Magnacut vs. other steel (split from Spyderco fanboy)

[Up1911Fan]

Magnacut really is all it’s hyped up to be. I’ll be getting the Para 3 lightweight magnacut myself.


I will be getting the Para 2 magnacut.

What's so great about Magnacut? Genuine question, I don't know much about steel's.

[Leroy Suggs]

Very good edge retention, good toughness,sharpens good, and it's stainless.

[Navin Johnson]

Magnacut really is all it’s hyped up to be. I’ll be getting the Para 3 lightweight magnacut myself.

What is it hyped up to be?

Seems like it would be good for a smaller general use fixed blade.

[Super77]

What is it hyped up to be?

Seems like it would be good for a smaller general use fixed blade.

Basically the performance of a high end tool steel, but it’s stainless. In use, it’s very stainless. It has great toughness and wear resistance. It doesn’t seem to chip and I have yet to see a spec of rust despite general kitchen abuse.

[Navin Johnson]

Magnacut (depending on the hardness) has S30V class edge retention and M390 class corrosion resistance. With very good toughness for a powder steel. And appears to machine easier than S30 class steels. in my book this would make it a good general use steel if corrosion resistance is high on the list of requirements. (Commonly called balanced)

If Spyderco comes out with an Enuf in this steel I may try it.

I much prefer the characteristics K390 (toughness, and edge retention) And I have acidic sweat and live in a high rainfall area, and the only way I’ve been able to get K390 to spot (or patina) is by putting corrosives on the blade and intentionally let them sit there. (obviously not an ideal steel for kitchen use unless you hand wash your blades)

Been around long enough to not let my skirt get blown up by the next new thing.

[blues]

K390 exceeds the edge retention of MagnaCut, but not in toughness nor stainlessness.



https://knifesteelnerds.com/2021/10/19/knife-steels-rated-by-a-metallurgist-toughness-edge-retention-and-corrosion-resistance/

[Navin Johnson]

Thanks for finding that. Larrin is so full of himself and his blog is just a sales pitch. It’s hard to find anything that would disparage his love child. I’m still a bit skeptical, as it is a very new steel. And hardness is pretty critical to its outcome.

For me personally, I would take the edge retention of K390 way over a bit more toughness, or stainless as I’ve never had a problem with those two things

None of these steels at their hardness are truly tough

[blues]

Thanks for finding that. Larrin is so full of himself and his blog is just a sales pitch. It’s hard to find anything that would disparage his love child. I’m still a bit skeptical, as it is a very new steel. And hardness is pretty critical to its outcome.

For me personally, I would take the edge retention of K390 way over a bit more toughness, or stainless as I’ve never had a problem with those two things

None of these steels at their hardness are truly tough


I don't think Larrin is the one that's so full of himself.


He's been extremely helpful to all those who reach out to him, in my experience. And hasn't asked them to buy his book or sign up for his Patreon account in so doing.

So, we'll just agree to disagree. No need to reply.

[theJanitor]

I'm still stuck on CPM154. ;)

[blues]

I'm still stuck on CPM154. ;)


I'm a Luddite in most other respects. ;)

[theJanitor]

my sharpening skills suck, so 154 at least allows me to cut through butter without warming the blade

[RealSelf]

Thanks for finding that. Larrin is so full of himself and his blog is just a sales pitch. It’s hard to find anything that would disparage his love child. I’m still a bit skeptical, as it is a very new steel. And hardness is pretty critical to its outcome.

For me personally, I would take the edge retention of K390 way over a bit more toughness, or stainless as I’ve never had a problem with those two things

None of these steels at their hardness are truly tough

Larrin has indeed made quite the pitch but it's subtle as to many it just appears to be raw data. What he has in fact done is create a model of performance which can be very misleading as the tests he uses have to be interpreted correctly. There has also been zero attempt to actually use real world testing to validate his testing methods. As it stands currently, his 'science' would not even be accept at the high school level because the model has not even been attempted to prove correlation to reality. I have challenged this view publicly and you wouldn't believe the amount of people that grab the torches and pitchforks to defend Larrin.

