Exotic Japanese steels

[Cogito]

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[Ferris Wheels]

Whichever steel is chosen please offer it in the Delica with a thinner ground blade than standard just like the HAP40 Delica. I like the other HAP40 sprints and own a Dragonfly and Stretch model but the Delica HAP40 is my favorite due to the thinner blade grind. So my vote is for a steel that has the appropriate properties to support the thinner ground blade. Would also love it if you decided to do a thinner blade grind on additional models, especially the Stretch.

Totally disagree with a thinner D4, but that is just my opinion. I would appreciate thicker in all honesty

Why is that? Just curious.

I just feel like I require more out of an EDC than a paring knife and I already like Native>D4 FFG because it is thicker but still slices fine. Any thinner of a grind and you have a tomato knife IMO, I mean what is everyone slicing to need thinner??



And more on topic, when asking about which models for these Japanese steels, do they need to be Japanese made models from now or the past? Or any model?

When splitting atom's, one wants the thinnest, sharpest blade possible.

Back to being serious, I prefer the thinner blade because I feel it suits the Delica platform perfectly. Unlike thicker blade stock, it continues to cut exceptionally well even when the edge has dulled considerably. Yes, not all of us sharpen our knives every evening and the ability to keep slicing day in and day out is a plus to me. Especially with exotic steels I like to use them without sharpening until they really need a touch up to see what I am getting by paying a premium price for a premium steel.

The thinner blade stock also excels better than thicker blade's for the EDC tasks I regularly encounter: opening boxes/mail, breaking down cardboard, food prep like eating an apple etc.., trimming that annoying thread off your shirt, beveling/breaking edges on pvc/wood and most other non-farm tasks. When I need a knife for work around our farm I don't reach for a Delica, that is when I grab a PM2, Military or fixed blade because I want a blade that is more robust, has additional length, easy to operate with gloves on and is built to take rougher treatment.

I have never seen the benefit of thick blade stock in a small knife because you don't have enough handle to safely generate the leverage that necessitates the stouter blade stock. Knives are a cutting tool for me and thinner blade stock within reason performs better at cutting tasks than thicker blade stock. If I need to do something with a knife other than cut, it goes back into my pocket and I grab the right tool for the job because it is safer for both me and my knife to use the right tool for the job instead of trying to make a knife do something it was designed to for.

Back to the question. What about bringing back the FRN Caly for the next sprint steel and offer it in not only FRN but G10, micarta and carbon fiber also. So instead of going wide with multiple models, go deep with a single model and multiple configurations.

[JD Spydo]

It's funny the timing of this thread. Because recently I've been wondering what steel is ultimately going to replace VG-10 as Spyderco's main line Japanese blade steel for their more popular Japanese units? I do believe it's inevitable at some point because Spyderco constantly strives to improve and I like that.

It appears that there is a plethora of high quality Japanese blade steels to select from but I'm sure costs and ease of manufacturing are two huge barriers to switching away from our beloved VG-10. Personally I tend to sort of agree with Deacon about VG-10>> I've personally had such good overall performance and dependability with VG-10 and I've gone on record saying that I like it better than S30V>> and I think Deacon is taking the stance " IF IT ISN'T BROKE THEN WHY TRY TO FIX IT" and I can certainly empathize with that unless there is a blade steel that will beat VG-10 hands down and won't have to break the bank to buy a unit made with it.

Now don't get me wrong I love checking out all these exotic blade steels and I constantly EDC a couple of my Sprint Runs that have supersteels but again there is a lot to be said for VG-10.

[Tdog]

The VG-10 Delica cuts like a beast......such a clean cut and good stitching, years later there is no noticeable scar. :o Like the VG-10. :spyder: Would love to see a Caly or Caly 3.5 in an exotic Japanese steel. Better yet, both. :)

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Thank you, sal, for this post. I am very satisfied with the chosen Japanese steels you use on the knives, such as VG10. By the way, did you know Benno Strauss of Krupp (German Jewish man in the 1911-1912 period) originated Austenitic Stainless steel even before Brearley of England? (Just an aside).

I would be interested in seeing an expanded use of H1 stainless, and I am looking forward to the upcoming Fish Hunter that has been mentioned.

Some form of Japanese made stainless tool steels would interest me, as well. Something that combines the cutting power and wear resistance of tool steel but with the corrosion resistance of stainless steel.

