M390 for $47 more than S110V?

[cptdean]

I bet if they made the price $170 with free shipping they'd be sold out by now.

Yeah, I'm sometimes guilty of thinking that way. :p

[Calicoast]

Is this going to be for EDC?
Might be biased because I don't have any S110V, but I am loving my M390 Para 3. Works well on everything, easy to sharpen, edge has held up very well after I reprofiled it, and no chipping.

When I bought this knife, planned a few days ahead before I bought it and cooked my wife dinner instead of going out and saved me some $$ and or the $47. Thing of the past. Love the M390 steel. :)
C

Yep, EDC. So far I’ve got a PM2 S30V, Native 5 S110V, Chaparral CTS-XHP, and Dragonfly VG-10. I like the PM2 best of all. May as well get a new steel along with a new knife.

Para 3 M390 is my EDC, and I think it fits that role well.
Occasional touching up on the fine stones / sharpmaker get this steel back to sticky. I like that. I have also been impressed with corrosion resistance only using mineral oil. Since you have the Native 5 S110V, might be time to give M390 a try. (Official Enabler Now) :)
C

[cptdean]

Ha! I love enablers!

[RickC27]

Overwhelming love for the M390...do it!!!

[cptdean]

*sigh* I think I may be developing a problem.

[Doc Dan]

Personally, I do not think it is worth $47 more than the S110V, or anything else the knife comes in. Now, if it had buffalo horn scales, or real black ebony, then it would be worth it. If I wanted this knife, I would wait till I had a discount coupon on eBay and get the knife through their eBay store.

[Calicoast]

Money comes, money goes.
#Spyderco
C

[cptdean]

Money comes, money goes.
#Spyderco
C

That should be their new company slogan. :p

[JD Spydo]

I just got through doing a thorough sharpening of my M390 Military this evening. I really did a lot of honing on my Spyderco 302 Ultra-Fine Benchstone and I'm here to tell you all that this knife is truly sharp enough to use as a straight razor. The edge holding ability of M390 is just awesome IMO. Again I also like S110V as well and it will take a permanent place in my growing footlocker full of knives. But I want more M390 knives and I would love to see at least one fixed blade in M390>> A TEMPERANCE 1 model in plain edge in M390 and the TEMPERANCE 1 SE in XHP>> it would truly be the best of both worlds.

Actually my advice is that you can't go wrong with either blade steel but my pick would be M390.

[Liquid Cobra]

My blue m390 Spyderco’s are easily my favourites. I’d love to see them do the same on the shaman and Native (g10).

[TomAiello]

In general for small knives (like the para 3) I prefer s110v to m390. The s110v seems (to me) to have more edge retention for "small knife" tasks, where the M390 seems to hold up better for "big knife" tasks. My general theory is that the s110v is harder so it holds an edge longer when chipping isn't a factor, but the m390 is tougher so that it holds up better when I'm beating on it.

[The Mastiff]

I prefer S110V to M390. It's an amazing stainless ( actually they both are pretty amazing) that has the ability to be run harder than M390 by a point or two and that has some advantages but even at the same hardness S110V has greater wear resistance. The corrosion resistance is pretty high on both and I'd say the greater difference there would be how the steel is finished. Higher polishes usually means greater resistance to rust. If I had to say what the largest difference to me seems like it is S110V is more of a PITA for non knife people to get really high sharpness out of. I mean really fine edges. It takes more time and experience and maybe even confidence. I've seen a few give up on it while M390 seems to not generate as many complaints about that. For me S110V is worth every dollar.

Usually I would say just get whichever knife design fits you better. Can I say get both? :)

Joe

[Sjucaveman]

Im no pro at sharpening so I plan to as needed send my 4 s110v/maxamet knives into spyderco to let them sharpen them for me for the cost of shipping. That is if I can't get an acceptable edge myself first.

[ZrowsN1s]

Congrats on your new problem... I mean knife :D Love my BBS Para3. Sure you will too.

"Polishability" and ease of sharpening is very appealing to me and I like the m390 handle color better.... but blurple is my other favorite color and high wear resistance is cool and useful... What Im trying to say is there was no wrong answer to s110v or m390 :D

[The Mastiff]

Im no pro at sharpening so I plan to as needed send my 4 s110v/maxamet knives into spyderco to let them sharpen them for me for the cost of shipping. That is if I can't get an acceptable edge myself first.

I've never sent any in for that but if they sharpen them as well as the last few new onesI've bought I'd say it is a can't lose situation. I have been getting some really very well done edges on mine. It takes a lot to match them in quality and sharpness and that is with a guided system and a lot of time. They are Golden made models and it wouldn't surprise me to see them CNC or "robot" sharpened as people have been calling it. It takes every bit of my experience to get that sort of consistency. Steel that wear resistant takes that much more time and effort. If I was busier than I am I might make the same call on that.

Joe

[dj moonbat]

Just get one of the M390 analogues. Or just get S110V. It's good.

[legOFwhat?]

cptdean, did you consider the para3 in 52100 and peel-ply carbon fiber at all? Just picked one up myself and love it! Now though I think I'm gonna have to try and obtain all flavors of the para3 and probaly the df2's.

Enablers everywhere here! Evil, deplorable, wonderful enablers :D

[cptdean]

cptdean, did you consider the para3 in 52100 and peel-ply carbon fiber at all? Just picked one up myself and love it! Now though I think I'm gonna have to try and obtain all flavors of the para3 and probaly the df2's.

Enablers everywhere here! Evil, deplorable, wonderful enablers :D

Yeah, I think Spyderco knives are my (older) generation's Pokemon..."Gotta catch 'em all!" I already know I want more PM2s, and I'm sure I'll feel the same about the PM3 after I get this first one. This is going to get expensive.

Next I want 52100, M4, HAP40, S35VN, Cruwear, Maxamet, blah blah blah blah blah....

[legOFwhat?]

Yeah, I think Spyderco knives are my (older) generation's Pokemon..."Gotta catch 'em all!" I already know I want more PM2s, and I'm sure I'll feel the same about the PM3 after I get this first one. This is going to get expensive.

Next I want 52100, M4, HAP40, S35VN, Cruwear, Maxamet, blah blah blah blah blah....

Cruwrear, superblue and Maxamet will be next for me once the Rex45 arrives. Then I'll probably be done with the super steels. Really loving these two as of now though:


Love the natural translucent g10