He maintains that he has not created a model and the tests are just the tests. The problem is that he draws conclusions based on these tests of what makes a 'better' steel and at that point he's using it as a model.

Despite this, anybody and seemingly everybody, has taken his test and held them out to be the de facto proof that some steels are superior to others. Magnacut being one of those steels that he praises highly as an all-around balanced steel. The fact is, depending on how you use a knife and the geometry you are using on the knife, you could end up with a very poorly suited steel if you go by his charts and data. I personally choose steels counter to everything he praises in general and steels such as AEB-L or other simple steels tend to be ideal in my use. I prefer acute edge geometry and these higher carbide volume steels do poorly at these geometries.

You are absolutely correct about the commonly praised steels (powder metal, higher carbide) NOT actually being tough at all, this is the case at a very small cross section like the apex of a knife. They do APPEAR quite tough when looked at and tested only in heavier cross sections. In short, if you like edges over 15 DPS and do not see impacts AND do not sharpen until the knife is so dull that it barely passes as a cutting tool then you may find those types of steels preferable. Myself personally, their attributes tend to work against everything I value in a cutting tool. Ease of grinding, resistance to damage in thin cross sections, etc.

[blues]

If you don't like MagnaCut, there's always 3V, AEBL, Cru-Wear, M4, K390. Or even CPM-154 which I know for a fact has performed well in the field for many avid outdoorsmen and hunters.

On the other hand, I also like 52100 quite a bit.

If you know how you will use a knife, it's not all that difficult to find a steel that will satisfy...assuming it has been heat treated properly. But you need to know what you want and what the trade-offs are.

There's a lot of factors that have to be taken on faith unless you're building them yourself.

Probably shouldn't turn this thread about Spyderco Fanboys into a lynch mob against Larrin. Fact is, Sal Glesser of Spyderco, as well as several other top manufacturing concerns turn to him for information and put it to use. The reports, good and bad about the knives are widely available.

[RealSelf]

Probably shouldn't turn this thread about Spyderco Fanboys into a lynch mob against Larrin. Fact is, Sal Glesser of Spyderco, as well as several other top manufacturing concerns turn to him for information and put it to use. The reports, good and bad about the knives are widely available.

It's certainly not my intention to flame Larrin but the point is that he wields a very large influence on the knife world and I believe has led many astray intentionally or not. Spyderco is a great company but they certainly don't have everything figured out and they are chasing the dragon on steels, IMO. Simple steels have worked well for 100's of years and chasing the perfect steel seems to be what most knife 'people' have become.

I don't doubt Magna-cut makes a decent or better knife but the matter is more to do with how it's promoted as though it's up there with the second coming of Christ. The fact is, geometry and cross section make far more of a different than almost any other factor of knife performance. Larrin agrees with this reality when it comes to performance, yet tirelessly argues steel characterstics so everyone is hung up on that fact alone it seems.

[Clusterfrack]

I appreciate a materials science approach to knife steel and blade design, partially because I've worked in that field but mostly because I strongly prefer blades that maximize toughness and edge retention. I'm willing to put up with a little corrosion and work harder to sharpen. What I really hate is chipping a blade, or ruining the tip by dropping the knife.

I was about to try a Cruwear blade, but Magnacut looks superior in every way.

[theJanitor]

Simple steels have worked well for 100's of years and chasing the perfect steel seems to be what most knife 'people' have become.



Not directed at you RealSelf, but your quote is relevant.

I've got no dog in this fight, but I'd like to point out that "chasing the dragon" is what people do. Let's just look into our own little sphere when it comes to pistols, optics, emitters, calibers, lumens, etc. As a manufacturer, it would be foolish to NOT offer what people are looking for, and it's equally foolish to not chase the dragon on the customers' behalf, as well. It does turn into a vicious cycle, but as long as we see it for what it is, it's all good. A fool and his money, and all that....

