How Stainless is S110V?

[tangent]

I have a Native 5 LW in S110V that I am considering using as a sort of "Salt" knife since I want a plain edge knife and don't really like the edge holding of H1 in plain edge. It would be used primarily to cut limes, go into chlorine water and occasionally in salt water. Any recent experiences out there with folders in S110V?

[bearfacedkiller]

It is very, very stainless. I have treated my S110V mule very poorly in regards to corrosion and it has held up very well. It has been caked in blood many times and has been left wet for days at a time. I own five knives in S110V and I have never had any real issues with corrosion.

//forum.spyderco.com/viewtopic.php?t=69128

[tangent]

Very useful information!! Thank you.

[Surfingringo]

It shows the best corrosion resistance of any normal stainless steel I have used. (By normal, I mean I am excluding steels like H1 and lc200n which are in a different category). It is the only stainless steel I have been able to use regularly on my kayak without it showing any rust. I'm not really in love with the steel otherwise but I consider its high corrosion resistance to be one of its best qualities.

[VashHash]

I would just recommend using tuf glide in the pivot to be safe but as everyone else has said it's pretty good at corrosion resistance

[tangent]

I'm not really in love with the steel otherwise but I consider its high corrosion resistance to be one of its best qualities.

Is this because it is so hard to sharpen? Or because it's not that tough? Just curious...it seems to really hold an edge for quite some time for normal cutting tasks.

[Surfingringo]

I'm not really in love with the steel otherwise but I consider its high corrosion resistance to be one of its best qualities.

Is this because it is so hard to sharpen? Or because it's not that tough? Just curious...it seems to really hold an edge for quite some time for normal cutting tasks.

Yes, I find it is simple enough to sharpen but I find it a bit trickier (even when micro beveling and even at lower grits) to get it "sticky" sharp. I still like the steel a lot but I have other preferences for an edc knife. If I used my edc knives harder and didn't like to sharpen as often as I do, I would likely feel quite differently.

[Doc Dan]

I want to order a new S110V Military but I am uncertain because of the mixed views of this steel. I like that it is so corrosion resistant and has good edge holding, but I am worried about the sharpening. I have read it is a real bear to sharpen and does not take a super sharp edge very well.

[Bloke]

Hello all, I just got my first S110V knife a PM2, (very nice knife) for all the qualities you mention. Is sharpening that difficult? I set the bevel on a ZDP Manbug with a Lansky and med and fine diamonds recently and finished with Arkansas and it wasn't difficult. What I'd like to ask is, how does it sharpen compared to ZDP?

[Brock O Lee]

I've not seen any kind of corrosion or discoloration on S110V. I have once or twice on S90V. I believe it was caused by heavily chlorinated water.

It's not my favorite steel, but I like it. The fact that it is very stainless makes up for its other non-ideal qualities.

[WireEdge Roger]

I like S110V a lot for just day to day stuff. I wouldn't use it as my yard knife digging around and making rough cuts to shrubs and low hanging branches. Like S90V, just a few swipes on the Sharpmaker will keep it very sharp for a long time before a real resharpening is needed. In the stain department, it's a polar opposite from 52100! That'll be kinda nice.

[ZrowsN1s]

Hello all, I just got my first S110V knife a PM2, (very nice knife) for all the qualities you mention. Is sharpening that difficult? I set the bevel on a ZDP Manbug with a Lansky and med and fine diamonds recently and finished with Arkansas and it wasn't difficult. What I'd like to ask is, how does it sharpen compared to ZDP?

I want to order a new S110V Military but I am uncertain because of the mixed views of this steel. I like that it is so corrosion resistant and has good edge holding, but I am worried about the sharpening. I have read it is a real bear to sharpen and does not take a super sharp edge very well.

S110v in my personal experience keeps a "working edge" for a very long time without even stropping. It does not keep a razor sharp edge like zdp 189. I would put zdp and s110v at about the same difficulty level as far as reprofiling goes, Zdp gets razor sharp easier. Now I believe the solution to this is to just decrease the sharpening angle to say 12 degrees per side instead of 15 degrees per side and it should compensate for any loss in initial sharpness. In other words if you want your S110v blade to be as shave ready as your Zdp blade that has a 15 deg. per side edge, you just need to sharpen the s110v at 12 degrees per side. s110v 12dps = zdp-189 15dps. Thats my experience anyways. Although in exchange you are getting a **** near rust proof blade with very high "working" edge retention. I've even heard it suggested that s110v is better suited to sharpening at a coarse 600grit, as the rough saw tooth edge exposes more carbides in the steel that otherwise get polished off at finer grits, and the high edge retention lets it keep this rough edge a very long time. Thats what i have heard anyways.

[NJMS]

I guess the only thing that you'll need to keep a bit more attention on for the Native 5 will be the harder to clean parts in the lock and pivot. I'm unsure what steel that's made of in the native where as the H1 salt knives are designed to be fully corrosion resistant - blade, lock, clip, pins, screws everything.

If your after better edge retention with corrosion resistance S110V will deliver. It'll hold a working edge for ages, but the stupid sharp edge will only last in a similar usage time frame to other steels like S30V from what I've seen.

