Sorry Erica, but can't agree with you. They are both for advanced user! Average user will be pissed off with patina and rust very fast and will prefer a s30v/s45v or even cheap 8cr13mov. I love my k390 seki Spytdecos, but they are not something I would recommend to an average user :) Apart from that - cool comparison! :)
The problem of chipping or damaging the tip is that the deepest part of the chip or the damage has to become the tip top of the new edge. Therefore, so much material needs to be removed from the blade. It's like after someone/something dug a hole in your back yard, you try to level the ground by removing a whole lot of dirt from the entire backyard, so that the entire backyard is level with the bottom of the hole.
I saw a video the other day with Dr.Larrin Thomas ( inventor of Magnacut ) : “EDGE GEOMETRY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN STEEL AND MORE IMPORTANT THAN HEAT TREATING.” That threw me a curve ball; knives are getting more intriguing the deeper I get into this hobby…!!
You should check out his discussion of CATRA score prediction! You can see the contribution of edge angle and everything else 🙂 Also Cliff Stamp (RIP) had some videos around the concept of "how much do you have to lay back your bevels on VG10 to match the performance of S30V?" and I think that's a cool concept, especially once you start comparing edge stability between steel-angle pairings.
More important is true but not the absolute. Obviously if I give you two knives with identical grinds one in maxamet and one in 1095, you're going to lose the ability to cut on the lesser steel sooner
I prefer K390. Maxamet is great but the price to performance ratio goes to K390. I don’t mind sharpening so I do carry a lot of low carbide steels but I usually always have 2 knives on me and K390 and Rex45 are what gets most carry time when it comes to high end steels.
K390 is a great steel. Around 9% vanadium. Maxamet has high tungsten. From what I’ve read k390 is ran around 65 hrc, and maxamet up too 69+. I’m no expert but an enthusiast and user. Great video E ✌🏼
Erica 101, thanks for schooling us. I learned a lot in about 14 minutes. Thank you kindly for passing on your knowledge. Easy to pick up and learn from you. I think both steals are awesome in their own way. Can't wait for your next video. As Van Halen said... Hot for teacher! Have a wonderful evening.
My daughter chipped the hell out of my Mannix 2 in S110v steel opening her tin piggbank. I reprofiled and resharpened it on a Spyderco ceramic rod system without the diamond rods. The information I had said it couldn't be done, but I did it perfectly well. The ceramic rods survived no problem. Patience is a virtue. That being said I now have diamond stones and it is far easier.
Great comparison. Thank you! I have a Para3 for n Maxamet which I love. I like sharpening it on a DMT stone although it doesn’t need very often. You are always making me want a K390 blade but I just haven’t found the right one when I can also afford a new knife! Another complication may be that I have been trying to find the ideal USA made Spyderco recently. I am trying out the UKPK in CTS BD1N currently. I wish I could try maybe a Native with backlock and interesting steel. Keep up the good work.
Very good information and well done. I just got my first K390 in a Stretch 2. Seems to be a pretty great steel. I also have Maxamet in a Native 5 LW and it is pretty great too. In my limited use though I am preferring 15V over both of these. I’d love to see a comparison video done with these 3 steels in the same platform like the PM2.
I just ordered an Endura in k390. It'll be my first go with this steel. Almost bought a PM2 in maxamet. The main reason I chose k390 is that I've been curious about it for a longer amount of time. After watching this video, I'm REALLY glad I chose k390. I consider myself to be very knowledgeable about knives and sharpening and always looked to those older than me for guidance. I've realized that I also need to look to those younger than me for insights I would never have thought of. Your channel is what I was looking for. Thank you.
Just subscribed to your channel. Really enjoy your knife knowledge. Purchased a para3 maxamet two weeks ago and can't get over the edge retention. I did strop it recently, and I can't believe how it positively took to it. I wouldn't have believed that that intervention was all that was needed to keep it clean-edged! Thanks for what you do to keep me energized and updated on all these knives! P.S. I'm def not a knife collector nor as knowledgeable in regards to metallurgy, but do have some nice pieces... all Spydercos, few Victornox, and leathermans. Best regards! Gig
I heard violins when my Para 3 Maxamet arrived today. It’s a great knife and I’m looking forward to using it in that steel. Sharp as the factory edge is, I’m inclined to see if a .5 micron strop will improve it. Hearing your experience helps.
This was a great comparison! Personally, I usually favor toughness and ease of sharpening over super edge retention, but that's just me. Between these two, I'd be more apt to carry a knife with the K390. Cheers, and have a great night, E!
I appreciate these videos. I am not familiar with these newer super steels. I still enjoy 440 and the older steels I grew up with, but I need to purchase a knife with a better steel to find out what all of the hype is about. Thanks for sharing. Live Long Prosper and Collect Your Own Way!
Love your sweater , i am using a little nameless clippoint mini blade at the moment from my multitool i have to sharpen it very often i think you could call it a gassstation mUltitool but it is really old and that is also part of the fun using it .