I think there's another point that most people tend to forget, and it's that unless you commission a knife from a knifemaker, you're not getting a piece made for you. You're getting a piece for the collective community. There is rarely a knife that's "perfect" for even a few people, much less the whole group. So pick what works for you and leave the others to "chase the dragon" or buy performance (seems like a recurring theme on PF:cool: )

[blues]

I appreciate a materials science approach to knife steel and blade design, partially because I've worked in that field but mostly because I strongly prefer blades that maximize toughness and edge retention. I'm willing to put up with a little corrosion and work harder to sharpen. What I really hate is chipping a blade, or ruining the tip by dropping the knife.

I was about to try a Cruwear blade, but Magnacut looks superior in every way.

I think you'll find that the Cru-Wear is a bit tougher, edge holding is mostly a push, and of course the MagnaCut being superior in regard to stain resistance. Cru-Wear takes a screaming edge, and Magna-Cut is close in that regard. Neither tough to sharpen imho.

Some makers have had issues with the "finish" on MagnaCut. Nate Carothers of Carothers Performance Knives and Josh from REK Knives come to mind there.

I love both steels. Cru-Wear took over for me from D2, which I have quite a few blades made from.

Years ago, Master Smith P.J. Tomes told me that the closest stainless to his forged and cryo'd 52100 was 12c27. I haven't spoken to him in a while...not sure where AEBL would fall on his list.

It's a fascinating field. I took classes at NYU in Materials Science when I was in junior high...and enjoyed it very much. Now I just love watching the continuum of "advances" with tweaks to various steels, both their chemistry and heat treat.

[Clusterfrack]

I think you'll find that the Cru-Wear is a bit tougher, edge holding is mostly a push, and of course the MagnaCut being superior in regard to stain resistance. Cru-Wear takes a screaming edge, and Magna-Cut is close in that regard. Neither tough to sharpen imho.

Some makers have had issues with the "finish" on MagnaCut. Nate Carothers of Carothers Performance Knives and Josh from REK Knives come to mind there.

I love both steels. Cru-Wear took over for me from D2, which I have quite a few blades made from.

Years ago, Master Smith P.J. Tomes told me that the closest stainless to his forged and cryo'd 52100 was 12c27. I haven't spoken to him in a while...not sure where AEBL would fall on his list.

It's a fascinating field. I took classes at NYU in Materials Science when I was in junior high...and enjoyed it very much. Now I just love watching the continuum of "advances" with tweaks to various steels, both their chemistry and heat treat.

The comparison from BladeHQ's steel page (https://www.bladehq.com/blog/comparing-steels/) shows Magnacut slightly tougher than Cruwear:

113228

[blues]

FWIW, Blade HQ's charts over the years have been called into question...though personally I've found them useful in the past as rough synopses of a steel's characteristics.

YMMV, of course. Just reporting what I've encountered in that regard.

[RealSelf]

I think you'll find that the Cru-Wear is a bit tougher, edge holding is mostly a push, and of course the MagnaCut being superior in regard to stain resistance. Cru-Wear takes a screaming edge, and Magna-Cut is close in that regard. Neither tough to sharpen imho.

Some makers have had issues with the "finish" on MagnaCut. Nate Carothers of Carothers Performance Knives and Josh from REK Knives come to mind there.

I love both steels. Cru-Wear took over for me from D2, which I have quite a few blades made from.

Years ago, Master Smith P.J. Tomes told me that the closest stainless to his forged and cryo'd 52100 was 12c27. I haven't spoken to him in a while...not sure where AEBL would fall on his list.

It's a fascinating field. I took classes at NYU in Materials Science when I was in junior high...and enjoyed it very much. Now I just love watching the continuum of "advances" with tweaks to various steels, both their chemistry and heat treat.

What do you mean 'issues with the finish'? As in, it is very low grindability so time-consuming and expensive to finish? If so, that is one of the things Larrin has said was supposed to separate Magnacut from other Vanadium carbide steels. I've always been skeptical of this so it wouldn't surprise me.

