Sharpbevel thank you. I wish I could do a video each week. Family and work have to come first. Plus, I'm critical of what I post. Sometimes stuff doesn't make the cut.
I have a 6.5 inch fixed blade in m390 and collected a few experiences with rougher use like chopping wood: the blade is heat treated to 59-60 hrc, cryo treated, which is adequate for a survival type of knife and after an hour or so (this was more playing in the woods instead of a scientific test) it did not split or shave hair (at least not big patches of it) anymore. What a surprise... not. I haven't had any rolls or major chips, only some micro chipping which kept the blade paper slicing sharp and of cause some regular dulling. I think it could have even sliced phonebook paper but i highly doubt that it would have push-cut though it. Sadly i didn't had any with me to try out. Toughness of the blade and edge stability were not a problem at all. To touch it up I used the 1200 or so grit ceramic rod from the edge pro apex an a leather strop: hair shaving after 5 minutes or so. I hope my comment was helpful and readable because my english isn't the best. Greetings from germany.
Thank you. It is made by a lithuanian custom/midtech (depends on what your definition is) maker named "TRC Knives". For my understanding all of the work is done in house with hand ground bevels and all that but the heat treating and DLC-coating are done by specialized manufacturers. They yet only offer fixed blades and the quality is outstanding though i would recommend to get coated or stonewashed blades because the satin ones may come with some minor scratches which I don't mind considering the relatively low price. They also warn about that on their website I think, so I am fine with it. My models in particular are the "Apocalypse L": one in satin finish and green handle, the other one in stonewashed and black.
I just took a look at their website and noticed that some things are outdated and not mentioned. If you have questions about them I could probably help you out with informations I collected through a few european dealers. Oh and they currently use N690, M390, ELMAX and Vanadis 4 Extra.
Me too Michael! I loves my pm2 in M390. I use a KME sharpener and get a polished edge also but not to 3.2 million grit! I stop at translucent stone or .01 grit liquid on leather. I can do both my pm2's this way, the other S110v and altho they look alive in polish the M390 is a light sabre compared to the S110 edge. I was told the S110 was a toothy edge. The M390 floats thru paper like it didn't touch it. I would love to see how you rate it after doing some cutting tasks like you have done with other steels.
Billthesheepdog Usually, on stuff like paper and plastic bags. I don't feel (or barely feel) what I'm cutting through if a knife is freshly sharpened. I've carried the M390 PM2 for more then a month using it. I live the way the steel performs.
Just wanted to say I got one of these with red scales (DLT exclusive) thanks to this vid. You're a hell of a salesman to a newer spyderco enthusiast. Anxious to see how it stacks up against my "blurple" manix 2.
Michael Christy I'm sort of betting I'll like the PM2 better as a whole. The Manix will remain my everyday blade just because it's so much beefier everywhere and way easier to replace. Interested to see how the compression lock stacks up against the ball bearing.
You may like Lion Steel Roundhead Euro-Barlow its a traditional in M390. Should be coming out this month through collectorknives. Thanks for the video.
Hey!!! 4 yrs later i just bought this knife. I wish i knew how to judge the value of an older para 2 Or where to buy it. I found it on ebay.he wanted 350 I paid 300 I hope i didnt overpay mych but i love 390 still
I just got one of these on the secondary market, in brand new condition, for a very good price. It’s from the 2nd run of them that Bento Box did.....guy I bought it from got it from Bento in March, 2017. Its a terrific knife! M390 is just awesome. Mine does have a little lock-stick. The harder you flick it open, The greater the lock-stick. Any suggestions on how to fix this?? Thanks!!
Another great video. You also get M4 extremely sharp. Of course the properties of M4 and M390 are much different but do they both reach the same sharpness?
