K390 Spyderco Endura edge retention testing. Let's see what this can really do and why I like it.
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- K390 Spyderco Endura edge retention testing. How well do this one do and why do I like it so much. This includes 1 freehand edge tested using the Venev resin bonded 25% concentration stones as well as 2 standard 600 grit KME edges. Let me know how yours does good or bad. This K390 Seki line is one of the best value for performance knives you can buy currently.
Please like and comment and help this get seen by as many people as possible. Also consider joining my Patreon to help support the channel.
Outpost 76 Patreon
www.patreon.co...
Edge retention testing data sheets
docs.google.co...
Contact me at gdniel@yahoo.com
As always I appreciate your time and thanks for watching.
I have a Delica in K390 as my most commonly carried edc. It has seen all the daily chores a folding pocket should be doing. I love it. Great edge holding, not a chippy edge at all, and easy to maintain with a strop. I gave it an 18 degree per side edge with a Wicked Edge up to a 1600 grit ceramic stone. Then a 20 degree microbevel using a Spyderco Sharp Maker. Maintenance is using a strop loaded with green strop paste. After 2 years of owning and using this knife, it’s only on its 2nd edge.
Green stropping compound = Chrome oxide. This and alu oxide can form synthetic ruby. Just So yall know. By 0,25 micron diamond paste... so much better
My spydie Endela K390 wharnie has a 12k polish with a ballistol nerofor Patina, 12k right side and 1k left side dual grit edge. Vitrified resin bonded diamond stones were used in both processes. Stroped with 1micron dbk compound. Awesome stuff. Needs to be honed more often then MagnaCut cuz of the staining of K390 on the apex edge. Sweat is it's worse enemy
So glad that spyderco decided to use this steel in regular production. Such a great steel. I'm definitely going to grab an extra dragonfly and endela while they're in production
The more I think about it I may get the Delica as well to travel with. Such a high value for performance knife line right now.
@@Outpost_76 I prefer the endela over the delica... just fits better, and has an awesome blade shape...
K390 beats Maxamet, Cruwear & s110v in my opinion. It may have a little less "working edge retention" in the long run, but the ease of sharpening is unparalleled. Love Spyderco's K390 !!
Good call, they were recently discontinued. Picked me up a Delica from Knife Center.
I own a k390 police lightweight. It's a phenomenal all purpose knife
Carried mine today, I used it for some food prep amongst other things, slicing with it is such a pleasure. I'm using a 1500 KME edge @16° stropped on 1um. The last time I sharpened it I really had a hard time finding the burr, it was so fine and clean releasing. I'm seriously considering the Stretch in it.
The burr stays nice and small on mine too. It's such a good user that's why the P4 and at least one other are for sure
Loving the straight spine Stretch. Not many designs give you a blade whose edge dips down aggressively, AND a spine that sits above the handle, which allows for lots of neat utility applications.
I love me some K390! I haven't had any of the Golden models in it, but the Seki City have given some crazy edge retention for me. It's sad that the US models fall short of the foreign made ones.
I love my Venev stones! Expensive as hell, but if you can afford them they're well worth it.
They are value wise the best you can get. 1,5mm or 3mm useable thickness and most come double sided as well. Your offspring can sharpen their knives with your stones so long will they last
I have all of these models from the dragonfly up to the police 4. It’s sort of difficult to pick a standout because they’re all so good…but what I will say is that this is my *definitive* endura. I know some people hold their zdp enduras, etc in really high esteem and those are great. But k390 takes such an aggressive edge so easily…it’s basically the cruwear of 10v class steels…so much so that I’ve been slowly converting all of these to micarta because they just feel like they deserve it.
I enjoy ZDP but K390 is just better. Email me some pictures of the micarta ones, I'd like to see how they look.
@@Outpost_76
Sent 🤙
I have a police 4 k390, came with a rolled edge. I did a deeper sharpen on metallic and resin cbn.
Really good edge, seems to hold it well and is forming a decent patina.
I got same one and the lock bar was not sitting flush with the blade ‘butt’ during open position. I sent it into warranty because that seems like a safety issue for such a huge blade.
My favorite steel of all!!! Finally
I agree, so much to like about it.
Nice! I've got the K390 Delica but I haven't really used it yet. My EDC is a Delica in HAP40 (and sometimes a Dragonfly in HAP40) which I love because they hold an edge well and resist corrosion enough to pocket carry every day.
I work in industrial construction, and my carry usually consists of a hard use folder (which is absent atm while my Xm18 is down), something stainless (spydiechef), a high retention/ high performance [typically is a tool steel since I prefer it for higher hardness steels] blade (currently being handled by my k390 delica), and one I can hand off to a coworker without needing to worry (tufflite or ria). I sweat almost all day long in pretty humid conditions and I've only got a few specks of patina forming after having it for about 3 months. I knew k390 performed well, but ive been repeatedly getting surprised by this delica this past month that I've been using it pretty heavily.
If I had to guess, I'd say you'll be just as happy with it as your hap40
I've been wanting to pick one of these up for a while, now. This makes me want one even more.
