PM2 Elmax, M390, or s30v for max sharpness?

[SpeedHoles]

Cruwear!!!!! I am a sharpening noob and even I can get my Cru Millie screaming sharp!
Love that knife and that steel! They pop up on the BF Exchange and go for $150 - $200. Got mine, immaculate, for $160 shipped. What a great knife!!
Joe

Yep. But unfortunately we are still waiting for it to arrive in the PM2!? Don't know why they put it into the Millie and M2, then skipped over the Paramilitary 2?

[DrtyHarry]

Cruwear can really get sharper than S110V? WOW....I might have to try and score a Millie in Cruwear. Only reason I didn't is because I have a S110V and a 52100 on back order.

[SpeedHoles]

Cruwear can really get sharper than S110V? WOW....I might have to try and score a Millie in Cruwear. Only reason I didn't is because I have a S110V and a 52100 on back order.

I don't think anyone outright said that specifically.
But it will probably come down to your own sharpening skills, process, and efforts. Which I guess could be said for this whole thread.

[DrtyHarry]

I guess that makes sense...

[awa54]

The upcoming BHQ exclusive in CPM M4 would probably do exactly what you want, but it has "natural" handle scales, isn't stainless and has no announced release date...

If I manage to score one when they release, I'm planning to dye the handles, probably a darker green.

[bearfacedkiller]

Cruwear can really get sharper than S110V? WOW....I might have to try and score a Millie in Cruwear. Only reason I didn't is because I have a S110V and a 52100 on back order.

All steels can get just as sharp as each other. Any difference you see is more than likely caused by the skill level of the sharpener, the stones being used and the sharpenability of the steel. S110V would most likely be the most challenging Military to sharpen and in theory the 52100 should be the easiest Military to sharpen. They are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Cruwear falls somewhere right in the middle between them as far as ease of sharpening is concerned. I can get all of them just as sharp. In general the ones that are harder to sharpen will stay sharp longer. Some seem to find sharpening S110V easy and some don't but we all have different expectations.

[ZrowsN1s]

It is entirely possible i just didn't do a proper sharpening job on the s110v. Human error does happen. It will remove hair, but not as smoothly as i would like (i know, i know, how shap does it need to be?). Now on the other hand i just got a hap40 Dfly 2 weeks ago, After 40 minutes on my KME sharpener it is now the sharpest knife i have ever owned. it's stupid sharp.

[ejames13]

It is entirely possible i just didn't do a proper sharpening job on the s110v. Human error does happen. It will remove hair, but not as smoothly as i would like (i know, i know, how shap does it need to be?). Now on the other hand i just got a hap40 Dfly 2 weeks ago, After 40 minutes on my KME sharpener it is now the sharpest knife i have ever owned. it's stupid sharp.

+1 for this. I can get HAP40 ridiculously sharp with relative ease. While it may be true that s110v can get just as sharp, it's unlikely that I could get it to that level.

[Surfingringo]

It is entirely possible i just didn't do a proper sharpening job on the s110v. Human error does happen. It will remove hair, but not as smoothly as i would like (i know, i know, how shap does it need to be?). Now on the other hand i just got a hap40 Dfly 2 weeks ago, After 40 minutes on my KME sharpener it is now the sharpest knife i have ever owned. it's stupid sharp.

+1 for this. I can get HAP40 ridiculously sharp with relative ease. While it may be true that s110v can get just as sharp, it's unlikely that I could get it to that level.

I cannot get it to the same level given the same sharpening protocol. I can get it very very close. So close that I would bet that many could not tell the difference. I bevel my edges to 30 degrees inclusive. From there I microbevel on the sm at 40 degrees. At any given grit I can get hap40 (or even s30v) a tad sharper than s110v. I have given the steel a lot of work and don't know what I could be missing. Bear in mind, both steels will get ridiculously sharp and will whittle and cut hanging hairs, etc. I just find that the s110v always has to be taken to the next level of refinement to achieve the same level of sharpness that I got at the previous grit with something like hap40. At any given level of refinement, I can get hap40 just a bit more crisp. This is notable even at lower grits.

[ZrowsN1s]

so a slight update. after much soul searching i decided i must have botched my inital shapening job. yes and no....
yes. i got the knife much sharper than it was. to the point that most sane human beings would say hey, thats too sharp. but....
no. the s110v pm2 has a 28 inclusive and my hap40 dfly has a 30 inclusive edge. hap40 is still just a hair sharper.
another observation is this. s110v does not take a mirror polish like zdp, h1, or hap40. i can see my reflection in most of my edges. the s110v less so, lets call it a dull mirror finish.

