What's the point to s90v when we have s110v?

MyLegsAreOk

MyLegsAreOk

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So I have 2 s110v knives and it performs the best for cutting, period. With s110v being so good is there a point to s90v? I saw a video on youtube that you can get s90v to a much much more keen/low angle edge but not as toothy an edge. Not only that it is easier to get it to that edge. Is it worth getting an s90v just to shake up my game in that it will be laser sharp and not rippy like my s110vs?

I was going to get a vg10 knife (another alloy that can easily get extremely sharp) or another maxamet knife but both fell through so this year I'm going to pick a new manix alloy and get a spydiechief. Thinking s90v will compliment the LC200N.
 
S90V was around before both 110 and 30, since the late 90s I believe.

First it was S60, the next 90 then 30 then 110 then 35.

They are from several different “family trees”, 60 was based on 440, 90 on 420, the others I believe are new designs.

The big difference between 90 and 110 is the niobium in 110. It is a large amount and frees up more chromium to prevent corrosion. This explains why even though 110 has more carbon it has higher corrosion resistance than 90.
 
S90v iirc has slightly more toughness and slightly better edge stability than s110v.

I like both for cutting and slicing through materials. S90v and s110v are great with a coarse edge. Though s110v will probably be better with a mirror for some tasks.
 
I prefer S90V over S110V mostly because I find it much easier to sharpen. As such, I no longer have S110V; S90V gets me most of the way with much less perceived time invested in sharpening. Maybe cumulative sharpening time for S110V would actually be less than it is with S90V since it holds an edge longer, but it doesn't feel that way.
 
I don’t see the point of s90v... not that it is a bad steel but it is just not for me

IMO it is too much « in between » what other steels can offer
I like s30/s35 over s90 for they are easier to sharpen
I have been converted to s110v with my PM2 and it has shadowed the s90 of my 940-1
 
Easier to sharpen, better edge stability.

S110V is an odd duck. Hard to sharpen, doesn't stay sharp very long, but holds a working edge so long that resharpening it nearly requires a full reprofile.

I'd buy another S90V knife if I liked the design enough (Spyderco Drunken), but will never own another S110V knife.
 
In general use I doubt most people would notice the difference between the two. But sharpening S90v is easier. Not really easier to grind, but easier to deburr. S110v leaves a really stubborn burr. I've learned how to deal with it, But it took a serious look at what I was doing under a microscope to figure out. I've never dealt with anything so annoying to deburr.

But after that it's great. (s110v) I would buy either one again, But I do prefer S90v as a user steel.
 
S90v is also easier to heat treat than s110v. So you see more makers using it over s110v.

People have a hard time with the ht causing all sorts of issues. Customers also have issues sharpening it if they arnt using diamonds or guided systems.
 
MyLegsAreOk said:
So I have 2 s110v knives and it performs the best for cutting, period. With s110v being so good is there a point to s90v? I saw a video on youtube that you can get s90v to a much much more keen/low angle edge but not as toothy an edge. Not only that it is easier to get it to that edge. Is it worth getting an s90v just to shake up my game in that it will be laser sharp and not rippy like my s110vs?

I was going to get a vg10 knife (another alloy that can easily get extremely sharp) or another maxamet knife but both fell through so this year I'm going to pick a new manix alloy and get a spydiechief. Thinking s90v will compliment the LC200N.
Click to expand...

S90v can be marginally tougher than s110v. However both are already not very tough steels anyway so there isn’t much I would do with a s90v knife vs an s110v knife.
 
110 was intended for use in highly abrasive and highly corrosive environments, such as plastics manufacturing and food processing.

Due to the large amount of carbon and only about 14% chromium in it, some consider 90 to be semi-stainless like D2. It meets the definition of stainless but doesn’t have very good corrosion resistance.

From what I understand, 125 was kind of a miss, it’s extremely hard to machine and heat treat, has very low toughness and has the same or less wear resistance than 110. Those are all the reasons why there are very few 125 knives out there and it’s a very rare steel to even find.

I had never heard of 150 before today but I see from some years ago that Sal described how Crucible made it but it was basically impractical and couldn’t be machined into anything useful.

You can get 15% vanadium steel in the form of CPM-15V, never seen a knife made from it though, and it’s a totally different type steel being non stainless and I believe for hot working/HSS.

Oddly enough, the highest wear resistance steels are not actually super high vanadium but medium vanadium and high tungsten/cobalt (Rex121,HAP72, maxamet)
 
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on_the_edge said:
I prefer S90V over S110V mostly because I find it much easier to sharpen. As such, I no longer have S110V; S90V gets me most of the way with much less perceived time invested in sharpening. Maybe cumulative sharpening time for S110V would actually be less than it is with S90V since it holds an edge longer, but it doesn't feel that way.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way. And I've chipped s110v but not s90v.

John_0917 said:
Due to the large amount of carbon and only about 14% chromium in it, some consider 90 to be semi-stainless like D2. It meets the definition of stainless but doesn’t have very good corrosion resistance.
Click to expand...

I've read that many times and it has long puzzled me. No corrosion on my (Spyderco and ZT) S90v knives, even if I try: leaving a knife wet, not cleaning it for a while, using it in the kitchen, etc. Then, recently, Larrin did a new analysis (https://knifesteelnerds.com/2019/01/14/which-knife-steels-have-the-best-corrosion-resistance/), which concludes among others that S90V and M390 basically have the same corrosion resistance, and s90v is significantly more corrosion resistant than - for example - XHP. This matches my S90V experience much better. I've seen two corroded XHP tangs, never an s90v one.

And for some reason, using my old wetstone hand-sharpening method, s90v is easier for me to sharpen than M390/20CV/204P. Because of which s90v is currently my favorite stainless. It just works. :)

Roland.
 
S110v is only used on the Golden 4, whereas s90v is used on Taichung knives and a few golden sprints.
 
Yonose said:
S110v is only used on the Golden 4, whereas s90v is used on Taichung knives and a few golden sprints.
Click to expand...
There are also other versions of it, such as 20CP, from what I understand S110V is very rarely produced at all.
 
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I prefer 440v and 420v to s110v. I find both to be more useful overall. that said I kinda like s110v just cause, but given a choice I'll pick 420v over s110v everytime.
 
Like S90V as it's easier to sharpen but wouldn't make a difference with a diamond sharpener,holds an edge longer and not to mention from my experience rusts easier.

While S110V is can be hard to sharpen without diamonds,takes a toothy edge but doesn't last as long but is virtually rust proof from my experience

So they both definitely have their pros and cons.
 
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