@Michael Christy If you also like small knives AND enjoy beautiful-looking designs, then you could check out the Fox Knives' *Suru* (designed by Jesper "Vox" Voxnaes) too. I am getting the coppershread carbon fiber/Titanium lock variant with stone-washed M390 blade. 7pcs are still in stock at UrbanEDCSupply
Great vid and awesome pickup! I like the corrosion resistance of m390. Living in the south, a day of yard work in the summer had my s30v spotting up slightly. I've picked up a Strider in cts-40cp which is about 16-17% chromium and seems like it's going to be a razor after I sharpen it. Any thoughts on cts-40cp? I don't see it offered anywhere else.
blueline561 CTS-40cp is Carpenters version of 440C, so 1.20 carbon, 16 to 18 chromium, 1.00 manganese, .75 moly, and a few other values. I assume it's made with powder metallurgy. 440C made with powder metallurgy and Striders heat treat could be really interesting.
Michael Christy Well, after roughly a month of use on a fairly regular basis, I was able to strop the cts-40cp back to hair whittling using bark river black and green compound on leather. The edge never chipped or rolled during use, so it was always in relatively good shape. Corrosion resistance is noticeably better than their s30v. Just thought I'd share my experience.
blueline561 that's great to hear. I would expect, given the composition of the steel, that the right strops would have a significant effect as long the edge was not too damaged from use.
👍's up and enjoyed. I have been trying the different compounds and diamond sprays on bass wood and leather. Am getting some good results. I go back and watch your older videos a lot and it has helped me. Where do you buy diamond spray Like .005 I have found 1/10 but that is about as far as I have been able to find. Thank you and keep them coming as you can. Hope all have a blessed day.
Randy Parker the .05 and .025 I found on Amazon. (I don't know if they're always available on there, but they were and I jumped on it.). The .005 I bought directly from Ken Schwartz, who makes them. I'm glad the videos are helping.
Hi, I always hear you say you don't go for a polish and instead go for a coarse edge. Can you pls expound further? I'm new to sharpening so I may not be following but I would've thought that if you take the edge all through to EEF DMT and UF ceramic then you're already putting a fine edge to it. I thought that when people say they put a coarse edge on a knife they're referring to something like a coarse DMT or somewhere around 400 - 600 grit.
corismsyn they usually are referring to something like a 400-600 grit edge. When I say coarse finish, I mean something not polished, where a scratch pattern can easily be seen. I refine the coarse finish with fine stones and strops without removing it.
Michael Christy I see. Thanks for explaining. Does the sharpness differ if you leave the finish coarse vs polished? Actually..I think you tested yhhis with your ZDP video. I wonder if results are the same with any steel. Maybe it depends on the steel and the sharpening protocol?
olmmedic I'm not sure which I like more, M390 or M4. However, I like the M390 PM2 more then the GB2 in M4. I like the colors or the GB2 more, but overall design and usability, the PM2.
Dubglock23 I don't know. They were just pieces of leather with compound on them. Might be better if I actually made you strops. We can talk off line. michaelchristy13@gmail.com
Sorry to hog the channel this way, but I just ordered a knife in 20cv. 1 x Rick Hinderer Knives XM-18 Harpoon Spanto Folding Knife, Stonewashed 3.5" Plain Edge CPM-20CV Blade, Stonewashed Lockside, Coyote Brown G-10 Handle Isnt 20cv a loose cousin of M390? I was told it is a copy of the M390 give or take a bit. 204p is also the same yes?
Billthesheepdog yes, they are all very close. Very little differences in the composition. The three steels are different generation PM steels, so the grain sizes are different. They should all be good performers.
Hey. As you are using m390 for a while. Which angel of edge would you advice to me? I got factory edge and wanted to reprofile. Going to use dmt magna guide as i cant reprofile freehand. Dmt diafold coarse will do its work i hope. Ive checked magna guides chart but still being confused. it says angel chart (degrees) and those degreese are inclusive or perside? I think per side right? So on which guide rod should i pot mine? 6th or 5th? Or even 4th? I will apriciate your answer a lot.
What about 52100? I love the feel of super blue on my kitchen knives and want something that is comparable. I'm willing to trade off a bit of performance for corrosion resistance though. Between m390, cruwear, and 52100 what is your favorite?
Daniel Nguyen I like all of them, but find CruWear the most interesting. I would choose CruWear. High toughness, takes the best edge, and things get interesting when you polish the edge on it.
Hello there.Ive enjoyed your video about m390 pm2. Recently purchased one for me on ebay. Also purchased dmt diafold sharpeners. And want to ask you what should i go for now? To sharpen and care edge of my m390, also i got wildlife hatchet from gransfors bruk with swedish steel and made tanto and wakizashi from cpm 3v. And i want to get sharpening gear, like to fit all my stuff. I was thinking about spyderco ultrafine like you got, but what about dimansions of stone? There are two i guess one wide and one narrow, which to pick? 3x8 or 2x8? And honestly i dont know anything about strops and compounds and wanted to ask you to school me about that. Where to get strops for my gear and which compounds will i need?Thanks in advance.
Hello there.Ive enjoyed your video about m390 pm2. Recently purchased one for me on ebay. Also purchased dmt diafold sharpeners. And want to ask you what should i go for now? To sharpen and care edge of my m390, also i got wildlife hatchet from gransfors bruk with swedish steel and made tanto and wakizashi from cpm 3v. And i want to get sharpening gear, like to fit all my stuff. I was thinking about spyderco ultrafine like you got, but what about dimansions of stone? There are two i guess one wide and one narrow, which to pick? 3x8 or 2x8? And honestly i dont know anything about strops and compounds and wanted to ask you to school me about that. Where to get strops for my gear and which compounds will i need?Thanks in advance.
Hey! Who else wishes Michael Christy had s video a week? I absolutely love the content. Thanks for all u do Michael. Another excellent video.
Sharpbevel thank you. I wish I could do a video each week. Family and work have to come first. Plus, I'm critical of what I post. Sometimes stuff doesn't make the cut.
Sharpbevel hell yeah 2nd that
These days I'd be greatful for one video a year. Lol
Appreciate the specifics on the steel. I’m debating on which PM2 I’ll invest my $ into and I think this guy is the winner for me.
Richard Ford enjoy it.
I have a 6.5 inch fixed blade in m390 and collected a few experiences with rougher use like chopping wood: the blade is heat treated to 59-60 hrc, cryo treated, which is adequate for a survival type of knife and after an hour or so (this was more playing in the woods instead of a scientific test) it did not split or shave hair (at least not big patches of it) anymore. What a surprise... not. I haven't had any rolls or major chips, only some micro chipping which kept the blade paper slicing sharp and of cause some regular dulling. I think it could have even sliced phonebook paper but i highly doubt that it would have push-cut though it. Sadly i didn't had any with me to try out. Toughness of the blade and edge stability were not a problem at all. To touch it up I used the 1200 or so grit ceramic rod from the edge pro apex an a leather strop: hair shaving after 5 minutes or so.
I hope my comment was helpful and readable because my english isn't the best.
Greetings from germany.
Mopar HEMI your comments read just fine and I appreciate you putting it in. What company made the knife?
Thank you. It is made by a lithuanian custom/midtech (depends on what your definition is) maker named "TRC Knives". For my understanding all of the work is done in house with hand ground bevels and all that but the heat treating and DLC-coating are done by specialized manufacturers. They yet only offer fixed blades and the quality is outstanding though i would recommend to get coated or stonewashed blades because the satin ones may come with some minor scratches which I don't mind considering the relatively low price. They also warn about that on their website I think, so I am fine with it.
My models in particular are the "Apocalypse L": one in satin finish and green handle, the other one in stonewashed and black.
I just took a look at their website and noticed that some things are outdated and not mentioned. If you have questions about them I could probably help you out with informations I collected through a few european dealers.
Oh and they currently use N690, M390, ELMAX and Vanadis 4 Extra.
I've waited many years for them to get these in stock. Didn't want to pay secondary market prices. I love mine. Thanks for the video.
bigpoppa578 I was in the same boat.
I bought the same knife at least 2 months ago I'm still carrying it the pm2 is one of my favorite takes a very fine edge.
I picked up the blue m390 Bentobox PM2 a while back, great knife.
Me too Michael! I loves my pm2 in M390. I use a KME sharpener and get a polished edge also but not to 3.2 million grit! I stop at translucent stone or .01 grit liquid on leather. I can do both my pm2's this way, the other S110v and altho they look alive in polish the M390 is a light sabre compared to the S110 edge. I was told the S110 was a toothy edge. The M390 floats thru paper like it didn't touch it. I would love to see how you rate it after doing some cutting tasks like you have done with other steels.
Billthesheepdog Usually, on stuff like paper and plastic bags. I don't feel (or barely feel) what I'm cutting through if a knife is freshly sharpened. I've carried the M390 PM2 for more then a month using it. I live the way the steel performs.
Just wanted to say I got one of these with red scales (DLT exclusive) thanks to this vid. You're a hell of a salesman to a newer spyderco enthusiast. Anxious to see how it stacks up against my "blurple" manix 2.
Quinton D. It’ll be interesting to see which model you like more.
Michael Christy
I'm sort of betting I'll like the PM2 better as a whole. The Manix will remain my everyday blade just because it's so much beefier everywhere and way easier to replace. Interested to see how the compression lock stacks up against the ball bearing.
Quinton D. It’s just a matter of which lock you prefer. I very much prefer the compression lock over the ball bearing lock, but to each their own.
You may like Lion Steel Roundhead Euro-Barlow its a traditional in M390. Should be coming out this month through collectorknives. Thanks for the video.
Soslan1812 that's interesting. I'm going to need to look into that. Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks Michael. Thanks for the input
Very articulate review. Imparts confidence.
Hey!!! 4 yrs later i just bought this knife.
I wish i knew how to judge the value of an older para 2
Or where to buy it.
I found it on ebay.he wanted 350
I paid 300
I hope i didnt overpay mych but i love 390 still
You have awesome content. I just got the dlt trading version of this knife. Same steel red handles though. Thanks for the videos
49Giants thank you.
I really dig your videos please keep new ones coming great knife 🌰 nut vids
osmosis 01 thanks.
I just got one of these on the secondary market, in brand new condition, for a very good price. It’s from the 2nd run of them that Bento Box did.....guy I bought it from got it from Bento in March, 2017. Its a terrific knife! M390 is just awesome. Mine does have a little lock-stick. The harder you flick it open, The greater the lock-stick. Any suggestions on how to fix this?? Thanks!!
Michael Werblin rotate the stop pin.
Michael Christy thanks.......I’ll give that a try.
One of the best!!! I love the pm2
Dubglock23 it's a great knife!!!
Another great video. You also get M4 extremely sharp. Of course the properties of M4 and M390 are much different but do they both reach the same sharpness?
Terry Bodenhorn I think the potential is there, although M4 might be easier to get a very sharp edge on, and is consequently more noted for it.
@Michael Christy If you also like small knives AND enjoy beautiful-looking designs, then you could check out the Fox Knives' *Suru* (designed by Jesper "Vox" Voxnaes) too. I am getting the coppershread carbon fiber/Titanium lock variant with stone-washed M390 blade. 7pcs are still in stock at UrbanEDCSupply
Great vid and awesome pickup! I like the corrosion resistance of m390. Living in the south, a day of yard work in the summer had my s30v spotting up slightly. I've picked up a Strider in cts-40cp which is about 16-17% chromium and seems like it's going to be a razor after I sharpen it. Any thoughts on cts-40cp? I don't see it offered anywhere else.
blueline561 CTS-40cp is Carpenters version of 440C, so 1.20 carbon, 16 to 18 chromium, 1.00 manganese, .75 moly, and a few other values. I assume it's made with powder metallurgy. 440C made with powder metallurgy and Striders heat treat could be really interesting.
Michael Christy I'll keep you posted!
Michael Christy Well, after roughly a month of use on a fairly regular basis, I was able to strop the cts-40cp back to hair whittling using bark river black and green compound on leather. The edge never chipped or rolled during use, so it was always in relatively good shape. Corrosion resistance is noticeably better than their s30v. Just thought I'd share my experience.
blueline561 that's great to hear. I would expect, given the composition of the steel, that the right strops would have a significant effect as long the edge was not too damaged from use.
any preference between m390 and 204p? love the pm2 but have xlg hands and thinking about the kW military cts204p
Rogue Eroo 204p is supposed to hold an edge longer, but I haven't done the test myself.
I love your videos Micheal keep'em coming 👍
👍's up and enjoyed. I have been trying the different compounds and diamond sprays on bass wood and leather. Am getting some good results. I go back and watch your older videos a lot and it has helped me. Where do you buy diamond spray Like .005 I have found 1/10 but that is about as far as I have been able to find. Thank you and keep them coming as you can. Hope all have a blessed day.
Randy Parker the .05 and .025 I found on Amazon. (I don't know if they're always available on there, but they were and I jumped on it.). The .005 I bought directly from Ken Schwartz, who makes them.
I'm glad the videos are helping.
Would you recommend m390 or s110v for a low maintenance daily driver?
John Baker either. But S110V will have lower edge stability.
What system would you recommend for the novice knife sharpener, mostly A2, S30v, D2, etc.
Damen0530 there are things to learn from guided sharpening systems. Lansky is a good system to start with.
Hi, I always hear you say you don't go for a polish and instead go for a coarse edge. Can you pls expound further? I'm new to sharpening so I may not be following but I would've thought that if you take the edge all through to EEF DMT and UF ceramic then you're already putting a fine edge to it. I thought that when people say they put a coarse edge on a knife they're referring to something like a coarse DMT or somewhere around 400 - 600 grit.
corismsyn they usually are referring to something like a 400-600 grit edge. When I say coarse finish, I mean something not polished, where a scratch pattern can easily be seen. I refine the coarse finish with fine stones and strops without removing it.
Michael Christy I see. Thanks for explaining. Does the sharpness differ if you leave the finish coarse vs polished? Actually..I think you tested yhhis with your ZDP video. I wonder if results are the same with any steel. Maybe it depends on the steel and the sharpening protocol?
corismsyn it does depend on the steel and sharpening.
Michael Christy Thanks
Love that knife and steel
when stropping a knife and making a strop do you use the smooth side or the grainy side of the leather
osmosis 01 it depends on the compound and the leather, by usually for sprays I use the smooth side.
Hi, I am new to knives. Do you think as a beginner an m390 knife would be OK to get? Or should I get something else
John Eli as a new user, M390 should be fine. As a new sharpener, you may want to start out with something easier.
Hey michael, i see you like m390 as well as m4. Which do you prefer for a edc knife. The m390 pm2 or the gb2 in m4??
olmmedic I'm not sure which I like more, M390 or M4. However, I like the M390 PM2 more then the GB2 in M4. I like the colors or the GB2 more, but overall design and usability, the PM2.
Which are your favorite steels for fixed blades Michael ?
Alex Great depends on the fixed blade, but I like ESEE’s quite a bit. Small fixed blades can be a different story.
Silly question but where do you find the leather for your strops?
Jay Lim Amazon. Or arts and craft stores.
Gladh u got one this time pal! :)
Burak Yilmaz thanks. So am I.
Awesome video
Thanks
Zaheer Kader thank you.
What would u charge for a set of those strops that u take with you?
Dubglock23 I don't know. They were just pieces of leather with compound on them. Might be better if I actually made you strops. We can talk off line. michaelchristy13@gmail.com
What is the size of the blade? I’ve been trying to find it but bentobox doesnt show specs.
Yaxel Castaneda it’s the same as any PM2’s blade, 3.46 inch. Or around 87mm or 88mm.
Sorry to hog the channel this way, but I just ordered a knife in 20cv.
1 x Rick Hinderer Knives XM-18 Harpoon Spanto Folding Knife, Stonewashed 3.5" Plain Edge CPM-20CV Blade, Stonewashed Lockside, Coyote Brown G-10 Handle
Isnt 20cv a loose cousin of M390? I was told it is a copy of the M390 give or take a bit. 204p is also the same yes?
