S90v is my single fav stainless with S125v being a close second. S90v does well with pretty much any edge finish you want to put on it from low grit shread monsters to full mirrors. It's a truly bad ass stainless, if you have diamond stones or resin bonded diamond plates you won't be on the stones forever doing a reprofile now I will say if you only have Alox stones or SIC stones you are going to be there a while if your reprofiling. If you have diamond or CBN stones it cuts just fine, if you like a toothy edge take S90v to F400 grit and it will be super toothy and those carbides will keep it that way for a very long time. S90v also responds very well to a hone and strop. After the edge starts to fall off a couple passes on a strop and it will be right back shaving, if the strop doesn't bring it back a few strokes on a ceramic stone or rod to realign the apex and a few strokes per side on a strop and bingo your popping hairs again. It's amazing how long you can keep an edge going on S90v.
Sharpening a Benchmade 940-1 after reprofiling to a 16-17 per side, I find it easy to sharpen on a DMT Extra fine continuous surface stone. I've had the stone for years and it is now very close to an extra-extra fine in finish. 90V takes a wicked sharp edge and is impressive in the edge holding. First test, cut 100 feet of cardboard, trimmed branches, both dead and live, for about an hour on the property, another 100+ feet of corrugated cardboard, and still shaving, but slightly dragging. Stropped on barbers strop loaded with German Flitz Metal Polish and in only two passes per side, hair popping once again. Love this Steel! KnifeMaker
DMT plates.... extra fine... that's the 9 micron one right? DMT plates don't work like regular whetstones or how people think they work. The 325 course actually makes the sharpest edges. Paradoxically or counter intuitively, the higher the grit the more steel they remove, the narrower the particles and the deeper the scratches. In general these are not good products for sharpening knives. Diamond abrasives are good, but these plates are not.
I just purchased my first knife in s90v. The Giantmouse GMPX. I had no idea it was made right in my own back yard! I feel like a noob. Learn something every day!
Thank you! T.C. has a background metallurgy and passing along info like this is something he really looks forward to...the rest of us are just afraid he will start passing out homework in office😂
I have the teal pm2 in s90v. Its the only knife ive ever bought that i didn't immediately take to my edge pro apex. I bet i will not need to for several years
The s90v is something very cool . Super complicated all the way around and a long process according to your vid and another dude who worked there on the hot end . He said straight up he used to work there and it’s a long complicated steel to make which explains lots of things . I had luck with Venev stones , a C- edge with plate diamonds . I could see the carbides on the edge . Glad I went right back to it and had the other stones
when I got Benchmade bugout in s90v it was dull as heck. It looked like the bevel had been ground on but that’s about it, it couldn’t cut paper. When you sharpen it from that point it sucks. But touching up the edge, it’s not too bad.
My only CPM S90V I have is a sprint run Spyderco Delica so it is my EDC. I wish I could get a Para 3 with it some day but the closest I have are a pair of CPM S110V: Manix 2 and Paramilitary 2.
S90v has been one of mt favorite powder stainless steels alongside elmax and nitrobe 77 (high carbide, medium carbide and low carbide choices). Recently im loving m398 about as much but its not fair to compare since its on a custom knife with a custom heat treatment at 64hrc while all s90v I've had has been production and CKF did it best imo. Id live to experience some proper s90v eventually.
MagnaCut has 10.7% cr and is more stainless, it's all about chromium in solution baby. Not the just the chromium weight chemistry which can be tied up in Carbides and not in solution doing work depending on the balance of other elements and heat treatment.
Love my s90v knifes, my Spyderco PM2 Maxamet still wins in edge retention though. Rex 121 has the best edge retention out there, but who has ever seen a knife or custom knife with it? I haven't.
Just to be transparent, I don't have anything in S90V currently but hope to make a few blades from some 3/32 stock that I've had (for a long time). That said, I process several deer every year, as well as fish when I get the chance. As far as S90V holding up against bone, I suspect that it depends on exactly how you come in contact with the bone. If you try to use the knife like a cleaver, it could very well chip. Having said that, if you're using a knife like a cleaver while butchering a deer, you're doing it wrong :-) If you stick the tip in the hip socket trying to separate it, and you end up applying some side load, I suspect you inadvertently do some serious damage to the blade. If you are boning out the ribs, neck, shoulder, or hip and you run the edge across a bone, I highly doubt it will have any adverse effect on the blade.