It's such a great user steel . You'll be happy with it.
No doubt that the Seki factory got their k390 done right. I've been really enjoying my Stretch, and just ordered a serrated police in that steel, that should be a mean blade!
The perfect cheese slicer I can tell you that
Really good video G !! I’m really enjoying my endura 4. The k390 from seki sharpens and deburrs beautifully. I’m probably going to pick up the P4 or another endura because of the price how can you not. Thanks for sharing brother!!!👊👊🥃🍻
Thank you, I agree about picking up more. Such a good value for performance.
I have the Endura, Endella, and Stretch in K390, and I've been pretty impressed so far. They cut for a long time, and strop back very well. Because I have 3 different models i rotate through, I've only put one edge on them so far, but they are holding up extremely well with just a light stropping at the end of the day.
I was able to strop this one back many times. I should keep track next time and see just how long it goes. It's very impressive.
@@Outpost_76 I bought my Endura on the secondary for $70 lnib. What a bargain, but even at the regular price, it's a great value.
@@timbo4374 that's a great deal.
@@Outpost_76 I thought so too. I jumped on it, lol.
Yeah the k390 endura is a beast. I reground mine resently for a few reasons. Now that I have it even thinner you can't stop that thing.
When mine gets thicker I'll regrind mine as well. The thin custom K390 I have goes on cutting for a long time.
@@Outpost_76 yeah, that's what I did with mine. I let it get thick enough to where it needed it, then I went ahead ground it thinner than it came from the factory.
You always hear people say thin geometry makes sharpening easier, but seeing such a night and day difference in person is crazy. It hardly takes any time at all on my venev 400, followed by stropping, and its razor sharp.
So that's always another plus.
@@_BLANK_BLANK I agree, it's crazy how much faster sharpening is on thin blades. Maybe I'll do a video showing the time difference.
@@Outpost_76 good idea
@@_BLANK_BLANK Are you saying you ground the primary bevels thinner or the secondary bevels? It sounds like you're saying the primaries in which case I'm wondering how you did that. I'd have to assume you have a belt sander and some really good belts? Does ceramic belts even do much? Doing it off of stones sounds nightmarish and like it'd take forever!
I'm loving the Stretch 2 in K390, so much so that one I ended up with due to Blade HQ's complete inability to get their shit together (long story, don't ask) is going to one of my closest friends.
BHQ lost my business about 2 years ago. Knife Center is my go to now.
My K390 E4 also has a wavering grind but also a killer HT. Sharpens and cuts the same as my P4. Good to see your confirmation. Thanks!
I agree,I'm still waiting for that Cruwear Ebdura,lol.
Gerald, I have the Endura and PM2 in K390 put the toothy / mirror edge on the Endura. Bad ass edge! Have not used either much, still carrying the Para 3 LW in SPY27. The edge is holding up very well. Thanks for the video. : )
You're welcome, I did add a K390 PM2 a while back when the chance came up. I still enjoy the Golden atuff even being softer than the Seki models. I've been using the SPY27 the past few days as well.
My Endura in K390 is my favorite user. I highly recommend the police in K390 slices so well.
I'm definitely getting the P4 K390.
I initially got the police 4 waiting for the straight spine stretch 2. Loved it, got the Delica 4. Loved it, missed out on the straight spine stretch 2;) I love the way this steel sharpens and feels.
I enjoy everything about it, I agree it sharpens uo so nice .
I put some micarta scales on my lw p4 and carry it more than any other knife I own. love the edge and the patina
Got the Police love it. My favorite steel right now.
I have a stretch in k390 and it has come to cutting cans in half for fun just because I can.
I have a dragonfly from this k390 run and its simply an amazing little piece of work. Sharpened incredibly well on the KME with Atoma diamond plates 140-1200, venev 800/1200, and finished on a gunny juice 3 micron strop. I picked up a stretch 2 in k390 recently and the grind is incredible on it although the factory edge wasn't the best and had a little nick in it as well, but i stropped it out on a 9 micron gunny juice strop and its still going strong on the factory edge post stropping here a few weeks later. I think the Stretch is one of the most underrated knives. Incredible ergos on it for me and a slightly more manageable size than the police or endura. Same size as the Endela but better ergos and I prefer the blade shape personallty.
I really like the Stretch but I just can't do that straight spine blade. I like the original design and I'd love to see that onw in K390.
@@Outpost_76 yeah it's ugly as sin too for sure. But that's most spydercos. I agree though, it'd be way better with the other spine.
I love my k390 good video.
I have a cheap keybar type thing with a ladybug in it (along with my keys), pinned through the lanyard hole. When I fold the blade out and open it , that acts as a stabiliser and allows very good control of the knife - might help if you do want to go ahead with testing. Mine is ZDP-189 for whatever it's worth, thanks for the videos.
That's a good idea, I may try that.
I have the endela. It has the same dip near the plunge grind. It doesn’t bother me either. Same experience during sharpening. I’ll definitely pick up an endura, and possibly dragonfly. I’m very glad Spyderco are doing these runs, it’s what makes them my favorite company. I just got the para 3 lightweight white rex 45 for $122... such a good deal IMO.
