touch up my knives, because I enjoy it.
Irregardless of which you decide to go with, keep it sharp. It doesn't matter how good the steel is, if it isn't kept sharp.

Not that I think it would happen, because I am very partial to the Mini Grips, but if you order a knife and decide after awhile it isn't what you really want, you will have a better chance of recouping the cost, if you order an upgraded steel.
I don't think there are many people that would pay 110-120 dollars for a Mini with 154CM steel, just because it has different color scales.

In the end, don't lose a lot of sleep over it, because if you are like many of us, you will have more than one Mini :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top