I have a Two Sun TS187 (Fang) in S90V, it's outstanding, I tried whittling almond wood including some of the knotty bits and it cut it very well and didn't even need a strop after around half an hour of continuous work. I make canes and walking sticks, almond wood is an edge killer on lower grade steels, though I have to say rough Ryder's T10 is pretty good for a 'cheap' steel.
@@garrettferrell6821 I have four of their knives and they are all good knives, I would like more. I can say thier steels all seem to be properly heat treated, I've got S90V, M390, D2 and 14Cr28MoV, they all seem to perform well.
@@SMKWcom you can see actual use in my S90V beat down video. I chopped wood, twisted the apex out of wood, whittled aluminum and brass and did apex impact hits.
A knife with CPM S90V would do great in the rope and twine industries. For me Lmax is the max, so the sharpening doesn't take forever. Good informational video guys I apreciate it.
I look forward to your covering S45VN. Please include information about heat treatment, tempering, and cryogenic treatment if any. I'd like to know what Spyderco does with this, and whether they do it in-house or send it out. Thanks much!
Terrible. A 420HC sword would be better if you need stainless. Carbides in super steels means brittle. Low carbide like 420HC or AEB-L stainless steels are tougher
I don’t have much experience with S90V yet.the only knife I have in S90V is the new carbon fiber+S90V Benchmade Bugout and so far it seems pretty awesome..I don’t have a lot of experience with S110V either but a little more so than I have with S90V.I have a Spyderco PM2 in S110V..I bought a Spyderco Native 5 LW in Maxamet last December and I love it.Maxamet has became one of my personal favorite blade steels for an EDC knife.not only does it have the best edge retention I’ve ever experienced but it’s fairly easy to sharpen and while it’s not stainless it’s still has pretty good corrosion resistance..I’m like M4 a lot as well.I have a Benchmade “Super” Freek in M4 and it’s my personal favorite Benchmade knife that I own..I’m a big fan of Cruwear as well,I have a Bark River Aurora in Cruwear that I’ve had for a while,I have a Cruwear Manix 2 and recently got the Benchmade Mini Adamas which is also in Cruwear..I’m gonna get a PM2 or a PM3 in S45VN now that they are coming out into the wild,Ive been wanting to try out S45VN for a while..I’m looking forward to seeing knives come out in MagnaCut as well,it sounds like it’s gonna be a great steel..I love trying out the different “super” steels but damn it gets expensive
I purchased my first S90V. It wasn't hair popping like I prefer so i started to work it a bit..this stuff is unlike anything I've tried to get razor sharp... edit: after watching a few vids you don't really want S90v hair popping and it can mess up the carbides. I have it shaving sharp now and we will see!! I'm sure I won't need to sharpen for a another season as least...
I found that when they belt sharpen from the factory, it can leave the initial profile brittle. So after a few rounds on the whetstones, the edge is considerably better edge holding now, like how I imagined S90V to be. Very happy with it now!!
Got my ZT0095s90blk coincidentally from one of you guys at SMKW. It came with a polished edge that I wouldn't have had the patience to do myself. The steel seems unfazed by use, although it's a dedicated user. Great knife! My 940-1 has s90v as well but I'm not a fan of the blade geometry and the factory Benchmade grind is awful.
