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stringer said:
How well does it patina? If it's any more stain resistant than 52100 it's a deal breaker.
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I was only talking pure performance-wise of course there are reasons to want low alloy stuff. For example Hamons. All I'm saying is as far as performance goes there is better stuff out there than low alloy steels.

captaincaed said:
Ok I admit I haven’t spent much time looking at 3v, looks like a pretty nice steel though. I’m not quite as addicted to patina as some. What I am addicted to is getting a toothy edge that lasts. And not needing diamonds. 3% vanadium seems like Diamond territory to me. What’s been your experience?
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It's less about the amount of vanadium than it is about the MC(the really hard carbides) carbide volume. 3V is 4-5% MC carbide volume because it's a very different steel than 4V (lower C higher Cr). For reference AS is like 2% MC carbide volume and its carbides are much larger than 3V and I haven't heard anyone complain about sharpening that on non-diamond stones. I've never had an issue with 3V sharpening.
 
Troopah_Knives said:
It's less about the amount of vanadium than it is about the MC(the really hard carbides) carbide volume. 3V is 4-5% MC carbide volume because it's a very different steel than 4V (lower C higher Cr). For reference AS is like 2% MC carbide volume and its carbides are much larger than 3V and I haven't heard anyone complain about sharpening that on non-diamond stones. I've never had an issue with 3V sharpening.
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I may have to admit to being a mediocre sharpener, and I’m happy to wear that mantle (and be unpopular). For my money, it’s less about carbide volume than hardness. I this case, 3V has both more MC carbide volume, and harder carbides. If I were going for a toothy edge that’s relatively easy to achieve on different types of stones, I would personally lean toward toward AS/52100/Blue/White#x. I’m not exactly sure where carbide size/hardness factors into edge quality (I know larger carbides reduce toughness), but it seems I get an edge I’m happy with in the kitchen for longer periods of time with smaller, softer carbides. Sharpening is more satisfying, takes less time, can be done with a wide variety of stones/mug bottoms (great for travel knives), blah blah I’m an old fogey.
 
captaincaed said:
Ok I admit I haven’t spent much time looking at 3v, looks like a pretty nice steel though. I’m not quite as addicted to patina as some. What I am addicted to is getting a toothy edge that lasts. And not needing diamonds. 3% vanadium seems like Diamond territory to me. What’s been your experience?
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Psst, it's Z-wear with less carbon. Pretty good stainless.
 
@captaincaed I will absolutely die on this hill 🤣 . A2 has a better hardness toughness balance and a low volume of soft carbides for better wear resistance.YXR7 has a similar MC carbide volume to AS but they are smaller and it has better hardness toughness balance. My point is basically with a little searching you could find something in the high alloy range that works better for you performance-wise. Although it certainly doesn't/shouldn't be the most important part of the equation.

M1k3 said:
Psst, it's Z-wear with less carbon. Pretty good stainless.
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Absolutely although the actual structure is a bit finer than z-wear because it doesn't have any chromium carbides.
 
I'll admit, I tend to steer clear of stainless knives because I like the character you get from reactive steels, so my experience is limited. But I've owned/used Ginsan, SKD, and VG10 and none of them, in my experience, offered anything beyond corrosion resistance compared to my favorite carbon steels. My 52100 Z-Kramer that I used for a long time had plenty of toughness for my use, holds an edge decently well, and most importantly, was easy to bring back to life with a few haphazard swipes on a basic king 1000 stone at the end of each day. My favorite steel I've used so far was my Takeda AS. That could keep a good edge of a few days, I never had issues with chipping even at a zero-grind, and also was easy to sharpen as needed after a long day of prep with whatever I already had out and around. I felt like with all the stainless I've used I had to work just a bit harder to get a nice toothy, stable, crisp edge.

That said, I'm open to having my mind changed on this, so what stainless should should I be looking for as a comparison to AS, @Troopah_Knives? Most important to me is the ability too quickly and easily refresh an edge without specialized abrasives and edge retention. I'd take one through its paces for a month or so at work and report back to see if I can be won over.
 
ethompson said:
That said, I'm open to having my mind changed on this, so what stainless should should I be looking for as a comparison to AS, @Troopah_Knives?
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btw high alloy isn't the same as stainless it's basically a shorthand for all the steels with 4% cr+. As for something kinda similar to AS A2, 3V, and Caldie at the high end of their hardness range are all going to be fairly easy to sharpen have finer carbides than AS, better wear resistance, and a pinch of corrosion resistance. That said of course it's much easier to find AS than some of those steel. However, my argument is on the theoretical end, not the practical.
 