[blues]

What do you mean 'issues with the finish'? As in, it is very low grindability so time-consuming and expensive to finish? If so, that is one of the things Larrin has said was supposed to separate Magnacut from other Vanadium carbide steels. I've always been skeptical of this so it wouldn't surprise me.

I'm reluctant to speak for them from memory, so I'd do a search at bladeforums for their comments. I know that Josh had posted a question to Nate after some issues that he, (Nate), had with a batch of MagnaCut which resulted in the knives not being up to his standard. As I recall, it wasn't a matter of performance, but cosmetic...at least for the most part. The matter went up the chain to both Peters on the heat treat end, and Niagra on the steel itself.

There was some resolution, which I cannot discuss...but whatever was for public consumption might be found on the forums.

[Navin Johnson]

One must understand when comparing whatever between steels heat treat and geometry (grind) play a far bigger role than material. The vast majority of users in real world use likely couldn’t tell the difference between most of today’s “premium steels”. And with proper sharpening equipment, wouldn’t notice much difference in sharpening. (as a side note, I find the harder steels easier to sharpen as they tend to roll/burr less). Much like caliber or horsepower I think it’s mostly psychological. In controlled testing with controlled materials is where one steel will stand out over another.

The use of the tool is also fairly critical in deciding blade material. The fix blade has far different requirements than a folder. If you want to carry an extremely heavy folder on the premise, it might actually do fixed blade type work knock yourself out however a $15 Mora can do far more than almost any folder made of reasonable size.

There is no best steel in today’s world. There is only what works best for what you’re going to do with it. A utility knife can do, and is better for the vast majority of general cutting tasks that people do on a daily basis.

Also, to reiterate, none of the common premium steels are tough and other than H series almost none are dishwasher stainless.

[WDR]

I'm not knife steel snob, and I see the obsession with the various qualities, types, grades, hardness, etc as important to the designers, who should know what the end users are going to use the knife for. It's less important to me on the user side... as long as the knife works for my tasks.

For quite a few years I was really happy with a second hand Browing branded fixed blade hunting knife. It had a good shape for cleaning and skinning big game, sharpened easy enough in the field if needed, and I put it to good use for a long time. I got curious one day, hoping to find a replacement sheath, since I wore out the original, and while poking around I discovered it was a very basic 440C stainless steel. Point is... it wasn't fancy steel, but it worked very well. I stopped carrying it because it was heavy, with aluminum scales, then the rubberized coating on them started getting gummy/tacky.

I've been using Moras and Havalon knives that take the #60 scalpel baldes for easy cleaning, light weight, and being able to swap to a screaming sharp blade in a few seconds (on the Havalon).

[foxsimple]

The steel was developed by Dr. Larrin. He has a podcast where he explains the development. But the short version is he looked at previous powdered steel mixes and it looked like there was room for improvement. It took him quite a while to get crucible to agree to make it and even then there was a lot of concern that the real world steel wouldn’t match the simulations he had run.

The steel came out even better in performance than he had predicted. S30V, S35V, and S45V are all common premium steels that were incremental improvements on each other. Magnacut took what was good about the s30 series and improved it in almost every category. In particular the steel is nearly corrosion proof, at least to what is possible with stainless steels.

Other speciality steels can be higher in a single category, higher toughness, higher edge retention, or higher corrosion resistance (barely). But no other steel has a combination that is as high as magnacut in all three.

Will you see a huge difference in real world performance vs a different premium steel? Probably not. But it is very cool to have what appears to be about the pinnacle of all around performance in a stainless steel. Steel is obviously one of humans great inventions and it’s taken thousands of years to get to this point.

As a side note. S30v was developed in conjunction with Chris Reeve of Chris Reeve knives. They have switched all of their production over to magnacut.

[blues]

I'm not knife steel snob, and I see the obsession with the various qualities, types, grades, hardness, etc as important to the designers, who should know what the end users are going to use the knife for. It's less important to me on the user side... as long as the knife works for my tasks.