That Rex45 para 3 LW was seriously bordering a WTF level good deal.
That was a good deal, I couldn't pass it up that cheap.
I kinda want to try out the fully serrated k390 police instead of plain edge. Something different than the usual. And compare it against the plain edge k390 seki stuff ive used.
I need to try one myself and do a few week carry with it and see how it does.
Stays so sharp for so long and the edge feels very ‘bitey’ compared to other steels. I like using it to cut up citrus and fruits. forming a Beautiful patina ☺️
Thanks for sharing
I have the straight spine Stretch version. I've stropped it back from dull to hair whittling...maybe like five times now? It's become my favorite cardboard knife over my actual box cutter, because the box cutter needs the blade snapped off and advanced maybe 4 times per dump run, vs. this only needing a stropping, and not needing sharpening yet. And it's not a long time at the strop. Maybe 10, 15 passes tops.
One thing I don't like cutting with it, is plants, for harvesting. The steel corrodes faster than 1095 with plant juices on it, but also, stem fibers that don't seem to bother my 80crv2 and 1095 knives seem to take the edge off the K390 faster than abrasive manmade materials.
But for cardboard? This is king. The knife will actually pay for itself eventually in pricy japanese NT cutter blades that I won't waste instead.
I have great results from the strop on mine as well. Its hard to beat the value in these.
I have a Delica in k390 it's great steel.
Can you do a similar test with serrated k390?
When I can get some to test I will. It does seem they are all being discontinued currently though.
Good deal. I’m sure they are just waiting for more stock. I’d be surprised if they discontinue all the seki k390 with how well they’re being received.@@Outpost_76
I've had a combo blade original Endura for 30 years now. Still sharp as a razor.
I have a P4 G10 and had a PM2 and Para 3 in K390, but the Delica I have now is a better performer than all of them. It's my dedicated cardboard knife, which probably means I need more Seki K390 so I can edc some.
Will you be testing any more of Benchmade's S90V in the next few months?
I liked the P4 G10 but this current K390 is just better. I may be doing some more BM S90V soon, how soon though I can't say.
Link to spreadsheet doesn't work. Access to sheet denied.
A new one will be up soon, the old one was lost.
So the seki city k390 is better than the golden co k390? I just got a stretch 2. And realllllyyyy want a g10 police in k390.
The Seki K390 has repeatedly tested harder than the Golden K390. You'll see better edge stability and wear resistance from the Seki stuff.
@@Outpost_76 Good to know, and thanks for the reply! I was either going to get the K390 PM2 or Stretch 2, and I went with the stretch. You haven’t uploaded in a while, hope you are doing alright!
Thank you G.
Come on Spyderco. Still no K390 in a Manix 2, really?
That's what I'm thinking, I need one just as you do.
Dream bigger brother. K390 everything!
@@CKshouta there are many models I'd love K390 on. I agree, it would be nice to see K390 as regular production on everything.
Yes @@CKshouta!
: - )
Or even S390. It's been kind of hiding in the background. I suspect it will work it's way to the forefront, soon-ish.
@@SteveKluver s390 is a high speed steel, and high speed steels usually trade toughness and some wear resistance for extreme hardness. I think k390 at 65 is more than plenty, and I like how remarkablely tough it is for all its carbides and hardness.
Where did you get those scales for your para 3?
I'll have to look and see if I can figure out where they came from.
K390 or maxamet?
Hello. Have you tested this Endura hardness yet?
I have the same and i'm interested how much HRC on this model.
Thank you.
Mine is 65.9 hrc and the other one I tested was 66 hrc.
@Outpost 76 maybe you could confirm. When the knife starts scratching bottles with the spine, it's gotta be over 65. All my k390 and zdp from spyderco scratch not just bottles, but iphone gorilla glass.
Where did you get those green scales for the para3?
I got them from someone else, I'm not sure where the came from originally. They aren't what I like but it's a cool green.
I probably missed it, but is the endura your favorite spyderco model? Or is is the manix platform?
The Manix is my favorite user Spyderco, the Endura is a close second and always makes me think of a work knife.
K390 Endela - one sharpen. Stupid slicey. I have my order in for Delica K390 (Knife Center) Wharncliffe. Need Para3 LW K390.
I just want a K390 Manix. I may add a Delica also. Just such a good deal for the price.
How is k390 compared to 20cv?
Better edge retention, in regards to both keenness and cutting ability. Harder, stronger and more stable, better in sharpening, toughness depends on hardness, but in most cases it is probably tougher as well. Only difference is that k390 can rust badly and 20cv won't much at all.
Really nice results but with 600 grits, you usually testing with 1500 .Does K390 not going well with 1500? I wondering how many cuts would make REX45 or ZDP189 sharpened with 600 grits.
The endura ext to para3 makes it look like a midget knife, heheh
Weird. Seki is doing better heat treating then USA. Cmon guys get your shit together lol
SO RUSTY