S30V vs. S45VN | An In-Depth Steel Comparison
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CPM-S30V and CPM-S45VN are two high-performance stainless steels used in knife making. Developed by Crucible Industries, both steels are popular choices due to their excellent balance of edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance.

Here is the short answer:

CPM-S45VN has a slightly higher amount of chromium and niobium than S30V, which can improve its wear resistance and toughness. S30V

Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look closer at each steel, what elements they are made of, how they compare in-depth, and the best knives in each steel. 

In-Depth Look at CPM-S30V

CPM-S30V was developed by Crucible Industries in collaboration with renowned knife maker Chris Reeve. It’s a high-performance stainless steel with a balanced combination of edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance, making it an ideal choice for high-end folding knives, hunting knives, and kitchen knives alike.

Here is the composition of S30V:

  • 1.45% carbon
  • 14% chromium
  • 2% molybdenum
  • 4% vanadium

One of the key features of CPM-S30V is its ability to do just about anything. There is nothing that S30V isn’t good at. It is tough, stainless, fairly edge retentive, and has good wear resistance. For the price, it is almost impossible to beat S30V.

In-Depth Look at CPM-S45VN

CPM-S45VN is an advanced version of CPM-S35VN, which was itself an improvement over CPM-S30V. It was developed by Crucible Industries in collaboration with knife maker Chris Reeve and is a high-performance stainless steel designed for use in high-end folding knives, hunting knives, and other high-performance knives.

Here is the composition of S45VN: 

  • 1.45% carbon
  • 14% chromium
  • 4% vanadium
  • 2.00% molybdenum
  • 3.00% Vanadiumniobium
  • 0.37% niobium

S45VN is another steel that has good all-around performance. However, it was designed to be a steel that is easier to sharpen while still being relatively tough and holding a decent edge. This makes it an ideal steel for EDC when you will want to be able to reshapren your knife quickly and keep a razor sharp edge at all times.

Comparison of CPM-S30V and CPM-S45VN

Both CPM-S30V and CPM-S45VN are high-performance stainless steels that offer excellent edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance. However, CPM-S45VN has a slightly higher amount of vanadium and niobium, which can improve its wear resistance and toughness. This makes it an excellent choice for applications that require extreme durability, such as hard-use folding knives and fixed blades.

On the other hand, CPM-S30V is an excellent all-around steel that offers a balance of edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance. It’s also relatively easy to sharpen, making it a popular choice among knife enthusiasts. While it may not be as wear-resistant as CPM-S45VN, it’s still an excellent choice for high-end knives that require a combination of performance characteristics.

Best knives in each steel

Now that we have looked closer at each steel and how they compare to each other, we can look at the best knives in each steel.

Benchmade Griptillian – S30V

The Benchmade Griptillian is a silky smooth opening EDC (everyday carry) knife. It has a 3.5-inch S30V blade with a texturized grip that fits nicely in the hand. If you want an EDC knife that works great for all EDC purposes this is the knife for you.

Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)

Spyderco Para Military – CPM-S45VN

The Para Military is perhaps Spyderco’s most popular knife. It’s got Spyderco’s signature thumb hole for opening (which won’t snag on your pocket), a reversible pocket clip, a G10 handle, and Spyderco’s smooth-opening compression lock. This version comes in S45VN. It’s a solid workhorse of a knife that will keep going no matter what you put it through.

Check it out here (link to Amazon).

Conclusion 

In conclusion, both CPM-S30V and CPM-S45VN are high-performance stainless steels that offer excellent edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Choosing between the two will depend on your specific needs and preferences. If you’re looking for extreme wear resistance and toughness, CPM-S45VN may be the better choice. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an all-around steel that offers a balance of performance characteristics, CPM-S30V is an excellent choice.