S90V and S35VN are two steels that are very common premium steels that many different top-tier knife companies use. Because these two steels are so common, it would only make sense to compare them to see which one is better. So in this article, I will be comparing the two steels to see which one is better and why one steel is better than the other.
Here is the short answer:
S90V, when compared to S35VN, has better wear resistance and edge retention but worse corrosion resistance and toughness. If you want a knife that is for slicing tasks, you will want S90V. But if you need a tough knife that’s more corrosion resistant, then you will want S35VN.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can take a closer look at each steel individually, what they are made of, what their best tasks are, why one steel is better than the other, and when you would want one steel over the other.
S90V
S90V is a premium quality steel that is known for many great things like its edge retention, corrosion resistance, hardness, and wear resistance.
S90V is great for slicing tasks because it has great edge retention, hardness, and wear resistance. Because of these attributes, S90V is best for cutting and slicing jobs.
S90V is not a very tough steel, so it’s not good for chopping of any kind. Chopping is best used when you have a knife with a tough steel that can take a beating, which S90V tends not to be. If you need a knife for bushcraft wear you will have to cut through wood, then you will want to look for a steel besides S90V.
S90V’s full name is CPM-S90V, and the CPM stands for Crucible Particle Metallurgy, which is a process the steel goes through in order to refine the steel’s particles. Refined particles lead to more consistency throughout the steel which makes it harder to have soft spots in the steel.
Here is what S90V is made of:
- 2.30% carbon
- 14.00% chromium
- 9.00% vanadium
- 1.00% molybdenum
Each of these materials do different things: The carbon helps increase blade strength (but too much carbon will lead to your blade chipping), chromium makes the blade have corrosion resistance and edge retention (anything above 10% chromium is considered stainless steel), molybdenum makes knives easter to harden (it makes easier for the knife company to heat treat), and the vanadium also helps with edge retention.
S35VN
S35VN is a very common knife steel that is used in many more expensive knives. S35VN is a very well-rounded steel that is good for a wide variety of tasks and is a steel that is made almost exclusively for knives.
The biggest upside to S35VN is that it is a very well rounded steel. S35VN can be used for pretty much any knife task as it has good edge retention, toughness, hardness, wear resistance, and good corrosion resistance.
There is really no downside to S35VN. Because S35VN is a well-rounded steel there are no downsides to it as it is not great at one task but not at the other. It’s a jack of all trades, master of none situation.
Much like S90V, S35Vn goes through the same Crucible Particle Metallurgy process that refines the particles in the steel.
Here is what S35VN is made of:
- 1.4% carbon
- 14% chromium
- 3% vanadium
- 2% molybdenum
- 0.5% niobium
Niobium increases the steel’s hardness.
Which steel is best?
Now that we have taken a closer look at each steel we can go in-depth on which steel is best.
If you need a bushcraft knife that can handle anything and can take a beating, you will want S35VN. S35VN is tougher and more well-rounded than S90V, so it would be a better bushcraft knife as it can be used in more scenarios than S90V can.
If you need a steel that is good at keeping an edge and will be used for slicing tasks then you will want S90V. S90V has better edge retention than S35VN, so it would be better for tasks that don’t include beating your knife–like slicing or cutting, rather than chopping.
If you need a knife that stays sharp for a long time then you want S90V. S90V has better edge retention than S35VN, so it would be better if you need to go for a long time without sharpening your knife. However, when it does come time to sharpen your knife it will be more difficult to sharpen S90V.
Our favorite knives in each steel
Having looked in-depth at each steel individual and which steel is best in which situations, we can look at what our favorite knives in each steel are.
Benchmade Bugout – S90V
The Benchmade Bugout is an ultralight EDC knife that is great for everything you could ever need an EDC knife for. Because the Bugout is light and small, it is great for EDC as it won’t feel uncomfortable when you carry it. The Bugout has Benchmade’s AXIS locking system, making this knife have a super smooth opening and easy one-handed opening.
Here is a link to this knife (link to Amazon)
Benchmade Altitude – S90V
The Benchmade Altitude is a ultralight knife that is great for camping, backpacking, and hunting. This knife weighs only 1.6 ounces, so you won’t even know it’s there when you carry it around. If you are in need of an ultralight knife that is strong and reliable, you may want to look at this knife.
Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)
SOG Terminus XR – S35VN
The SOG Terminus XR is an EDC folding knife that is great for any task you could need a knife for. The Terminus XR is one of my favorite carry knives because it has a smooth opening, is comfortable to hold, and is always reliable. If I am ever in a situation where I need a reliable EDC knife, I will almost always reach for my Terminus.
Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)
SOG Seal FX – S35VN
The SOG Seal FX is a rugged and reliable fixed blade knife that is perfect for any fixed blade task. The Seal FX is a massive knife at over 9 inches long and 8 ounces in weight. This knife has a full tang construction and a GRN handle, so it is sure to be a tough knife that can handle any situation.
Checkout this knife here (link to Amazon)
Conclusion
S90V and S35VN are two very good steels and they are each good for different purposes, but if you were to pick one steel to use, you would probably want S35VN. S35VN is a more versatile steel that can be used in more situations and can handle more tasks than S90V.