255mm CPM 20CV super steel gyuto

255mm CPM 20 CV super steel gyuto with blue maple Burl and ebony bolsters. Custom mosaic pins and custom fitted leather saya for a B.A.M.F. Chef.

https://instagram.com/p/7Bw1qtwLlb/

 

Know who that dude is....... B.A.M.F. monicure is very fitting and so is the knife!!!

 

Can you share your opinions , comparisons, experiences between CPM 20 CV , ELMAX, AND M390 from what you've used so far?

 

M390 and 20 CV are identical. They have more chromium and vanadium than Elmax. And added tungsten that Elmax doesn't. In the production, Elmax is MUCH easier to grind than 20CV. 20CV eats belts for lunch as well as hands, wrists, and shoulders. It gets harder to grind the longer you grind it. Not work hardening, just stubborn.

The edge holding is excellent for Elmax and even better for 20CV. Noticibly better than 154CM and W2 and O1. Edges of 20CV just seem to bite into veggies better and Elmax really likes a high polish. 20CV likes a coarser edge. I leave them at 2000 grit.

One thing I also noticed is that when the edges needs to be freshened on a rod, they come back to sharper than 154 CM, 440c, or AEBL. The reason is that the edge will bend over but still maintain a sharp peak since it is so abrasion resistant. When you straighten out this sharp peak, it comes back to sharp cutting. However the other steels will lose the sharp edge and actually round over so that putting them on the rod doesn't actually sharpen them.

However, when you do finally have to sharpen 20 CV, you start much lower at 800 grit and bring it higher than you would do with other steels which can be brought back to razor-sharp at starting at 2000 grit. And, you have to put much more strength into the sharpening of 20 CV.