Excellent video. I have a stretch 2 in K390 and a Para 2 in Maxamet and love them both but my go to is the Para. A lot of my decision is honestly just the fact that I’m head over heel’s in love with the Para 2. I have one in Maxamet, a CruCarta and the Teal/S90V sprint run. A PM2 in 15V is my unicorn though. And as far as sharpening I’m spoiled I guess because I have an Edge Pro with diamond stones so pretty much any steel is fairly easy to sharpen.
@@ericasedc thank you. I’ve been slowly building my little Spyderco collection up. It’s nothing compared to a lot of peoples but it’s good for my budget I have to work with. I’m a huge fan of Spyderco too because they make incredible knives but also because they’re true knife guys and love to work with awesome steels that nobody else is using and they take the time and effort to get the heat treats right. I’ve seen so many tests where “other brands” will use a super high end steel and charge their super high end price and then do a garbage heat treat because they don’t care and they’re not truly knife people but just a greedy company trying to make max profits. Then you end up with stuff like Magnacut that performs about the same as S30V even though you paid Magnacut prices.
@@marzcapone9939 yeah their prices are pretty insane. I keep an eye on blade forums. I’ve seen a few for a really decent price but I didn’t have the spare money when I saw them because I had just bought something else. I’ll get one eventually. Plus I actually really like the standard brown G10 the 15V ones came with.
I really love spyderco... I wonder if the Patina diff could have to do with the machining aswell if maxamet is ground with a lower grit maybe. I picked up k390 off your reviews and love it so far. What angle you running them at?
I don't have any knives in Maxamet but I do have a Spyderco Stretch 2 in K390 and love the steel. It has great edge retention and a good level of toughness. In my use I don't like steels that are to low on toughness. Everybody uses a knife differently. For my use it's K390 and Cruwear. Also carbon steels in traditionals are good.
Hi Erica, I have been enjoying watching your videos for a while now.. Thank you..!! I got a question. What blade sharpening angle you prefer to put on Maxamet and why... Please let me know. Cheers..
Hi there great vid! Thank you for taking your time to give us this information, I actually use my knife collection in really heavy duty cutting application's. Do you know by chance which steels chips as apposed to chip? Also how tough each steels you test are? Thanks again!
Can you please give me your advise for 4 DIAMOND STONES that would fit on a KME or Pro workshop angle sharpener for MAXAMAT STEEL PLEASE. THANK YOU. GREAT VIDEO.
I like to learn from you so I want to be clear, when you get a new knife you are using the manufacturers edge first before sharpening yourself, correct? I know the crazy Australian Cedric on his great RU-vid channel just goes straight to putting his own edge on all of his own knives before testing. I'm trying to improve my sharpening skills and am afraid of ruining a perfectly good knife, but that said is it best to work through the given edge first or just put your own edge on it straight away?
Thanks for this very in-depth comparison between Maxamet and K390, I learned some things I didn't know about either steel. 👍Although I don't currently own a knife in either steel, yet, I do have a Spyderco Dragonfly 2 in zdp189 and I find it to be a wee bit of a bear to sharpen. I have to use diamond stones to sharpen it. Do own any knives in zdp189 and if so, how does it compare to Maxamet or K390? Anyway, I enjoyed this video very much. Take good care and Cheers!
Now for an even more aggravating question. Do you prefer the native 5 in spy27 or maxamet? Apples and oranges I know but you’ve reviewed both so am curious which I should get
I love my K390 Spydie. Soon to be SpydieS. I would be over the moon if Spyderco or their Seki partners figured out how to make a K390 core Damascus like their VG10 core Damascus.
@ericasedc I think my favorite is my sprint run m4 spydercos 🤔 but zdp189 endura is crazy tough. And lc200n is great 👍 👌 but I love my stretch 2 in k390. Next for me is m4 endura, k390 endela and another delica in m4 mint scales. 👌 😎 I want a Smock or yojimbo but got damn they expensive 😩 I'm glad I got my spy 27 manix. But shamen is pretty similar to manix and sage similar to native so I'll go smock or yojimbo for something new 🤔 😎 awesome video 🙌 just got my strop and green compound and that sharpened my tenacious to hair whittle 😆 I use a 400/600 diamond stone and a 2 strop system. First I strop on .1 diamond spray strop than my compound strop and imo works better than a 2 stone system and cheaper 🤷♂️
@ericasedc got a pm2 cruwear with purple g10 grips my gmas fave color 💜 R.I.P gma 🙌 and also I'm a ravens fan Baltimore to the core so this will be my favorite spydie 💯 💜 I may in the future get a Para 3 in maxamet. Or maybe a 15 v shamen if I can 🙌 🙌
@@diezelvh4133it’s definitely not low edge retention. it has similar edge retention to s30v/s45vn with MUCH more toughness and basically stain proof. it’s basically 4v but super stainless.
CpmCruwear has a good balance of properties as does magnacut. I chipped a para 3 maxamet taking a staple out of my pay stub 🫣 it sharpened out though 👍🏻