Hello SMKW, Thanks for giving us this type of info, good stuff to know about - I can learn, eventually! Keep up the good work and keep these vids coming! Be safe and take care, "God Bless", sincerely, Randy. 👍👍🙏😇👊
Thank you, Randy! We really enjoy these videos and T.C. loves talking about metal....our only worry is that he will start passing out homework any day now😂
I keep reading how much you guys enjoy this steel and I hate you all 😂 I just began sharpening this week and I was in awe at the edge I left on my kitchen knives. I then switched to an s90v and can't believe how long it's taking to get a burr on one side lol. As I write this I am taking a quick break from it lol. I am sure it could be my inexperience but my 3 kitchens knives were definitely easier lol. I can't wait to see the final results, how ever long it takes me to get there 😂
@@thaknobodi He said Carbide inserts. In other words, Carbide milling cutters which have nothing to do with the cheap carbide sharpeners'. Yes, they are junk. Carbide inserts for milling is the best a man can get for milling hard materials. Selecting coating options f the cutters can further increase their performance. KnifeMaker
It’s really not bad to sharpen, it of course depends on what you are comparing it to. The workability from a manufacturer standpoint is a very different matter
S90v is my single fav stainless with S125v being a close second. S90v does well with pretty much any edge finish you want to put on it from low grit shread monsters to full mirrors. It's a truly bad ass stainless, if you have diamond stones or resin bonded diamond plates you won't be on the stones forever doing a reprofile now I will say if you only have Alox stones or SIC stones you are going to be there a while if your reprofiling. If you have diamond or CBN stones it cuts just fine, if you like a toothy edge take S90v to F400 grit and it will be super toothy and those carbides will keep it that way for a very long time. S90v also responds very well to a hone and strop. After the edge starts to fall off a couple passes on a strop and it will be right back shaving, if the strop doesn't bring it back a few strokes on a ceramic stone or rod to realign the apex and a few strokes per side on a strop and bingo your popping hairs again. It's amazing how long you can keep an edge going on S90v.
Sharpening a Benchmade 940-1 after reprofiling to a 16-17 per side, I find it easy to sharpen on a DMT Extra fine continuous surface stone. I've had the stone for years and it is now very close to an extra-extra fine in finish.
90V takes a wicked sharp edge and is impressive in the edge holding.
First test, cut 100 feet of cardboard, trimmed branches, both dead and live, for about an hour on the property, another 100+ feet of corrugated cardboard, and still shaving, but slightly dragging. Stropped on barbers strop loaded with German Flitz Metal Polish and in only two passes per side, hair popping once again.
Love this Steel!
KnifeMaker
Thanks for watching and sharing!
DMT plates.... extra fine... that's the 9 micron one right? DMT plates don't work like regular whetstones or how people think they work. The 325 course actually makes the sharpest edges. Paradoxically or counter intuitively, the higher the grit the more steel they remove, the narrower the particles and the deeper the scratches. In general these are not good products for sharpening knives. Diamond abrasives are good, but these plates are not.
my first and only knife with S90v is the spyderco nirvana. the sound on the stones when sharpening is crazy you can tell it’s super hard, or tough
I just purchased my first knife in s90v. The Giantmouse GMPX. I had no idea it was made right in my own back yard! I feel like a noob. Learn something every day!
GiantMouse makes some awesome knives!
This Blade Steel Series is great! Keep 'em coming!
Thank you! T.C. has a background metallurgy and passing along info like this is something he really looks forward to...the rest of us are just afraid he will start passing out homework in office😂
Come on guys get the steel series back going!!!
We will let TC know!
Trying to grab a Shaman in S90V. Looks like a solid knife steel.
S90v is my preferred stainless
S90V is awesome!
I have the teal pm2 in s90v. Its the only knife ive ever bought that i didn't immediately take to my edge pro apex. I bet i will not need to for several years
Love S90V!
You should see outpost76's PM2 S90V factory edge vs sharpened edge results. You gain 2-3 times the edge retention vs burnt factory edge sometimes
The s90v is something very cool . Super complicated all the way around and a long process according to your vid and another dude who worked there on the hot end . He said straight up he used to work there and it’s a long complicated steel to make which explains lots of things . I had luck with Venev stones , a C- edge with plate diamonds . I could see the carbides on the edge . Glad I went right back to it and had the other stones
The people who make and understand new steels have skills we envy!
We need more of these steel videos
when I got Benchmade bugout in s90v it was dull as heck. It looked like the bevel had been ground on but that’s about it, it couldn’t cut paper. When you sharpen it from that point it sucks. But touching up the edge, it’s not too bad.
Keeping an edge is definitely easier then starting from dull
Same here and the bevel was totally uneven one side to the other. The S90 940 I have is perfect though. Had to sharpen a brand-new knife.
My only CPM S90V I have is a sprint run Spyderco Delica so it is my EDC. I wish I could get a Para 3 with it some day but the closest I have are a pair of CPM S110V: Manix 2 and Paramilitary 2.
That is an awesome collection!
I sharpen my S90V knives with cheap pocket diamond/ceramic combo. No biggie.
Steel responds very well to stroping too.
Hard to beat a good leather strop
S90v has been one of mt favorite powder stainless steels alongside elmax and nitrobe 77 (high carbide, medium carbide and low carbide choices). Recently im loving m398 about as much but its not fair to compare since its on a custom knife with a custom heat treatment at 64hrc while all s90v I've had has been production and CKF did it best imo.
Id live to experience some proper s90v eventually.
Thanks for watching
Woah! I totally missed the video on the Crucible visit! I can't find it either!
It is coming out very soon, we had to postpone its release
@@SMKWcom Isaac, is that you? If so, nice work! Can't wait!
My new Jack Wolf Javelina is in S90v. It’s amazing steel
Jack Wolf makes some amazing knives!
Love this Blade Steel Series.
Thank you!
MagnaCut has 10.7% cr and is more stainless, it's all about chromium in solution baby. Not the just the chromium weight chemistry which can be tied up in Carbides and not in solution doing work depending on the balance of other elements and heat treatment.
Thank you for watching!
Love my s90v knifes, my Spyderco PM2 Maxamet still wins in edge retention though. Rex 121 has the best edge retention out there, but who has ever seen a knife or custom knife with it? I haven't.
We don't know of anyone off the top of our head but that would be awesome
You need to come over here sir there are many of knife makers made knife out of rex121
@@ekkanofiqandriyana7325 could you give me a few knifes that use Rex 121? Thanks.
How does this hold up against bone? Will it chip if you prep a fish or deer?
S90V is very hard and as a result can be prone to chipping when coming in contact with harder materials.
Just to be transparent, I don't have anything in S90V currently but hope to make a few blades from some 3/32 stock that I've had (for a long time). That said, I process several deer every year, as well as fish when I get the chance. As far as S90V holding up against bone, I suspect that it depends on exactly how you come in contact with the bone. If you try to use the knife like a cleaver, it could very well chip. Having said that, if you're using a knife like a cleaver while butchering a deer, you're doing it wrong :-) If you stick the tip in the hip socket trying to separate it, and you end up applying some side load, I suspect you inadvertently do some serious damage to the blade. If you are boning out the ribs, neck, shoulder, or hip and you run the edge across a bone, I highly doubt it will have any adverse effect on the blade.
I have a Two Sun TS187 (Fang) in S90V, it's outstanding, I tried whittling almond wood including some of the knotty bits and it cut it very well and didn't even need a strop after around half an hour of continuous work. I make canes and walking sticks, almond wood is an edge killer on lower grade steels, though I have to say rough Ryder's T10 is pretty good for a 'cheap' steel.
This is great stuff to hear and what we are looking for, actual hard use! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
I need to get a knife of 2 from Two Sun,their prices are crazy for the materials they use
@@garrettferrell6821 I have four of their knives and they are all good knives, I would like more. I can say thier steels all seem to be properly heat treated, I've got S90V, M390, D2 and 14Cr28MoV, they all seem to perform well.
@@SMKWcom you can see actual use in my S90V beat down video. I chopped wood, twisted the apex out of wood, whittled aluminum and brass and did apex impact hits.
I was at smkw today, and may have met you! I soo wanted to buy this knife, but couldn’t pull the trigger!
Thanks for stopping in!!!
Can it be sharpened with a silicone carbide stone? If yes, will it hold the edge the proper way? Thank you.
Great series!🔪🔪
Thank you!
A knife with CPM S90V would do great in the rope and twine industries. For me Lmax is the max, so the sharpening doesn't take forever. Good informational video guys I apreciate it.
Thank you, Jeroen!
Great information I like easy to sharpen. I'm not good at sharpening. Thanks 😊!!
Thank you, Mike!
Please add to the series by covering S45VN. That's what I have on my Spyderco Paramilitary 2.
Great idea!
I look forward to your covering S45VN. Please include information about heat treatment, tempering, and cryogenic treatment if any. I'd like to know what Spyderco does with this, and whether they do it in-house or send it out. Thanks much!
How good would a S90V steel short sword be for actual combat?