[Surfingringo]

I had a chance to use some 3V this year. I really enjoyed the steel and would love to see Spyderco use it in a folder (as well as a fixed blade). Is there a Japanese equivalent?

[Mikael Andersson]

Super Domoshi.

[The Deacon]

That's true, but with the same amount of carbon and a similar HT to VG-10 I wouldn't expect much of N690's or ZA-18's chromium to form carbides the way ZDP's does.

Perhaps, but I'd have to see Q fog and CATRA results from Spyderco comparing it and VG-10 before I'd consider it superior in those regards.

[anagarika]

I have responded over BF, so I trust Sal has read that. Thank you for keep exploring and asking the questions to all of us.

I want to add here about VG10. Not bashing Spyderco choice of the HT, but initially I found sharpening it difficult to achieve the level I need, and found out comments from others that Spyderco VG10 is not made very hard. Perhaps this was decided to cater for possible abuse (pocket knives) compared to kitchen knives (some says the good kitchen knives whose brand escapes my mind right now) that the VG10 is run harder.

Since I have found I like VG10 for it's stainless properties, why not making it harder and if breakage is concern, put it as laminate with softer steel outside? Then it can be considered as improvement to the base models.

Of course sprint runs with more exotic steels are always interesting. I lack of knowledge other than blue & white, so anything can be definitely :cool:

[bearfacedkiller]

Hap50 and hap72 both look very promising but I won't rule out the HAP5r or hap10 either. Here they are compared to our more familiar 3v, 4v and cruwear.

[Philo Beddoe]

I wonder what sort of desirable knife blade properties we can expect from this steel and what are the downsides?

It looks like you can get an approximation if you buy MT24P, then imagine what molybdenum would add to the mix:

Daido DAP580 is an even higher alloy content version.

That's a interesting chart..its not exactly the same but it looks like Hap72 is Hitachis version of Maxamet but with a healthy dose of Molybdenum thrown into the mix.

According to Zknives: Molybnedum: A carbide former, prevents brittleness, and maintains the steel's strength at high temperatures.

Also took a look at Daido Dap580..here it is compared to Maxamet..

[awa54]

MBS-30? GIN-3? not as sexy as some, but both could be decent performers and something new.

Super Domoshi.

Isn't that one exclusively for use in Katamaris?

[Mikael Andersson]

MBS-30? GIN-3? not as sexy as some, but both could be decent performers and something new.

Super Domoshi.

Isn't that one exclusively for use in Katamaris?

I really don't know since I care very little for overpriced Japanese steel.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Mikael,
Do you like H1 stainless? That is amazing, practically metal magic as far as I am concerned. The stuff never rusts, work hardens, and is cosmetically great.

[Mikael Andersson]

^^ It's the best steel to use if you want maximum rust resistance but it's toughness and edge retention isn't that great but hopefully LC200N can remedy that.

[Evil D]

Super Domoshi.

Super Domoshi.

Isn't that one exclusively for use in Katamaris?

I really don't know since I care very little for overpriced Japanese steel.

So you come in here and make a suggestion about a steel you know nothing about, then when asked about it you comment about not caring about "overpriced Japanese steel".

Your constant verbal diarrhea is getting really old.

[bearfacedkiller]

^^ It's the best steel to use if you want maximum rust resistance but it's toughness and edge retention isn't that great but hopefully LC200N can remedy that.

H1 isn't tough? First I have heard of that.

Spyderco bent one pretty far without it snapping in two.





Read more, post less and google is your friend.

Let's keep this awesome thread on topic. :)

[elmeringalo]

I would like Super Blue in a Dark Green G10 new Police or Stretch

[The Deacon]

^^ It's the best steel to use if you want maximum rust resistance but it's toughness and edge retention isn't that great but hopefully LC200N can remedy that.

H1 isn't tough? First I have heard of that.

Spyderco bent one pretty far without it snapping in two.

Read more, post less and google is your friend.

Let's keep this awesome thread on topic. :)

Not trying to derail, but did Spyderco bend that blade, or is it from the Salt that David Lowry accidentally ran over with a Bobcat?

[bearfacedkiller]

Not trying to derail, but did Spyderco bend that blade, or is it from the Salt that David Lowry accidentally ran over with a Bobcat?

Here Paul. This is the thread.

This might help too. This of course was on purpose by our R&D team. This was done in our custom built Bender Buster which is normally used to test lock strength.

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