Billthesheepdog yes, they are all very close. Very little differences in the composition. The three steels are different generation PM steels, so the grain sizes are different. They should all be good performers.
Hey. As you are using m390 for a while. Which angel of edge would you advice to me? I got factory edge and wanted to reprofile. Going to use dmt magna guide as i cant reprofile freehand. Dmt diafold coarse will do its work i hope. Ive checked magna guides chart but still being confused. it says angel chart (degrees) and those degreese are inclusive or perside? I think per side right? So on which guide rod should i pot mine? 6th or 5th? Or even 4th? I will apriciate your answer a lot.
M FM I’m not familiar with the guided system you’re using. I usually sharpen something like M390 at 30 inclusive.
M390 or s110v in edge retention?
Jack Chueh S110V will have better edge retention then M390.
Michael Christy but which ones easier to sharpen? S110V is meant to be really hard.
Dream Para!
Jorgen Sandstrom they're still available.
Yeah i know. Have one on the way. Have waited years for this one. Super stoked! Oh and a Para 3 at the end of this month (pre order).
Do they make the military in M390?
I think they made one years ago. However, they recently made a Military in 204p, which is very close to M390.
Knife Works had an exclusive run with carbon fiber handle scales and M390.This was about 5 yrs. ago.Nice knife,very light weight.
How long will that edge last
Damen0530 well, the last time it was still whittling hairs a month later with a few minutes of stropping.
Michael would you say m390 or cruwear gets to a more polished edge?
Daniel Nguyen CruWear
What about 52100? I love the feel of super blue on my kitchen knives and want something that is comparable. I'm willing to trade off a bit of performance for corrosion resistance though. Between m390, cruwear, and 52100 what is your favorite?
Daniel Nguyen I like all of them, but find CruWear the most interesting. I would choose CruWear. High toughness, takes the best edge, and things get interesting when you polish the edge on it.
Michael Christy how long does it take you from start to finish on a knife normally?
Daniel Nguyen it depends on what type of edge I’m doing.
Hello there.Ive enjoyed your video about m390 pm2. Recently purchased one for me on ebay. Also purchased dmt diafold sharpeners. And want to ask you what should i go for now? To sharpen and care edge of my m390, also i got wildlife hatchet from gransfors bruk with swedish steel and made tanto and wakizashi from cpm 3v. And i want to get sharpening gear, like to fit all my stuff. I was thinking about spyderco ultrafine like you got, but what about dimansions of stone? There are two i guess one wide and one narrow, which to pick? 3x8 or 2x8? And honestly i dont know anything about strops and compounds and wanted to ask you to school me about that. Where to get strops for my gear and which compounds will i need?Thanks in advance.
M FM 3X8 Ultrafine. But you can do the hatchet with anything. It’ll polish really nice from water stones.
Where do you get it?
I want this one.
Pichate Nusungnoen it’s a Bento Box exclusive.
I have the new one in black blade.ngreat knife
damn bro can i send you my knife for sharpening?
Brian Kerby I don't take sharpening jobs anymore. But there are lots of talented sharpeners on the groups if you need work done.
Dlt has one in m390 in red for 130 dollars
You will get a burr you cant get a wire edge tho. That's different then a burr
skank hunt 48 you’re wrong. A burr is a wire edge.
The american virtuovice
Hello there.Ive enjoyed your video about m390 pm2. Recently purchased one for me on ebay. Also purchased dmt diafold sharpeners. And want to ask you what should i go for now? To sharpen and care edge of my m390, also i got wildlife hatchet from gransfors bruk with swedish steel and made tanto and wakizashi from cpm 3v. And i want to get sharpening gear, like to fit all my stuff. I was thinking about spyderco ultrafine like you got, but what about dimansions of stone? There are two i guess one wide and one narrow, which to pick? 3x8 or 2x8? And honestly i dont know anything about strops and compounds and wanted to ask you to school me about that. Where to get strops for my gear and which compounds will i need?Thanks in advance.