This steel was one of the early CPM super steels and by some of the measures I've seen (wear resistance, vanadium content) looks like it should be a real winner for a hunting knife, perhaps even superior to s30v. But, it seems it has faded away. Spyderco, kershaw, and boker used it in a few knives, but seem to have gotten away from it. It didn't seem to catch on with the custom makers.
Does anyone know why?
Does anyone love it? Hate it? Why?
Thanks for your insights...
I have Tom Krein building me 3 knives in S60V.It is way harder to heat treat than S30V so most makers don't like to use it.It takes a really hot oven to treat it and most makers don't have the special oven.
elim, why do you want to use s60v?
is it the wear resistance?
do you have any experience maintaining an edge on an s60v?
thanks!
I have a few S-60V blades. It has excellent edge retention qualities. Might be a little chippy, it's a little harder to sharpen than say S-30V IMO but seems to take a slightly keener edge. It's an excellent steel if you don't sharpen in the field imho............................DJ
Non Typical,
CPM S60V was the first stainless offering in a Particle Steel from Crucible. 10V was the first CPM but it does not have enough chrome to be a true stainless. The idea was to add Vanadium Carbide to a 440C chemistry to improve wear resistance. The original use was for the plastics industry for high wear dies and components where stain resistance was necessary. Some of us jumped on it for a blade steel and at the time it was the best stainless out there for wear resistance. Better overall performance than ATS34 or 154CM even at a lower hardness. Heat treating it as Elim mentioned was a challange since to get 60 or so Rockwell reqd a very hot first cycle. That is hard on furnances and thermocouples. You do not see much of it in use any more since CPM S90V was introduced as an upgrade replacement. 90V has the same heat treat temp requirements but has a higher overall obtainable hardness. I liked S60V and made a lot of fillet knives with it. Great corrosion resistance and esxcellent edge holding at the higher hardness (RC 59 or so) CPM S30V solves some of the heat treating issues and is the most widely used stainless CPM now. CPM S110V is the newest stainless offering. It has Niobium and Cobalt in the mix along with the Vanadium it makes a very hard fine high wear complex carbide. I used this steel on a recent antelope hunt and feel like it has great potential. Time will tell and it is currently in short supply but hopefully we can get more of it in the future. Crucible went through some recent problems but the good news is that it has been bought by a company that is focused on still providing the the good CPM knife blade materials. I know more that you wanted to know and a little off the 60V target but felt like writing some. Phil
Phil,
thanks for the insight-filled post, very interesting!
the s110v sounds like it could be the next step forward, and glad to hear crucible is still around
K
Non Typical,
CPM S60V was the first stainless offering in a Particle Steel from Crucible. 10V was the first CPM but it does not have enough chrome to be a true stainless. The idea was to add Vanadium Carbide to a 440C chemistry to improve wear resistance. The original use was for the plastics industry for high wear dies and components where stain resistance was necessary. Some of us jumped on it for a blade steel and at the time it was the best stainless out there for wear resistance. Better overall performance than ATS34 or 154CM even at a lower hardness. Heat treating it as Elim mentioned was a challange since to get 60 or so Rockwell reqd a very hot first cycle. That is hard on furnances and thermocouples. You do not see much of it in use any more since CPM S90V was introduced as an upgrade replacement. 90V has the same heat treat temp requirements but has a higher overall obtainable hardness. I liked S60V and made a lot of fillet knives with it. Great corrosion resistance and esxcellent edge holding at the higher hardness (RC 59 or so) CPM S30V solves some of the heat treating issues and is the most widely used stainless CPM now. CPM S110V is the newest stainless offering. It has Niobium and Cobalt in the mix along with the Vanadium it makes a very hard fine high wear complex carbide. I used this steel on a recent antelope hunt and feel like it has great potential. Time will tell and it is currently in short supply but hopefully we can get more of it in the future. Crucible went through some recent problems but the good news is that it has been bought by a company that is focused on still providing the the good CPM knife blade materials. I know more that you wanted to know and a little off the 60V target but felt like writing some. Phil
Seamount, that was an EXCELLENT post. I certainly hope you feel like writing more soon! I enjoy reading about the details about some of the steels we use........................DJ
I have a 4" backpocket from Jerry Halfrich in 60V.Tonight was the first time I needed to sharpen it.I took it out to 7000 on my Edge Pro then stropped it on a felt with 2 micron diamond spray.I then stropped it again on a hard leather strop.WOW this stuff will take one hell of an edge.I think it even takes a keener and sharper edge than CPM M4.
Tony Bose uses quite a bit of 440V. Mostly single and double bladed slip joints. My understanding from Tony is that it doesn't crink well, at least not enough to use in the 3 to 5 blade patterns.
I was lucky enough to visit Melvin Dunn's shop in Rossville, KS in the early 90's, while buying a small stag skinner. He was a genius with D2 SS tool steel about the same time that Bob Dozier mastered it. I was amazed that Melvin seemed more proud of his sewing machine for making leather sheaths than he was of his blade making. Steve Green runs that shop now and crafts their knives with the S60V.