Cruwear and S30V are two very popular steels that are used for two very similar purposes. With both steels being used for similar tasks, it only would make sense to compare the two to see which one is better and why. So in this article, we will see which steel is better for knives and why.
Here is the short answer:
Cruwear will outperform S30V in almost all ways. Cruwear has better wear resistance, better edge retention, and better toughness, but worse corrosion resistance and S30V is less expensive than Cruwear. However, either steel is great for almost all knife tasks.
Now that we have seen the short answer, we can look in depth at each steel, why one steel is better than the other, when you would want one steel over the other, and the best knives in each steel.
S30V
S30V is a very popular premium steel that is used by many different brands such as Benchmade, Spyderco, and Zero Tolerance. S30V is a very good all-around steel that can be used for just about any task you could ever need a knife for.
S30V’s full name is CPM-S30V and the CPM stands for Crucible Particle Metallurgy. Crucible Particle Metallurgy is a process where the particles in the steel are made more evenly balanced reducing the chance of soft spots and increasing wear resistance.
The best quality of S30V is that it is a very well-balanced steel. S30V is a steel that is balanced very well between corrosion resistance, edge retention, wear resistance, and toughness. However, S30V is high in carbon so it can be more prone to chipping than other steels.
Here is what S30V is made of:
- 1.45% carbon
- 14% chromium
- 2% molybdenum
- 4% vanadium
All those components each do different things: The carbon increases strength, the chromium increases corrosion resistance and edge retention, the molybdenum increases hardenability (which essentially means that it’s easier to harden and thus easy to manufacture), and vanadium improves wear resistance and strength.
Cruwear
Cruwear is a super steel that is known for being great for just about everything you could use a knife for. Cruwear is a tool steel so it has great wear resistance and toughness and is known for being a good all-around steel in most ways.
Like S30V, Cruwear goes through the same Crucible Particle Metallurgy processes. So Cruwear is a steel with refined particles.
Even though Cruwear is a very good all-around steel it does have a downside. Cruwear is not very corrosion-resistant steel. So if you would need to make sure to keep your Cruwear knife dry and well-oiled.
Here is what Cruwear is made of:
- 1.1% Carbon
- 7.5% Chromium
- 1.6% Molybdenum
- 0.35% Manganese
- 1.1% Silicon
- 2.4% Vanadium
- 1.15% Tungsten
Tungsten, similar to vanadium, reduces grain size of the steel, which improves wear resistance and strength. Niobium and magnesium increase the steel’s hardness.
Which steel is better?
After looking at each steel in depth, we can compare the two at a closer level to see which one is better and why.
If you are looking for edge retention, when you compare the steels you will find that Cruwear has better edge retention. Cruwear’s balance of materials lends it well to keeping an edge better than S30V.
Wear resistance-wise, Cruwear is a better steel. Cruwear is a tool steel that is known for its great wear resistance. If you are in a situation where you use your knife a lot then you will want to choose S30V over Cruwear.
While Cruwear might appear to be better than S30V in all ways it is not. S30V has better corrosion resistance than Cruwear. Cruwear has low chromium so it cannot be resistant to water or moisture.
When you look at the toughness of the two steels you will find that Cruwear is a tougher steel. Cruwear is a very tough steel so it is better when you need to use your knife for applications where you need a tough blade such as batoning or chopping.
If you have a tight budget on how much you can spend on a knife then S30V is the better steel. S30V is not a super steel and not as good in some areas as Cruwear so it is available at a cheaper price.
The best knives in each steel
Now that we know more about each steel and how they compare to each other, we can see what the best knives in each steel are.
Spyderco Native 5 (S30V)
The Native 5 is an EDC knife that is great for anything you could use an EDC knife for. The Native 5 had lightweight FRN handle scales, a back lock, and a thumbhole for opening to ensure that you don’t snag the knife when you draw it. Overall you can’t go wrong with this knife if you are looking for a new folding knife.
Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)
Benchmade Adamas (Cruwear)
The Adamas is a heavy-duty EDC knife that is made to be used heavily. The Adamas weighs 7 ounces so it is very heavy but it has a 4-inch blade and a 5-inch handle. If you need a knife that can take a beating then the Adamas is for you.
Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)
Conclusion
Both Cruwear and S30V are great steels that will work for nearly any task you could need a knife for. Even though they are both good steels, Cruwear is slightly better in almost all ways when compared to S30V. So if you were to choose a steel out of the two, you would want Cruwear.