8Cr13MoV and S30V are pretty much on the opposite ends of the steel spectrum. 8Cr13MoV is a budget steel and S30V is a premium steel. They couldn’t be further apart.
Yet, there are reasons you may actually want to choose 8Cr13MoV over S30V. What are those reasons? And what are the differences between the two?
Here’s the short version:
S30V wins out over 8Cr13MoV in all categories except for price and ease of sharpening. S30V is a premium well-balanced steel with great corrosion resistance, sharpenability, toughness, and edge retention. S30V is way better than 8Cr13MoV, but it is more expensive. If you want premium, go with S30V.
Those are the basic differences between the two, but if you’d like to go into more depth (and figure out exactly why you may want to choose 8Cr13MoV over S30V), then read on.
S30V
S30V is considered a premium steel–it’s way beyond 8Cr13MoV. There’s not much of a competition in terms of quality and performance between the two: S30V wins in a landslide.
The name of S30V actually stands for something: The S stands for “stainless,” the V stands for “vanadium,” and the number is simply a differentiator between other, similarly named steels (like S90V). The stainless means that it’s resistant to rust and vanadium is an element put in the steel.
The full, “official” name of S30V is CPM-S30V. The CPM refers to the process that S30V is made through: The Crucible Particle Metallurgy, a process in which the carbides (basically steel particles) are spread out more consistently throughout the steel. This increases the consistency of the blade.
S30V is also a steel that was made specifically to be used in knives from a collaboration with Chris Reeve (a knife designer) and Crucible Industries (a steel manufacturer), which is something that’s pretty rare. Usually, steels are made for other purposes and then adapted to be used in knives.
In terms of composition, S30V has about:
- 1.45% carbon
- 14% chromium
- 2% molybdenum
- 4% vanadium
Each of those do different things: All those components each do different things: The carbon increases strength (it’s important to note that at high levels, carbon leads to brittleness, which means easy chipping and breaking), the chromium increases corrosion resistance, the molybdenum increases hardenability (which basically means that it’s easier to harden, and thus manufacture), and vanadium improves wear resistance and strength.
8Cr13MoV
8Cr13MoV, unlike S30V, is a budget steel. It’s going to be a good steel for the price it comes at, but there’s not much of a competition between the two: S30V is better.
8Cr13MoV, like S30V, is a stainless steel–essentially meaning that it is resistant to rust. Unlike S30V, which was designed and made in the US, 8Cr13MoV was designed and made in China.
The seemingly cryptic name of 8Cr13MoV actually refers to the steel’s composition. The 8 refers to the percentage of carbon (0.8%), the Cr13 refers to the percentage of chromium (about 13%), the Mo refers to molybdenum, and the V refers to vanadium.
8Cr13MoV is also in a series of steel, in which you may also see steels like 8Cr14MoV. They all follow the same naming pattern: The first number, 8 in this case, denotes the percentage of carbon, 0.8% carbon in this case.
The second number, 14 in 8Cr14MoV, is the number denoting the percentage of chromium. In 8Cr14MoV, it means that it has a slightly higher composition of chromium and is thus more corrosion resistant than 8Cr13MoV.
The Mo still means molybdenum and the V still means vanadium. If you’d like to read more on the differences between these types of steel, we’ve got a full article here.
The full composition of 8Cr13MoV is about:
- 0.8% carbon
- 14.5% chromium
- 0.3% molybdenum
- 0.25% vanadium
Which One Should You Choose?
In terms of the differences between the two, S30V will be tougher, have a longer edge retention, and will have more corrosion resistance. In terms of ease of sharpenability, because 8Cr13MoV is a softer steel, it’s going to be easier to sharpen.
S30V is a really well-rounded, well-balanced, premium knife steel. In almost all scenarios, you’ll want S30V over 8Cr13MoV.
Which scenarios would you want 8Cr13MoV? You’d really only want 8Cr13MoV over S30V if you want a knife that you won’t feel bad about losing or destroying. Since 8Cr13MoV is cheaper than S30V, if you want a budget knife you can destroy or carry around without caring much about if it gets lost, then 8Cr13MoV would be the better knife steel for you.
Recommended Knives
If you’re looking for some S30V knives or some 8Cr13MoV knives, here are some good ones. As always, check with your local laws to make sure they’re legal in your area.
Kershaw Brawler – 8Cr13MoV
The Kershaw Brawler is a snappy black folding knife with a tanto blade and the SpeedSafe assisted opening system and a flipper. It’s got 8Cr13MoV steel and glass-filled nylon handles with a 4-position pocket clip. Overall, if you’re looking for a snappy assisted opening knife, you’ll enjoy this one.
Kershaw Shuffle II – 8Cr13MoV
If you want a knife in 8Cr13MoV that doesn’t have assisted opening, then that’s where the Shuffle II comes in. It’s a small, lightweight multi-function knife that comes in multiple colors. It’s got a thumb stud (manual) opening, a bottle opener, a pry bar, and a flat-head screwdriver.
If you’re looking for something a little more low-profile (and multi-faceted), you’ll be better off with the Shuffle II than with the Brawler.
Spyderco Para Military 2 – S30V
The Para Military 2 is perhaps Spyderco’s most well-known knife. They’ve got a couple different versions with different handle scales, colors, and blade materials, but the one linked has S30V.
The Para Military 2 has G10 handle scales, a 4-position pocket clip, a thumb-hole opening, and Spyderco’s compression lock. It’s a knife that will last you a long time and will be able to withstand some punishment. If that sounds like something for you, you can check it out here.
Kershaw Blur – S30V
Normally, the Blur comes in D2, but this one’s got S30V for the blade. The Kershaw Blur is perhaps Kershaw’s most popular knife. It’s got thumb stud, SpeedSafe assisted opening, a reversible pocket clip, a liner lock, and anodized aluminum with Trac-Tec inserts for the handle.
If you’re looking for an S30V knife with more flashy features like assisted opening, then check out the Blur here.
If you’re interested in learning more about the differences between various types of steels, seeing more knife steel comparisons, and learning about knives in general, we’ve got a bunch of blog posts covering all of that and more. You can check them out here.