Totally. At the end of a hard use day I tune my Knockout up with a Lansky and she's ready to go. Zero rust (I live in Florida), and the blade has zero wiggle up or down, left or right. Great knife.
These are perfect! I live in Florida and im a surveyor so the topo handles fit in with my aesthetic! I need like ten of these to hand out to some fellow employees
Thanks for the info, Aaron. I'm definitely much more interested in this version. In my always-hot, always-humid environment, pocket knives made from D2 are prone to very rapid rusting. By contrast, 14C28N is much more stain resistant, and I really don't miss any edge-retention advantage that D2 might offer.
Sandvik has been one of my favorite knife steels ever since I bought an all stainless Kershaw Leek so many years ago. I still have it & EDC it to this day.
I snapped the tip off my all stainless leek and left it with a bomb tech in Africa. I replaced it with an all stainless steel Random Leek which I really like. Awesome little EDC. I bought one for my son. He loves it.
Knockout 14c28n is my working knife. EDC is a Leek. BOTH U.S. MADE. Obviously we can't avoid buying Chinese made goods. It's just a feature of our society currently. But buying US products when you can keeps your fellow countryman employed. I'm a Gideon follower; I just don't buy Chinese knives. Ever. I don't even look at them.
Is the situation really that bad in America as they are telling us here in Europe? That people are losing jobs and everything is expensive....etc? I know this is a knife channel, but I saw the opportunity to get info from real people.. not just television propaganda
@@ludikonj8927 Our social condition is deteriorating depending on your outlook. Right now we're going through a phase where cross-dressers and transvestites are being given legitimacy. Transvestism is a well documented mental infirmity but soft politicians have found opportunities to pander to these goofballs. It too will pass. The economy is ticking along and is currently in poor condition when you consider the sky high inflation that has ravaged our economy which coincided with the election of Joe Biden. This too will pass. Crime is through the roof also as a result of soft policies on criminals. The singular factor that has kept our republic from devolving to a dependent socialist society is our right to keep and bare arms. That keeps an aggressive and bloated government at bay. Other than the retarded transvestites, economic inflation, and crime, the other grave issue is immigration. Not just over the southern border but particularly from the Middle East. These folks intend to conquer this society. They have no intent in "Americanize". That's a big problem. Good question. If you're an American citizen, don't forget to vote. And if you vote for a democrat, you get what we're getting currently.
@@737AMT There are lots of awesome knives out there. I don't own any of them really. I have like 8 knives and a year ago I had three. I don't collect knives. To me that is a colossal waste of money and is an impulse issue. BUT, I appreciate a good knife and my line of work requires a solid moderate-hard use knife. I like the Knockout so much that I bought a second one, a blem, and tossed it in my tool box for that inevitable day when I lose my current one or break it and there is no evidence whatever after five years of use that this Knockout will break. It is tough as hell. My current one has DYI jimping cut into it with a Dremel for traction. I also have beefier clips on both Knockouts. The factory clip is pretty weak. In my opinion deep carry clips are useless but I guess some guys like them. I'm not trying to hide my knife. It's a tool and I enjoy not fighting with my pocket for my knife when I need it. But to each his own of course. Also in my opinion, in case anyone is curious which I'm sure you're not, is that I give very little consideration to pocket knives as "Tactical" self-defense knives. That's what .45 ACP is for.
14c was made for razor blades, it’s perfect for thin edges, & gets super sharp! For a slicer it’s definitely one of the best non pm steels! Also I’d like to see a version with carbon fiber & something like S35VN for about 170,- US$.
Not gonna lie, gonna go m390 all day. 14c28n is a great steel though and I’d prefer it over the standard d2, especially fitting for kershaw seeing as how they had sandvik develop it for them. I’ve been sad seeing them go away from it when it was a staple in their lineup for so many years. Im glad to see it’s return on a newer model. They need to return to USA made semi affordable models in 14c! I Would love that!!! That ken onion era at kershaw was epic!
I'm glad to see Kershaw trying to make a come back , early 2000s Kershaw was in alot of pockets, I have a few Snap-on version Kershaws off the tool truck
I don't think it should be what steel do you want your knife in but what task to you want the knife to do? Then choose the steel. I have a very mixed knife collection, one thing I dont have is any super steels. I can sharpen what I have just fine. I love the small Victorinox pen style sharpener for a quick touch up in the field.
D2 and 14C28N both have their advantages and disadvantages. D2 is a tool steel, therefore more susceptible to corrosion, but has a relatively high wear resistance and therefore a relatively high edge retention. D2 from good production with good hardening is anything but a bad steel for knives. The 14C28N is a chrome steel and is therefore highly corrosion-resistant. Another property of 14C28N is its relatively high toughness. When it comes to edge retention, the 14C28N doesn't come close to D2, but it is at a good level. The Böhler N690 is also a good non-powder steel, with a very fine, homogeneous microstructure, which has a high corrosion resistance and performs very well with cryogenic hardening. Two other good non-powder steels are, for example, Sleipner (tool steel) and Niolox (chrome steel). All in all, the 14C28N is a really good non-powder steel and a good choice for knives in the lower price segment.
@@olivierbatiste6035 154CM or e.g. ATS34 are good steels and were often used by knife makers over 20 years ago. