Cru-Ware, Maxamet???

[gull wing]

Trying to decide which Para 3 to get.
Lets keep things simple:
Which of these are easiest to sharpen?
Qualifiers:
I like CTS-XHP very much.
No too fond of ZDP.
I don't necessarily need a blade that holds an edge an extremely long time, but holds a very sharp edge longer than say AUS8.
XHP does that for me.

[npad69]

cruwear, ftw!

[Ruudr]

I really like the sharpening of Maxamet. Wicked edge Diamond stones do the trick.

[bearfacedkiller]

cruwear is easier to sharpen than maxamet and holds and edge longer than aus8

[Surfingringo]

What Darby said. Also, cruwear should be less prone to edge damage and has much better corrosion resistance. I prefer cruwear for an edc knife.

[Midnightrider]

I don't understand what he is asking. Get 'em all! Why worry?

[gull wing]

There, simple.
Cru-Ware it is then.
Thanks!

[Mic1]

Maxamet

I will never understand the cru ware obsession.

[Surfingringo]

Maxamet

I will never understand the cru ware obsession.

Cruwear is a tougher steel, easier to sharpen and far more corrosion resistant than maxamet. Obviously, those characteristics don't make it a "better" steel, but given what Gull Wing says he's looking for its probably a better steel for him.

For what it's worth, I find Maxamet sharpens very easily and takes a nice edge but it's not quite in Cruwear's league in those regards.

[ZrowsN1s]

For what it's worth, I find Maxamet sharpens very easily and takes a nice edge but it's not quite in Cruwear's league in those regards.

well now I really can't wait for my cru-wear para3 (when ever kc gets their next shipment :D ), I love the edge my Maxamet native takes, and it really takes a nice polished edge on the strops. Cru-wear sounds like a fun steel.

[dogrunner]

I can't compare it to maxamet, because I have none, but cru-wear is in my top 2-3 steel choices (M4, S90V, 4V and a few others in stainless). Cruwear takes a beating though, holds a good cutting edge, sharpens easily, plenty tough enough for thinner grinds. Good stuff.

[Mic1]

Its the wear resistance I cant get over. s35vn holds an edge longer and is just as easy to sharpen in my experience.

[gunmike1]

Its the wear resistance I cant get over. s35vn holds an edge longer and is just as easy to sharpen in my experience.

I believe in the old 52100 thread where Sal asked what hardness to run it you said that you love 52100. It has far less wear resistance than Cruwear, along with less corrosion resistance and toughness. Is there a particular trait of 52100 that allows you to get past its lack of wear resistance compared to Cruwear? 52100 can take very acute angles and a very high polish better than Cruwear, and sharpen on the most simple of abrasives, but since you have no problem putting an edge on S35VN I'm not sure that is a big deal to you.

[Mic1]

Its the wear resistance I cant get over. s35vn holds an edge longer and is just as easy to sharpen in my experience.

I believe in the old 52100 thread where Sal asked what hardness to run it you said that you love 52100. It has far less wear resistance than Cruwear, along with less corrosion resistance and toughness. Is there a particular trait of 52100 that allows you to get past its lack of wear resistance compared to Cruwear? 52100 can take very acute angles and a very high polish better than Cruwear, and sharpen on the most simple of abrasives, but since you have no problem putting an edge on S35VN I'm not sure that is a big deal to you.

Yep I sure did. I also have done a lot of growing since then in knowledge and experience with different steels and more importantly stainless steels. I was a big fan of forged blades and fell for all the smoke and mirrors that the abs and forgers sell. Then I started coming here and learning a great deal more. Buying Spyderco knives made of s110,Maxamet, 204p, ZDP 189 and m4 and testing them hard. While here I bought several custom knives from Gayle Bradley and became friends with him. We have talked for hours and hours about steels, heat treat,sharpening, and many, many more things. I have learned a tone from Gayle and many members on here. So as I have grown my knowledge base, I have since changed my opinion and preferences on steels like 52100. And after using much better steels with far better edge retention and just as tough(M4 all though not stainless)I have become addicted to M4, s110, Maxamet, Rwl34 and alike. So while I do applaud your research into my past post and a lame attempt at causing me some embarrassment but no dice Mike. I have used Cru wear I don't like it. Cru may be more corrosion resistant but it is little better than D2 for wear resistance. And there are plenty of stainless options that are just as tough and hold an edge longer even thin edges. Like I said I don't get the Cru wear love fest so I said Maxamet.

[Surfingringo]

I wouldn't say that s35 has better edge retention than cruwear. In my experience across a myriad of uses I've found them to be very comparable. I've also had far less chipping with cruwear than I have with the Sxx steels. I guess to me it depends on what I'll be using the knife for. For a fillet knife I would prefer something highly stainless like s110v that will hold a working edge for a long time. For an edc knife I like something that is easy to maintain and keep at very high levels of sharpness. Cruwear works very well for me.

