Bohler M390 Blade Steel

Anybody on here have any experience with this stuff?

I'm gettin' ready to commission a folder.

I'm down to 3 choices for the blade steel.
M390, M690, and Elmax

I've had really good results with M690. I'm researching the other two.

This one is going to be a user so I need for it to hold up. I can put an edge on anything so hardness is not an issue.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Coach--

Check out the information and graphs on page 92 of the 2019 Benchmade catalogue.

https://www.benchmade.com/media/forms/2019_Benchmade_Catalog.pdf

Also, I think you have been reading the thread here about the heavy duty folding knife.

I think the Bohler M390 might be worth a try.

If I recall, Elmax is similar to 154. [I remember an exchange I had with Bob Loveless when he had first started using 154CM. He treated it like a trade secret--if he were alive today, he would have several "better" selections to be secretive about!]

Larry

Thanks Larry.

M390 is what I'm leaning toward now.

I just have not ever seen, used, or talked to anybody that has actually used it. Thus, my solicitory post.

For what I'm gonna use it for, M390 would seem the best choice.
(Super Stainless, Superb edge retention, not brittle).

A lot has been written about the comparison of different steels but no two people are going to use their knives "zackley" the same.

I wish Bob Loveless was still around. I'd love to get his take on it.

Thanks again!

Coach--

Now I am up in the air.

Thinking to send my Griptillian to have Benchmade change out the 154 blade to get the 20CV in it.

Now I see that Doug Ritter has a deal with Hogue to make the second generation of his Griptillian-similar knife with an M390 blade at Rockwell C of 61-62. Benchmade decided not to continue to work with him.

The second choice will cost about $125 more than the first choice, but apart from what promises to be a better performing steel, (1) it will help to support Doug so that he can keep doing the Knife Rights work, and currently Knife Works is running a pre-market discount at $153. I'll post the link here...although it is a promotional, it does not compete with RMKs or other vendors who support the Forum, so I hope I am not breaking any rules. https://www.knifeworks.com/knives/rskmk1g2.html

Larry

Larry:

The more I read about m390, the more interesting it gets.

On one knifemaker's forum, a guy said that it made an awesome mirror finish better than any other material and several other posters agreed.

On another, several posters agreed that m390 had the best edge retention.

The only negative thing I've read is that it is a B!+(# to sharpen and I aint skeered!

I know that Bob Loveless used to like to put a nice polish on his 154cm knives. Take a look at some of the pictures and videos of the polished 390s on the internet.

I just wonder what he might have thought.

???
Coach

Hey Larry:
Take a look at this link:

https://www.bladehq.com/cat--Best-Knife-Steel-Guide--3368

Coach

Great link Coach!! I once skinned an entire black bear without needing a strop on my steel. It was a Bud Tracy knife in D2 hollow ground. My Chris Reeve sure holds a good edge too.

Pap

Coach--

Thanks for digging a bit further.

The graphics sure clarify the similarities and differences in the qualities that we look for.

And...I take back my comment about reading the Elmax and 154CM were comparable--I read that someplace, but these charts show Elmax to be superior.

Time to bite on the Knife Works Ritter I suspect, depending on whether they get back to me and tell when they would ship a knife to me.

Larry

Larry, If serious, try 'knife18' in the knifeworks checkout coupon field, may get you additional savings.

Nothing wrong with D2. But they say that m390 is even an improvement on it.

OK--

I bit the bullet and called to order the Doug Ritter knife.

While she was taking my order, the young lady at Knife Works explained that they had either 200 or 250 knives come in, and they "were all gone" while mentioning that they "sold 150." I thought that meant they had either 50 or 100 in hand and could send me a knife...but...she said they are "out" of knives, and mine will be delivered, in her estimation, in 6 or 8 weeks.

Whatever the situation, I am looking forward to getting it.

Larry

Keep me Posted !!!

Coach, I have been carrying a newer Benchmade with 20CV(Xmas present) this past winter. It has opened a lot of boxes and cut quite a bit of cardboard for the last 4 months. Hasn't needed sharpening yet. I really like the pocket clip on it too, easy withdrawing from the jeans pocket. 3.5" blade, weighs 3.7 oz.

I have liked Bohler M390 for a while. Can't go wrong with it IMO.

Thanks Eric.

A knife maker on another forum said that he could NOT tell the difference between m390 and 20cv.