For quite a few years I was really happy with a second hand Browing branded fixed blade hunting knife. It had a good shape for cleaning and skinning big game, sharpened easy enough in the field if needed, and I put it to good use for a long time. I got curious one day, hoping to find a replacement sheath, since I wore out the original, and while poking around I discovered it was a very basic 440C stainless steel. Point is... it wasn't fancy steel, but it worked very well. I stopped carrying it because it was heavy, with aluminum scales, then the rubberized coating on them started getting gummy/tacky.

I've been using Moras and Havalon knives that take the #60 scalpel baldes for easy cleaning, light weight, and being able to swap to a screaming sharp blade in a few seconds (on the Havalon).

The late Harold "Kit" Carson was a dear friend of mine and always stood up, in the 90's, for 440C which by then was being passed over for "younger, prettier girls". That said, when he built my first custom knife for me, he used what was then called CPM 420V...now known as S90V. So while he was content to continue with D2, 440C, and the occasional carbon steel, he was interested in the various qualities of newer steels and their nuances.

I love Mora blades and have a bunch of them all around the house. All of 'em in carbon steel. I "might" have one or two in stainless. Nothing not to like about them in my opinion. I also have a bunch of custom knives from 52100...and not just because Ed Fowler kept it popular.

It's all good. I sent a bunch of my knives home with Jerry Halfrich to Texas after he visited us, and had him test out a bunch of steels which he liked to do. He loved the performance of 52100 due to its fine grain structure. It was a custom knife made by Rick Dunkerley which I picked up second hand years ago.

There's a whole lot of great knives by makers who know how to get the most out of a steel, heat treat and edge geometry. And there's a whole bunch of stinkers too...from folks who don't. Knives don't have to be expensive to be terrific.

[TOTS]

blues ‘s boy batoning through steel chains with his 3V!!! He seems to have found the heat treatment he likes for Magnacut too!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rY8IFivjcGA

[blues]

blues ‘s boy batoning through steel chains with his 3V!!! He seems to have found the heat treatment he likes for Magnacut too!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rY8IFivjcGA

Well, I will admit that Nathan and I are friends and chat on the phone or via text, (though I've not met him in person), I think he may draw the line at being called my boy. LOL.

That notwithstanding, he has had issues, as I mentioned, with the cosmetic finishing of MagnaCut. Don't think it was the performance, but as I recall, some superficial pitting on a pattern that was very thin to begin with and didn't allow enough "meat" to surface grind away...at least not to his satisfaction and what he demands from the work he offers for sale.

More about it on his sub-forum. I am not in a position to act as his spokesperson as he has forgotten more today than the total extent of my knowledge on the subject.

[TOTS]

Well, I will admit that Nathan and I are friends and chat on the phone or via text, (though I've not met him in person), I think he may draw the line at being called my boy. LOL.

That notwithstanding, he has had issues, as I mentioned, with the cosmetic finishing of MagnaCut. Don't think it was the performance, but as I recall, some superficial pitting on a pattern that was very thin to begin with and didn't allow enough "meat" to surface grind away...at least not to his satisfaction and what he demands from the work he offers for sale.

More about it on his sub-forum. I am not in a position to act as his spokesperson as he has forgotten more today than the total extent of my knowledge on the subject.
Just internet frippery!!

Regardless, I was impressed in that, while most companies tell you not to baton with a knife, he’s over there chopping through bolts and chains. Impressed.

[RealSelf]

Regardless, I was impressed in that, while most companies tell you not to baton with a knife, he’s over there chopping through bolts and chains. Impressed.

It's mostly geometry, which unfortunately makes his 'knives' nowhere near what I'd call a knife personally. They are closer to being a chisel in many ways at the geometry they run at over 15 degrees per side and a meaty thickness behind that edge. A lot of people are impressed and it's understandable but the real question is what are they designed to do? Are they designed to be efficient working tools? I guess you could say that if you're going to chop and baton very hard stuff.

