S30V or D2

[ChrisKavanaugh]

One survival knife tenet used to be a relatively soft RC for easy field sharpening. I found in arctic survival school the exact opposite. When your cold and tired, trying to put a new edge with at best the miserable excuse for a honing stone of a Camillus/Ontario survival knife is a nightmare. Another feature from a strictly survival standpoint should be remembered. If you need to produce sparks and somehow have been reduced to only your knife ( that favourite daydream of would be Rambo's) then a high carbon, high RC knife is necessary. We are recreating the same system as a flintlock firearm. The flint is igniting minute particles of carbon FROM THE KNIFE. This is in reverse from the knife igniting particles of our metal matches. Personally, I'd love a S/S knife with a high carbon laminate spine inlay, much like the brass edge catcher on a Bowie fighting knife. Having said that, it will now be the unique brainchild of posters on every knife and outdoor forum and appear in 5 knife catalogs with the inevitable charge,countercharge of infringement.

 

[Martyn]

Very true, but S30V is the better choice of course!

LOL - of course Wayne. :-D

Kind of like asking which is the better F1 car, a mclaren or a ferrari.

The answer is ferrari of course, but I'd crap my pants driving either.

 

[leon-1]

My thanks, I must admit that I love D2, but with the current reviews of S30V I am more than a little curious.

All of the steels that Gene offers are high end and it does make you wonder why he offers this one in place of others when it is quite new.

I am willing to take a risk with this and the subsequent result of it, but to be honest I think that I will recieve a well crafted tool which will do the job required.

In the end it is my choice and if I am wrong it is my fault alone. The advice given is always appreciated and will not be taken lightly. :-D

 

[Martyn]

All of the steels that Gene offers are high end and it does make you wonder why he offers this one in place of others when it is quite new.

Been around for a few years mate.

 

[leon-1]

Yep, but I have been out of it for quite a few (13 at least, not prison, the army). Now I am trying to get back into things.

 

[The General]

To be honest both are great steels and either will be just fine. D2 is proven, but S30V is just better!

Either will prove great in use, though i find D2 to be a ruster living next to the sea. S30V does not seem as prone...

 

[The General]

Very true, but S30V is the better choice of course!

LOL - of course Wayne. :-D

Kind of like asking which is the better F1 car, a mclaren or a ferrari.

The answer is ferrari of course, but I'd crap my pants driving either.

Yeh! High end is high end for sure!

 

[Martyn]

Yep, but I have been out of it for quite a few (13 at least, not prison, the army). Now I am trying to get back into things.

Cool.

Though in fairness, although S30v has been around a while, because of it's expense and difficulty in working, it's only just starting to find it's way into production knives. Prior to this, it has had a good history with high end custom knife makers. The (quality) production boys have started to use S30v - probably because of demand filtering through from the custom market. Chris Reeve dropped BG42 in favour of S30v a couple of years ago now. It's cropping up more and more in the production market, in spite of it's inherrant difficulties in the manufacturing process.

You wont be dissapointed.

 

[leon-1]

Wayne I can appreciate that, I live in Paignton, lovely, near the sea and I have seen things that are stainless rust down here.

Martyn, all points that you have raised are valid, but in the end there have been three people that know about this that have replied (Including yourself) and they all say the same thing.

I will go with S30V, I place the order tomorrow since I don't want to wait and don't want to keep Gene waiting too long. :-D

 

[Martyn]

Martyn, all points that you have raised are valid, but in the end there have been three people that know about this that have replied (Including yourself) and they all say the same thing.

LOL, just a keen amature here, but Hoodoo has an attic FULL of knives. I think you can at least take his comments to the bank.

Be sure and let us know your impressions when you get it.

 

[Hoodoo]

I think it's important to remember that things can go a bit crazy when knife nuts start talking metalurgy on forums. It can get more than a little obsessive. All of the steels mentioned are high end, superbly performing steels.

I totally agree Martyn. Spot on.

 

[leon-1]

Thanks Guys, when it arrives I will let you know, initial impressions, after a few months of use I will let you know a bit more and after a year of testing and use I will put up a final report on my findings if that sounds okay.

 

[leon-1]

Sorry Chris I missed your post, once again I appreciate your point with reference to the high carbon content, but this knife is for bushcraft not survival.

It is a thin line I know, but if I have this knife with me it is unlikely that I will be in a survival situation (they have a tendency to happen when you have b****r all with you) and when it comes to starting fire with other things I am not bad. I have started fires at altitude in Kathendini with less, but it is still a very good point, my thanks.

 

[Strider]

out fo interest..
how does BG-42 compare with S30V??
ohh..what exactly is M2???

cheers.

 

[The General]

BG42 is an improvement on 154CM steel, it has more carbon and Vanadium added. It is not as good as S30V, no where near as tough. Nor will it hold an edge as well.

M2 is a carbon tool steel with very good toughness and good wear resistance. It is however a real ruster as it is nor a stainless steel.

 

[sargey]

If I had the slightest idea S30V wasn't a whole lot better than 154CM/ATS-34 I damned for wouldn't use it.

S30V is waay better than ats34.

i realise the following roughty-toughty test may be a little surprising. take your bestest most sharpest blade, a few slices of well done toast, and then butter them....

buttering well done toast plays havoc with a good edge. S30V will withstand 3 or 4 days worth of breakfasts. ATS34 is screwed after one.

'strue.

cheers, and.

 

[leon-1]

Well guys this is what this is all about, this is an image that Gene sent me, this is what the completed model should look like. If this doesn't work I am going to look a burk so here we go.

The above model is very slightly different to the one that I have ordered and it will be in S30V. The image is not far off actual size, so it gives a reasonable impression of what the finished article will be like. Gene is very good to order from.

 

[Schwert]

Read the whole thread but did not vote. I just think that the whole choice of these 2 steels just comes down to the maker more than anything else. Gene works both steels, knows what he is doing with both and therefore the choice is good either way.

I only have one small blade in S30V so cannot really even comment on its performance. I have 2 in S60V and that stuff is hard. I have loads in D2 and it is my favorite steel hands down.....but again I think this has more to do with the maker than the actual steel. The blades just work, I like them, therefore somehow it must be the steel :shock:

I would pick D2 for the absolute no-good reason that all but one of my other Ingrams are D2.

That is going to be a fine knife in S30V. Neat choice.

Here is my similar (slightly shorter) Ingram.....D2 of course.

http://********.free.fr/guest/SeaCowGloves.jpg

 

[leon-1]

Thanks Schwert that is a really nice knife. I must admit that the seacow bone looks really nice and I was considering it for a long time myself :-D .

Now the waiting begins, but it will be worth it in the end. ):

 

[Shinken]

Have not read through the whole thread so apologies if i missed something.

S30V i would say is undoubtedly better on paper, but i voted D2 because i have no experience of the former

But ask him if he can do it in 3v instead, awsome steel