[Bloke]

Hello all, I just got my first S110V knife a PM2, (very nice knife) for all the qualities you mention. Is sharpening that difficult? I set the bevel on a ZDP Manbug with a Lansky and med and fine diamonds recently and finished with Arkansas and it wasn't difficult. What I'd like to ask is, how does it sharpen compared to ZDP?

I want to order a new S110V Military but I am uncertain because of the mixed views of this steel. I like that it is so corrosion resistant and has good edge holding, but I am worried about the sharpening. I have read it is a real bear to sharpen and does not take a super sharp edge very well.

S110v in my personal experience keeps a "working edge" for a very long time without even stropping. It does not keep a razor sharp edge like zdp 189. I would put zdp and s110v at about the same difficulty level as far as reprofiling goes, Zdp gets razor sharp easier. Now I believe the solution to this is to just decrease the sharpening angle to say 12 degrees per side instead of 15 degrees per side and it should compensate for any loss in initial sharpness. In other words if you want your S110v blade to be as shave ready as your Zdp blade that has a 15 deg. per side edge, you just need to sharpen the s110v at 12 degrees per side. s110v 12dps = zdp-189 15dps. Thats my experience anyways. Although in exchange you are getting a **** near rust proof blade with very high "working" edge retention. I've even heard it suggested that s110v is better suited to sharpening at a coarse 600grit, as the rough saw tooth edge exposes more carbides in the steel that otherwise get polished off at finer grits, and the high edge retention lets it keep this rough edge a very long time. Thats what i have heard anyways.

Thanks ZrowsN1s

I took the ZPD below 30deg. My Sharpmaker arrived with the PM2 so I'll put a light 30deg micro bevel on it. When the time comes I s'pose I'll do the same with S110V. Thanks again.

Alex

[Jazz]

Yes, I find it is simple enough to sharpen but I find it a bit trickier (even when micro beveling and even at lower grits) to get it "sticky" sharp.

I find this too, and very annoying. Slices paper nicely, but doesn't stick to my fingers as well as other steels.

[Spook410]

I've used mine in saltwater fishing including cutting up bait. I've abused it by putting it away and forgetting to rinse it off. Shows no sign of corrosion. Actually kind of surprising how good it is in this regard.

Knives suit a purpose. There is a place for a durable stainless steel that takes an OK edge and maintains it. Not too concerned about sticky sharp in a fishing knife. Given what I put them through that edge would not be there long and I'm not going to touch it up while I'm on the water.

[awa54]

I want to order a new S110V Military but I am uncertain because of the mixed views of this steel. I like that it is so corrosion resistant and has good edge holding, but I am worried about the sharpening. I have read it is a real bear to sharpen and does not take a super sharp edge very well.

I got the S110V PM2 thinking that the blurple scales would be enough to keep me from disliking it, but I was expecting to be a bit put off by the steel after reading all sorts of opinions here and around the web... Boy was I wrong! First, S110V is less challenging to get a really useful edge on than many other steels, including ZDP and XHP (IMO), sure it doesn't really take a sick polished edge like Blue Super, HAP40, etc. can, but as far as functional cutting, a coarser finish does a great job and holds on to that cutting ability longer than any other steel I have used. On the Sharpmaker it doesn't require excessive numbers of passes to get the edge back and a good working edge comes with a normal amount of time on the medium rods, followed by just a few passes on the fine rods to make sure there aren't any rough spots.

If you're willing to let it be what it is, rather than being annoyed by what it isn't, I think most people will find that it's a great steel and quite appropriate in bigger knives that are likely to get used for harder tasks than letter opening, manicures and occasional box cutting.

[Surfingringo]

I got the S110V PM2 thinking that the blurple scales would be enough to keep me from disliking it, but I was expecting to be a bit put off by the steel after reading all sorts of opinions here and around the web... Boy was I wrong! First, S110V is less challenging to get a really useful edge on than many other steels, including ZDP and XHP (IMO), sure it doesn't really take a sick polished edge like Blue Super, HAP40, etc. can, but as far as functional cutting, a coarser finish does a great job and holds on to that cutting ability longer than any other steel I have used. On the Sharpmaker it doesn't require excessive numbers of passes to get the edge back and a good working edge comes with a normal amount of time on the medium rods, followed by just a few passes on the fine rods to make sure there aren't any rough spots.

If you're willing to let it be what it is, rather than being annoyed by what it isn't, I think most people will find that it's a great steel and quite appropriate in bigger knives that are likely to get used for harder tasks than letter opening, manicures and occasional box cutting.

I think this is a pretty fair assessment of the steel. ^

[me2]

I'm curious as to how H1 suffers in edge holding cutting limes and being subject to corrosive environments? I used H1 pretty hard for a few months and had no issues.

Surfingringo, I have the same issue with S110V not getting really sharp. Have you found a way around it? I use Congress Moldmaster stones and a Sharpmaker. It will get sharp, but with the same procedure, other knives will get noticeably sharper. I've put off extensive comparison with other knives/steels until I can get around this issue.

[kwakster]

The factory edge on this (second) PM2 in S110V steel wasn't to my liking (again not truly sharp) so i used it as practice material.
The new and ever so slightly convex edge was taken through 15, 6, 3, and finally 1 micron diamond compound on dedicated Paper Wheels.
It will turn an average chest hair into a fuzz stick while holding it at the root and whittling towards the point of the hair.
Edge angle is +/- 30 degrees inclusive.






With the right abrasives S110V will get really sharp.