3V is amazing and I wish more kitchen knives used it.

frankly I dont prefer aogami super myself; blue 1 and 2 and 52100 are the best compromises I've used in knives, at least for my taste.
 
3V is an interesting steel, but it is usually not hardened very hard, since it looses a lot of what makes it special at high hardness. I've never actually seen it above 62 HRC. Have you guys tried it at higher hardness? On paper I would prefer Z-wear class, but I don't think Z-wear is hard to sharpen or touch up. Now days, with existence of MagnaCut, hard to make an argument for anything else in that class of steels.
 
Barmoley said:
3V is an interesting steel, but it is usually not hardened very hard, since it looses a lot of what makes it special at high hardness. I've never actually seen it above 62 HRC. Have you guys tried it at higher hardness? On paper I would prefer Z-wear class, but I don't think Z-wear is hard to sharpen or touch up. Now days, with existence of MagnaCut, hard to make an argument for anything else in that class of steels.
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I've run it at 64rc with no real issues still maintained good toughness especially with the right process. I was talking 3v because it has a much lower carbide volume (5% vs 10%). I agree Magnacut is preferable to either unless you are super picky about sharpening in which case Z-wear is nice because it has only 3.5% MC carbide volume along with easy-to-cut enriched Chromium carbides.
 
HumbleHomeCook said:
To continue off topic... BRING ON THE MAGNACUT!!!

👍
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captaincaed said:
No more MagnaCut!
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I’m not sure about this MagnaCut stuff. The very mention seems to make even mild mannered peeps like HHC a little bit shouty. There’s also something about the very name itself that can’t help but bring to mind red faced people wearing silly little red slogan caps. I’ve seen them on Fox News, where I believe they were often worn by patriots on a recent peaceful outing to the capitol, an entirely appropriate event that should in no way be confused with a domestic terrorism or clumsy anti-democratic coup attempt.

Anyway MagnaCut Is badly named. It’s not an acronym or anagram - it’s just one badly misplaced letter from an offensive verbal disaster, And what’s an ‘n’ between friends anyway?

Perhaps I’m warming to MagnaCut after all. I’d like to see that on some of those caps anyway.

👍😈
 
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WiriWiri said:
I’m not sure about this MagnaCut stuff. The very mention seems to make even mild mannered peeps like HHC a little bit shouty. There’s also something about the very name itself that can’t help but bring to mind red faced people wearing silly little red slogan caps. I’ve seen them on Fox News, where I believe they were often worn by patriots on a recent peaceful outing to the capitol, an entirely appropriate event that should in no way be confused with a domestic terrorism or clumsy anti-democratic coup attempt.

Anyway MagnaCut Is badly named. It’s not an acronym - it’s just one badly misplaced letter from an offensive verbal disaster, And what’s an ‘n’ between friends anyway?

Perhaps I’m warming to MagnaCut after all. I’d like to see that on some of those caps anyway.

👍😈
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@Larrin did have reason for the naming.

Among the many other sources of so far of very positive news on MagnaCut, there are two great threads on the Spyderco forum. One is by Surfingringo on it's corrosion resistance. If you don't know Lance, I assure you, no one will put their knives through more than he does. And there's another by Deadboxhero on edge retention.

Both are on going but being well executed and updated. So far, this steel is making me very excited to see it in the kitchen.
 
I swear, all you youngsters.

I only want to use my flint-knife, talk about character development when it chips! way better than patina
 
Keith Sinclair said:
Wiri we Americans are not all rednecks & hillbilly's that are guilty of incest.
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I agree, This is the unpopular opinions thread after all

(and at least 50% are you are wishy-washy metrosexual immigrant types too)

Cheers, I’m off to drink tea through my bad teeth, whilst singing ‘rule Britannia’ under a pic of her majesty.

👍
 
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