If you're going to do more normal 'knife stuff' then it's grossly overbuilt and the penalty is it's going to suffer many downsides to a more efficient tool. It will be harder to sharpen for the average user, require more in the way of sharpening tools, be harder to repair when it does take damage (in general, being thicker combined with a very hard carbide matrix in the steel). It's also going to have far generally less cutting ability (ie. more force required to cut) and lower edge retention of the higher edge angle.

As a tactical knife this may not matter and the steel (3V) he often prefers may be just fine if you're knowledgeable enough to handle those challenges. Otherwise, something like 1095 from ESEE is going to be far preferable for most people and WAY more inexpensive to purchase. The argument against 1095 is so tired, why would I want a knife made of lawnmower blade steel? Well, once you understand the rough life those things suffer being beat on and not breaking then you see it's well suited.

[blues]

I'm going to bow out here so that it doesn't appear I have a dog in this fight or need to defend CPK, or any knife maker for that matter, as I have many friends across the industry both here and internationally.

I don't know how many CPKs you own, or have handled, but your dismissal of them doesn't have the ring of truth to it in my experience nor that of many other experienced knife users. (I've only been carrying knives since 1957 or so.)

None of the CPKs which I own are "chisel-like" in performance , especially not the DEK 3 which is ground very thin for excellent slicing performance, while still retaining durability. (I will agree that many of the patterns are (purposely) overbuilt while retaining excellent ability for the field use they were designed for.)

(By the way, Jeff Randall is a friend of mine of many years, and we've spent many hours together both in FL when he visited, as well as at the Blade Show over the years. I own several of his blades, so I can back up what I say.)

That's all I got.

[RealSelf]

I'm going to bow out here so that it doesn't appear I have a dog in this fight or need to defend CPK, or any knife maker for that matter, as I have many friends across the industry both here and internationally.

I don't know how many CPKs you own, or have handled, but your dismissal of them doesn't have the ring of truth to it in my experience nor that of many other experienced knife users. (I've only been carrying knives since 1957 or so.)

None of the CPKs which I own are "chisel-like" in performance , especially not the DEK 3 which is ground very thin for excellent slicing performance, while still retaining durability. (I will agree that many of the patterns are (purposely) overbuilt while retaining excellent ability for the field use they were designed for.)

(By the way, Jeff Randall is a friend of mine of many years, and we've spent many hours together both in FL when he visited, as well as at the Blade Show over the years. I own several of his blades, so I can back up what I say.)

That's all I got.

You see I'm not just singling out CPK as having heavy geometry, this is almost the entire industry that grinds this way as it limits warranty returns and pictures on the internet of big blown out primary grind chips. The problem is, if you do a lot of cutting and begin looking at lower edge angles performance in a way that allows you to see what actually happens then it's clear that real performance sort of begins below 15 DPS. The DEK 3 you describe may have thinner geometry BEHIND the edge but I wouldn't and do not even grind double bit felling axes at 18 DPS. I did one for a client (I do high end sharpening work) that weighed 4 lbs., nice vintage Swedish forged double bit and it came in below 14 DPS at the most obtuse portion at just behind the apex which was a microbevel at just over 15 DPS. The owner has told me that it's held up beautifully in chopping.

The difference is obviously the axe will be allowed to thicken much more behind that 14 DPS bevel but the point remains that is all that's needed to support very heavy impacts on wood under great mass and leverage advantage. Again, if you intend to cut metal and other very hard objects then 18 DPS is fine and warranted but how many people use knives for this? There is a cold chisel for a reason, it cuts very hard materials under the mass and leverage advantage of a mallet If you do this a lot then you want a cold chisel, not a knife. In actual use even an edge bevel that is 10 DPS w/ 15 DPS micro-bevel will be quite difficult to damage as in requiring coming in contact with inclusions (staples, nails etc) in cardboard or wood and even then it is very minor damage that is just visible. Repair is swift and more importantly cutting performance is fantastic.

