S110V is a CPM (Crucible Particle Metallurgy) steel known for its exceptional wear resistance and corrosion resistance.
SPY27 Steel is a proprietary Spyderco-exclusive steel designed to offer a balanced set of properties.
S110V contains high amounts of vanadium and niobium, which contribute to its superior edge retention and corrosion resistance compared to SPY27.
In contrast, SPY27 is a nitrogen-bearing steel that aims to improve upon the properties of S30V and S35VN.
SPY27 offers better corrosion resistance than S30V and S35VN while maintaining good toughness and ease of sharpening.
S110V generally outperforms SPY27 in terms of wear resistance and corrosion resistance, but SPY27 offers higher toughness and easier maintenance.
SPY27 steel composition allows it to achieve a fine carbide structure, whereas S110V steel high alloy content results in a higher volume of hard carbides.
SPY27 vs S110V Steel At A Glance
| Property | SPY27 Steel | S110V Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness | Typically reaches around 64 HRC, usually heat treated to 60-62 HRC for knives | Can exceed 65 HRC, usually heat treated to 60-62 HRC for knives |
| Toughness | Higher toughness, comparable to or slightly better than S35VN | Good toughness for its class, but lower than SPY27 |
| Edge Retention | Good, slightly less than S35VN | Very high, similar to CPM-10V |
| Wear Resistance | Good, but lower than S110V | Exceptional, due to high volume of vanadium and niobium carbides |
| Corrosion Resistance | Good to above average, similar to S30V | Excellent, superior to SPY27, similar to M390 |
| Ease of Sharpening | Relatively easy, similar to or slightly better than S35VN | More difficult, requires more time and skill |
Hardness
SPY27 and S110V are both high-performance stainless steels capable of achieving impressive hardness levels, though S110V achieves higher potential hardness.
SPY27 steel can typically reach around 64 HRC, while S110V steel is capable of exceeding 65 HRC.
However, for practical knife applications, both steels are usually heat treated to a more moderate hardness range of 60-62 HRC.
This intentional reduction in maximum hardness for knives helps balance other desirable properties such as toughness and ease of sharpening.
S110V, with its higher alloying content, particularly vanadium and niobium, tends to retain its hardness better at elevated temperatures compared to SPY27.
Toughness
SPY27 demonstrates superior toughness compared to S110V, making it more resistant to chipping and breakage in knife applications.
SPY27 steel higher toughness is primarily attributed to its lower overall alloy content and finer carbide structure.
SPY27 has less carbide than S45VN, S30V, and 345VN, while S110V has a high volume fraction of vanadium-rich and niobium-rich primary alloy carbides.
This difference in carbide content and distribution plays a crucial role in toughness.
SPY27’s finer, more evenly distributed carbides allow for better stress distribution throughout the steel matrix, enhancing its ability to absorb impacts without failure.
In contrast, S110V’s higher carbide content, while excellent for wear resistance, tends to reduce toughness.
The toughness testing results show that S110V steel toughness is lower than S35VN, which SPY27 is comparable to or slightly better than.
Higher toughness in SPY27 translates to improved durability in knife applications, allowing for thinner edge geometries or more aggressive cutting tasks without the risk of edge chipping.
Edge Retention
S110V steel exhibits significantly superior performance in edge retention and wear resistance than SPY27 steel.
S110V exceptional edge retention and wear resistance are primarily attributed to its high volume fraction of vanadium-rich and niobium-rich primary alloy carbides.
In contrast, SPY27 has a lower overall carbide content, which results in good but comparatively lower edge retention.
S110V shows very high edge retention in CATRA testing, performing similarly to CPM-10V and outperforming many other high-end steels.
S110V’s edge retention is “very high” and similar to CPM-10V in the standardized edge retention experiments.
SPY27, on the other hand, is expected to have slightly less edge retention than S35VN, which itself has lower edge retention than S110V.
This difference in edge retention means that knives made from S110V will typically maintain their sharp edge for much longer periods of heavy use compared to SPY27 knives.
Corrosion Resistance
SPY27 and S110V are both stainless steels with excellent corrosion resistance, however, S110V demonstrates superior corrosion resistance.
S110V steel exceptional corrosion resistance is achieved through its high chromium content (15.25%) and the strategic addition of molybdenum (2.25%) and niobium (3%).
The niobium addition in S110V allows for more chromium to remain in solution, enhancing corrosion resistance.
In contrast, SPY27 has good corrosion resistance, similar to S30V, but cannot match the performance of S110V.
SPY27 steel corrosion resistance is primarily derived from its chromium content, which is likely lower than S110V steel.
In corrosion testing, S110V performed similarly to M390, another steel known for excellent corrosion resistance, and significantly outperformed S90V and S125V.
SPY27, while resistant to corrosion in many environments, showed slightly worse performance than S30V in saltwater spray tests.
Ease of Sharpening
SPY27 steel is generally easier to sharpen and grind compared to S110V steel.
SPY27 improved sharpenability is primarily due to its lower overall alloy content and finer carbide structure compared to S110V.
SPY27 is expected to sharpen similarly or slightly better than S35VN, which is known for its reasonable ease of sharpening among high-performance steels.
In contrast, S110V is more difficult to machine and grind than D2 steel, and comparable to or slightly more challenging than CPM S90V and Maxamet.
This difficulty in sharpening S110V is attributed to its high carbide content, particularly the hard vanadium-rich and niobium-rich primary alloy carbides.
SPY27 knives will generally be easier to sharpen and maintain in the field, requiring less time and effort to achieve a keen edge.
S110V knives, while offering superior edge retention, will demand more skill, time, and potentially specialized tools to sharpen effectively.
Final Thoughts on SPY27 vs S110V Steel
Based on this analysis of SPY27 and S110V steels, and drawing from personal experience, I would highly recommend opting for SPY27 steel when choosing a Spyderco knife.
Having extensive experience with SPY27, I can confidently say it offers a significant improvement over S30V in terms of grindability and ease of sharpening.
The differences in performance between SPY27 and S110V in areas like corrosion resistance, while present, are relatively minimal for most everyday users.
SPY27 steel slight edge in toughness is an additional benefit that shouldn’t be overlooked.
My brief experience with S110V knives, while impressive in terms of edge retention, highlighted its challenging nature when it came to sharpening.
The difficulty in maintaining S110V edges made it less practical for regular use, despite its undeniably superior edge retention.
In conclusion, for the majority of knife enthusiasts and everyday carriers, SPY27 strikes an excellent balance between performance and maintainability.
Unless you specifically require the extreme edge retention of S110V and are willing to invest significant time and effort into its upkeep, SPY27 provides a more user-friendly and versatile option that will satisfy the needs of most knife users.