[bearfacedkiller]

I find that Cruwear and S30V have similar edge retention. If anything Cruwear takes a finer edge a little easier and holds a finer edge a touch longer but they are similar. Cruwear also seems very durable and handles impacts to the edge better than S30V. It is tough stuff.

That said, I am smitten with Maxamet and there is something magical about it for me. Cruwear and Maxamet are probably my two favorites steels depending on what I need. A Maxamet Miltary is the knife I currently long for.

[gunmike1]

Its the wear resistance I cant get over. s35vn holds an edge longer and is just as easy to sharpen in my experience.

I believe in the old 52100 thread where Sal asked what hardness to run it you said that you love 52100. It has far less wear resistance than Cruwear, along with less corrosion resistance and toughness. Is there a particular trait of 52100 that allows you to get past its lack of wear resistance compared to Cruwear? 52100 can take very acute angles and a very high polish better than Cruwear, and sharpen on the most simple of abrasives, but since you have no problem putting an edge on S35VN I'm not sure that is a big deal to you.

Yep I sure did. I also have done a lot of growing since then in knowledge and experience with different steels and more importantly stainless steels. I was a big fan of forged blades and fell for all the smoke and mirrors that the abs and forgers sell. Then I started coming here and learning a great deal more. Buying Spyderco knives made of s110,Maxamet, 204p, ZDP 189 and m4 and testing them hard. While here I bought several custom knives from Gayle Bradley and became friends with him. We have talked for hours and hours about steels, heat treat,sharpening, and many, many more things. I have learned a tone from Gayle and many members on here. So as I have grown my knowledge base, I have since changed my opinion and preferences on steels like 52100. And after using much better steels with far better edge retention and just as tough(M4 all though not stainless)I have become addicted to M4, s110, Maxamet, Rwl34 and alike. So while I do applaud your research into my past post and a lame attempt at causing me some embarrassment but no dice Mike. I have used Cru wear I don't like it. Cru may be more corrosion resistant but it is little better than D2 for wear resistance. And there are plenty of stainless options that are just as tough and hold an edge longer even thin edges. Like I said I don't get the Cru wear love fest so I said Maxamet.

Dude, I don't have the time or place to try to research your post history. I have no desire to try to embarrass anyone on the internet. I remember the 52100 thread because a while ago I was researching how Spyderco ran the heat treat on the 52100 Military before I bought it. I guess I have a good memory and remembered your comment.

I share your like of CPM M4 and Gayle Bradley designs, and I have 8 knives in CPM M4. I like how it takes an edge, and has less chipping compared to most of the commonly used steels in folders.

What stainless is both tougher and has better edge retention than CPM Cruwear? I can't think of any high carbide stainless steels that are tougher than Cruwear, as it is somewhere between 3V and M4 in toughness. I would say that toughness isn't required for a lot of uses with pocket knives with 15-20 degree per side edges, and it makes sense to gain wear resistance and corrosion resistance and give up some toughness a lot of times.

With Maxamet I have tested My Native 5 a little side by side with my M4 Manix 2. At 500 grit Shapton, with a few passes on a 16000 grit Shapton to finish, the M4 was sharper. It pushcut phonebook paper cross grain and shaved above the skin, while Maxamet could only push cut with the grain. It could be my technique, or more likely that the Maxamet has only been sharpened a few times, but it just wasn't quite as sharp. After 300' of the same cardboard, each was to the point where I felt like they needed a touch up as the took way more force to cut with. Each was still slicing phonebook paper. About a minute on a Spyderco medium and they were cutting way better and shaving smoothly, pushcutting phonebook paper. 300' more and they were tearing phonebook paper a bit but cleanly slicing newsprint. At that point I stopped the side by side testing. I am still carrying the Maxamet though without sharpening, and it still slices newsprint after cutting a fair bit more cardboard over the last few weeks. So it will probably hold that sharpness for a really long time, but for my uses I'd rather sharpen a knife when it takes much more force to cut. So I guess Maxamet's unreal wear resistance is lost on me a little.

I'm just now starting to use Cruwear. edge holding on the factory edges were a little better than a Benchmade Bugout (S30V) on the factory edge, which tells me about nothing. I need to sharpen them and do some side by side cutting. What I can say is that Cruwear takes a fantastic edge, even better than M4 for me. At 500 grit with a few passes on the 16000 grit to finish, it was whittling hair on some parts of the edge. Shaving above the
skin and pushcutting phonebook paper cross grain was a breeze. And it took a lot less time to thin the angle out to 9 degrees per side, with a 12.5 degree microbevel. Now I need to do some side by side cutting and see if the toughness gains me anything, and if the lower wear resistance becomes something that annoys me with my daily carry.