Again, CPK just happens to be one example of this common practice. Years ago Buck Knives came out with what they called the 2x edge, meaning it would give twice the performance and edge retention compared to a 'standard' knife edge. The only difference was this edge was ground much more acutely (around 12.5 DPS, similar to Mora grind angle). Makers have to overbuild knives because they don't know how much of an idjit the user will be, if you understand how to cut things in a smart way and how to optimize your knives then you can actually end up with an efficient cutting tool and not a 'knife-like object'.

[Leroy Suggs]

RealSelf You need to start your own thread about knife grinding and sharpening .
This thread is to compare Magnacut to other steels. Not about how shitty all knife makers (except you) grind and sharpen their knives.

So guys let us talk about Magnacut vs other steels please.

[Clusterfrack]

RealSelf You need to start your own thread about knife grinding and sharpening .
This thread is to compare Magnacut to other steels. Not about how shitty all knife makers (except you) grind and sharpen their knives.

So guys let us talk about Magnacut vs other steels please.

This sounds like a great idea. I'd like to know more about knife grinds.

[Up1911Fan]

Is S45VN less "chippy" than S30V?

[Blades]

I may need to try Magnacut. My favorite steels are M4(regular and CPM) and CruWear. If Magnacut can hold an edge like them and I can still sharpen it with my little pocket Spyderco sharpening stones then I'm interested.
When I start pontificating about knives, I advise people to buy a knife they can sharpen-- if it's going to be a user. If it's going to sit and do nothing then buy whatever you like. I want to be able to use my knife, and be able to sharpen it easily.
So, please tell me more about Magnacut. :)

[blues]

I may need to try Magnacut. My favorite steels are M4(regular and CPM) and CruWear. If Magnacut can hold an edge like them and I can still sharpen it with my little pocket Spyderco sharpening stones then I'm interested.
When I start pontificating about knives, I advise people to buy a knife they can sharpen-- if it's going to be a user. If it's going to sit and do nothing then buy whatever you like. I want to be able to use my knife, and be able to sharpen it easily.
So, please tell me more about Magnacut. :)

MagnaCut is not difficult to sharpen and like Cru-Wear takes and holds a very fine edge. The idea was to create a "stainless" steel with characteristics similar to Cru-Wear and M4. I think it roughly splits the difference in toughness and edge retention. With Cru-Wear tougher, and M4 more wear resistant.

I think you'll be pleased. Most seem to feel a hardness of 63-64 is pretty much spot on for MagnaCut but not everyone publishes their data.

I've used a Sharpmaker with mine...with good results. Also 1 micron diamond spray on basswood.

[Blades]

MagnaCut is not difficult to sharpen and like Cru-Wear takes and holds a very fine edge. The idea was to create a "stainless" steel with characteristics similar to Cru-Wear and M4. I think it roughly splits the difference in toughness and edge retention. With Cru-Wear tougher, and M4 more wear resistant.

I think you'll be pleased. Most seem to feel a hardness of 63-64 is pretty much spot on for MagnaCut but not everyone publishes their data.

I've used a Sharpmaker with mine...with good results. Also 1 micron diamond spray on basswood.

Thank you Blues.
Tell me more about the diamond spray on basswood? Why that instead of a fine diamond rod?
I use my ultrafine Spyderco bench stone for final sharpening but it's too big for my edc bag.

[blues]

Thank you Blues.
Tell me more about the diamond spray on basswood? Why that instead of a fine diamond rod?
I use my ultrafine Spyderco bench stone for final sharpening but it's too big for my edc bag.

It's not either-or...it's more just what I'm in the mood to use.

I don't think stropping is necessary, for a long time I would only strop on my jeans. But the 1 micron diamond on basswood gives a nice finish...with a little bit of bite. It's quick too.

I also have the ultra fine rods and very fine diamond hones...but I usually only use the brown rods or bench hones from the Spyderco set these days.

Just depends on the day or the mood. The sharpening gear is as addictive as the knives.

I have a friend on bladeforums who goes by northwest knife guy that I get the strops and diamond spray from.

[Up1911Fan]

How does Maxamet compare with Magnacut or Cruwear?

[joshs]

How does Maxamet compare with Magnacut or Cruwear?