Terrible. A 420HC sword would be better if you need stainless. Carbides in super steels means brittle. Low carbide like 420HC or AEB-L stainless steels are tougher
I don’t have much experience with S90V yet.the only knife I have in S90V is the new carbon fiber+S90V Benchmade Bugout and so far it seems pretty awesome..I don’t have a lot of experience with S110V either but a little more so than I have with S90V.I have a Spyderco PM2 in S110V..I bought a Spyderco Native 5 LW in Maxamet last December and I love it.Maxamet has became one of my personal favorite blade steels for an EDC knife.not only does it have the best edge retention I’ve ever experienced but it’s fairly easy to sharpen and while it’s not stainless it’s still has pretty good corrosion resistance..I’m like M4 a lot as well.I have a Benchmade “Super” Freek in M4 and it’s my personal favorite Benchmade knife that I own..I’m a big fan of Cruwear as well,I have a Bark River Aurora in Cruwear that I’ve had for a while,I have a Cruwear Manix 2 and recently got the Benchmade Mini Adamas which is also in Cruwear..I’m gonna get a PM2 or a PM3 in S45VN now that they are coming out into the wild,Ive been wanting to try out S45VN for a while..I’m looking forward to seeing knives come out in MagnaCut as well,it sounds like it’s gonna be a great steel..I love trying out the different “super” steels but damn it gets expensive
I purchased my first S90V. It wasn't hair popping like I prefer so i started to work it a bit..this stuff is unlike anything I've tried to get razor sharp... edit: after watching a few vids you don't really want S90v hair popping and it can mess up the carbides. I have it shaving sharp now and we will see!! I'm sure I won't need to sharpen for a another season as least...
How did it go ? Good I ll bet . I just got done doing an edge and was thinking it doesn’t act like a lot of other steels when sharpening .
I found that when they belt sharpen from the factory, it can leave the initial profile brittle. So after a few rounds on the whetstones, the edge is considerably better edge holding now, like how I imagined S90V to be. Very happy with it now!!
Got my ZT0095s90blk coincidentally from one of you guys at SMKW. It came with a polished edge that I wouldn't have had the patience to do myself. The steel seems unfazed by use, although it's a dedicated user. Great knife! My 940-1 has s90v as well but I'm not a fan of the blade geometry and the factory Benchmade grind is awful.
Thanks for watching and sharing your knife tale👍
I love mine gutted and skinned two full sized elk without needing to sharpen it.
Hello SMKW, Thanks for giving us this type of info, good stuff to know about - I can learn, eventually! Keep up the good work and keep these vids coming! Be safe and take care, "God Bless", sincerely, Randy. 👍👍🙏😇👊
Thank you, Randy! We really enjoy these videos and T.C. loves talking about metal....our only worry is that he will start passing out homework any day now😂
Same to sharpen as M4 imo
Very similar in sharping
I keep reading how much you guys enjoy this steel and I hate you all 😂 I just began sharpening this week and I was in awe at the edge I left on my kitchen knives. I then switched to an s90v and can't believe how long it's taking to get a burr on one side lol. As I write this I am taking a quick break from it lol. I am sure it could be my inexperience but my 3 kitchens knives were definitely easier lol. I can't wait to see the final results, how ever long it takes me to get there 😂
It can be a pain but it so worth it in the end!
This stuff is insanely hard
Kills carbide inserts in 1 pass
Thanks for watching!
Carbide sharpeners are only for low paid workers in a production line using soft dexter knives
@@thaknobodi He said Carbide inserts. In other words, Carbide milling cutters which have nothing to do with the cheap carbide sharpeners'. Yes, they are junk. Carbide inserts for milling is the best a man can get for milling hard materials. Selecting coating options f the cutters can further increase their performance.
KnifeMaker
@@michaell397 🫢 gotcha. Id imagine all than vanadium does indeed wreck carbide millers.
I personally think it's easy to sharpen
It’s really not bad to sharpen, it of course depends on what you are comparing it to. The workability from a manufacturer standpoint is a very different matter
S90V holds an edge, but is hard to sharpen.
But it also last once you get it there
Nothing is hard to sharpen with diamond stones and diamond stones are not that expensive so there is no point not to use them.
👏🔝🗡⚔️🤜💥🤛🍾
🙌🙌🙌
#Orange
I don't want to sharpen all the time.. too much servicing and energy.. LOL wow durable edge is better.. Math
I love this blade steel series !
Thank you!