S35vn vs s90v. The Argali Carbon and either the Benchmade Hidden Canyon Hunter or Saddle Mountain Skinner are a few knives May 16, 2020 · I’m in the market for a new fixed blade. S90V, formerly known as CPM 420V, is a martensitic stainless steel that stands out for its high volume of vanadium carbides, contributing to exceptional wear resistance and edge retention. I have it narrowed down to an Argali Carbon or Serac, a Benchmade Saddle Mountain Skinner or Steep Country. Find out if it is good steel for your knife! Note that S35VN is a steel that is well-balanced, in the sense that it has similar scores in all four performance characteristics, ranging from 8 of 10 in edge retention to 5 of 10 in ease of sharpening. What say you?. S45VN CPM 20CV and S45VN are both designed for premium knife applications, but they focus on different aspects of steel performance. CPM S35VN is a hard, corrosion-resistant steel with superb toughness, edge retention, and relative ease of sharpening. On the other hand, S35VN is a modification of the popular S30V knife Jul 13, 2023 · CPM S35VN, while still a premium knife steel, is generally more affordable than CPM S90V. S90V is probably my favorite EDC steel. Dec 23, 2025 · The S90V vs. It's not super common, used mostly by Benchmade. However, despite their shared pedigree, these two steels offer May 7, 2024 · S90V and S35VN are two premium blade steels developed by Crucible Industries, a leading manufacturer of particle metallurgy (CPM) steels. Oct 9, 2022 · CPM S35VN vs S90V S35VN is innovative steel that beats S90V in corrosion resistance, ease of sharpening and toughness level by having a better chemical composition. S45VN, an evolution of S35VN, offers improved wear resistance, edge retention, and corrosion resistance, with a particular emphasis on enhancing toughness and polishability. Feb 17, 2026 · Check out our essential guide to knife steel as we discuss the most popular steels and the key factors to consider in choosing the best steel for your knife. Dec 6, 2025 · M390 vs S90V – Which is better for edge retention? S90V has better edge retention due to its massive vanadium content (~9%), but: S90V is harder to sharpen M390 is more corrosion-resistant M390 is easier to finish and polish M390 vs MagnaCut – Which should I choose? MagnaCut is newer and more versatile. This complete guide covers all the important aspects of S30V steel. S45VN leads in edge retention (580), followed by S30V (254) and S35VN (190). S35VN is tougher than both (really closer to a 6). I have noted these steels in bold type in all lists. It's a great choice for a small- to medium-sized pocket knife. Aug 13, 2025 · CPM S35VN excels in delivering excellent edge retention, wear resistance, remarkable toughness, and good corrosion resistance. For outdoors 3V or in this case S35VN is my favorite. Balanced versus unbalanced steels Apr 29, 2016 · Is S35VN steel becoming the new favorite in hunting knives? Say in comparison to S30V or S90V? Currently in the market for a good fixed blade knife (~$200) to carry on backcountry hunts. Both steels are produced using Crucible’s CPM (Crucible Particle Metallurgy) process, which ensures a fine, homogenous microstructure with excellent properties. If you want a knife that is for slicing tasks, you will want S90V. Made by Crucible Industries in the USA. Note that some tests show similar edge retention between the 3, close to ELMAX. Nov 18, 2024 · When it comes to high-performance knife steels, S90V and S35VN are two of the most popular choices among knife enthusiasts, hunters, and outdoor professionals. Nov 30, 2024 · S90V and S35VN are two premium blade steels developed by Crucible Industries, a leading manufacturer of particle metallurgy (CPM) steels. Aug 29, 2022 · CPM-S90V Steel About CPM-S90V Steel This premium alloy gets high marks in edge retention and corrosion resistance but is more brittle than its contemporaries. It's basically perfect. Conclusion Both CPM S35VN and CPM S90V are exceptional blade steels, each with their respective strengths and weaknesses. S45VN is more corrosion resistant than both (really a 7). S90V, when compared to S35VN, has better wear resistance and edge retention but worse corrosion resistance and toughness. Dec 27, 2025 · CPM 20CV vs. S35VN debate is a classic study in engineering priorities. Oct 19, 2021 · Hardness vs Rating For the steels that I rated I give them a single rating rather than a range based on different heat treatments that can be performed. A total of eight steels showed similar performance balance. If you’re a knife user or a knife maker, you probably heard about the CPM Steel from Crucible and the S family (S110V, S90V, S30V and S35V), one of their famous steel is the CPM S35VN Steel, and again it got my intention, and I decided to make a CPM S35VN Steel Review. In general, steels “look” worse as you go up in hardness because the toughness is reduced by more than the edge retention is increased. Jun 8, 2020 · CPM-S30V/S35VN/S45VN - 7|5|6|5 - 341 TRC. With these properties, it is good knife steel and a recommended choice for any knife maker. S90V is the uncompromising specialist, a steel that reaches for the pinnacle of one property—edge retention—and accepts significant trade-offs in toughness and ease of maintenance to get there. nhn xgp uwczui yfcxh ahiy dcyfh cwfbkdb wgmuwetkg mtnrir dybfjd