Completely different application. Maxamet is a high edge retention steel while sacrificing toughness and stain resistance. Magnacut (and to a lesser extent Cruwear) are more balanced steels (good toughness, edge retention, and stain resistance). Although Cruwear isn't all that stain resistant and Magnacut is the most stain resistant steel I've used other than steels specifically made for that purpose like H1 and LC200N.

ETA: I'd recommend looking at the steel rankings here for a good idea of how each steel will perform. https://knifesteelnerds.com/

Keep in mind that actual performance is more effected by edge geometry than what steel is used. And, edge geometry is generally a direct trade off between cutting performance (including edge retention) and toughness. Heat treat is also a major factor as higher hardness improves edge retention and helps resist edge deformation (toughness).

[Up1911Fan]

Have a Large Sebenza in Magnacut coming this week.

[Savage Hands]

Here’s my Magnacut beauty from Ban Tang!
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?60138-Ban-Tang-Crazy-J-in-Magnacut

[Exiledviking]

Have a Large Sebenza in Magnacut coming this week.

Nice! I'm hoping to pick up a Magnacut Umnumzaan sometime.

[blues]

Nice! I'm hoping to pick up a Magnacut Umnumzaan sometime.

Don't do it!!!

116817

[Up1911Fan]

Don't do it!!!

116817

I want one of those DP Zaan's bad! Hard to find in stock anywhere.

[Up1911Fan]

116844

[TOTS]

Beautiful. Im in the position where nothing scratches the visual itch of wanting a Sebenza but I can’t bring myself to drop the coin on one. And I wouldn’t use it enough to justify buying one because of the price. Downwards spiral.

[farscott]

This thread cost me some money. I have a large Sebenza with the Magnacut drop point blade coming at the end of the week and just got a new-to-me Umnumzaan with the S35VN tanto blade. One will complement my NICA Small Sebenza tanto which has been carried and used daily for more than two decades. CRK folders meet my needs.

[TOTS]

This thread cost me some money. I have a large Sebenza with the Magnacut drop point blade coming at the end of the week and just got a new-to-me Umnumzaan with the S35VN tanto blade. One will complement my NICA Small Sebenza tanto which has been carried and used daily for more than two decades. CRK folders meet my needs.
All I want is a plain large Sebenza, I kinda even prefer the older one in the 30V. How’s the best way to get into one? Im not a member of any blade forums.

[Duelist]

All I want is a plain large Sebenza, I kinda even prefer the older one in the 30V. How’s the best way to get into one? Im not a member of any blade forums.

Get out your credit card and order one? https://www.knifecenter.com/find-the-best/Large%20sebenza

S45VN - they seem to be very expensive.

[TOTS]

Get out your credit card and order one? https://www.knifecenter.com/find-the-best/Large%20sebenza

S45VN - they seem to be very expensive.
Seen all them; only interested in the plain ones. Thanks though.

[Duelist]

Seen all them; only interested in the plain ones. Thanks though.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/226073532831?itmmeta=01HTNXN0PV7E3JH7FDKDA78527&hash=item34a308599f:g:H1cAAOSwWbtmC8fX&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4D0jRbZ9Gmu1ihZroVHKpC7nRfo7O sCqTiVrovk2zRnpFgvQwEGyM3wPVjzroxIttJ7oCTaHPGFSKNV G8XiLVJ7wYhfytJpPL8hQumfSpqf587Ah%2FIrX3UfmtWvxZJw 3rzTwlBfg1JwjJf1oIZ9oUH%2BlNu6mIcptb6AnBw4o1UPZL75 dpohSqfx87NWmSlrHWrDunptWOL9I3qkWp5Na2SjR0x2K8AUEd JDeBo%2Fi3xfbfOwhn7yBV712NzxtqQVJ%2FseOYuQW--yUkZtYAjtH9vffNXVTQsU2ohOOBDt%2BNCJP%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR 8CL1L3VYw

Sounds like you’re stuck with evil bay or some other used knife source, like the classifieds on blade forums.