[ZrowsN1s]

after all is said and done, and after my gripes about the s110v let me say this. i love the pm2. awesome knife design. i love s110v. what it lacks in taking a dazzling mirror polish, it makes up for with edge retention, and corrosion resistance, this is tough steel and great for a knife that's going to see heavy use. Im glad i own it and it will definitely remain in my rotation.

[HarleyXJGuy]

Cruwear!!!!! I am a sharpening noob and even I can get my Cru Millie screaming sharp!
Love that knife and that steel! They pop up on the BF Exchange and go for $150 - $200. Got mine, immaculate, for $160 shipped. What a great knife!!
Joe

Yep. But unfortunately we are still waiting for it to arrive in the PM2!? Don't know why they put it into the Millie and M2, then skipped over the Paramilitary 2?

Because Millie is the best.



As for your issue I would go CTS 204P all day long.

[kwakster]

With the right tools & abrasives S110V does take a dazzling mirror polish, :)
(posted earlier on Bladeforums.com)

The factory edge of this Spyderco PM2 in S110V steel was barely shaving armhair on skinlevel, and according to my Tormek WM200 the edge angle was near 35 degrees inclusive.
The old apex was removed by cutting several times straight into a silicon carbide stone, and then i used 4 different Paper Wheels coated with diamond compounds (15, 6, 3, and 1 micron) to create & refine the new edge.
Normally i don't take high carbide steel types this far, but in this case i wanted to see how the S110V steel would do.

The new & ever so slightly convex edge measures a hair below 30 degrees inclusive, and can easily whittle a normal chest hair towards the point along the entire edge.
Thinner ones will sever immediately upon touching.
My cheap camera is not really able to show full details, but at least it gives some impression.









A Belgian member of the Dutch forum who's also into sharpening sent me a USB-camera as a gift, and although i still have lots to learn about what it can do i managed to take a couple of pics of the current edge on the PM2 in S110V steel:

[kwakster]

Another PM2 in Elmax steel to keep on topic, :D

The factory edge on this one had some light brown discoloration near the tip on one side, traces of some unknown black stuff that couldn't even be removed with acetone (visible in pic 1 & 3), and could also barely cut copypaper.

This is how it looked before sharpening:
(pics can be clicked 2 x)



First i removed the apex of the old edge by cutting a few times in a silicon carbide stone, then resharpened it with a Paper Wheel coated with 15 micron diamond compound, followed by removing the tiny burr with a second Paper Wheel coated with 1 micron diamond compound.
This time i also polished the bevels a bit more with the same Wheel, just to see how the Elmax would do.
According to my Tormek angle gauge the new edge measures 30 degrees inclusive, can slice single ply toilet paper and easily whittle the hairs on the back of my hand from heel to tip.

[palonej]

Kwakster!!! Little late to the party, but those edges are simply fantastic!!!!
Excellent pics too!!!
Joe

PS......when can I send you my ~ 40 Spydies???
:D :D :eek:

[kwakster]

Whenever you want, :)

[ZrowsN1s]

Whenever you want, :)

wow. I just got a little jealous :D . Those are beautiful edges kwakster. I stood up and clapped. I just use the KME system with extra fine diamond hones, and a leather strop with some green polishing compound, but I suddenly feel the urge to invest in paper wheels and 1 micron polish.
Just when you think you've gone too far with an obsession, someone shows you that you are just getting started. :spyder:

[kwakster]

Every man has to have a hobby, and tinkering with various sharpening & polishing methods is mine (besides eating licorice) :D

From where i stand i would say exchange that leather strop with green compound for a few pieces of MDF/hardwood and some fine CBN and/or diamond compounds, as the effect on your edges in high vanadium carbide steels will be dramatic.

[ZrowsN1s]

Every man has to have a hobby, and tinkering with various sharpening & polishing methods is mine (besides eating licorice) :D

From where i stand i would say exchange that leather strop with green compound for a few pieces of MDF/hardwood and some fine CBN and/or diamond compounds, as the effect on your edges in high vanadium carbide steels will be dramatic.

Thanks for the tip!

[ZrowsN1s]

Every man has to have a hobby, and tinkering with various sharpening & polishing methods is mine (besides eating licorice) :D

From where i stand i would say exchange that leather strop with green compound for a few pieces of MDF/hardwood and some fine CBN and/or diamond compounds, as the effect on your edges in high vanadium carbide steels will be dramatic.

Thanks for the tip!

I assume you just put the CBN directly on the MDF and strop as you would with leather?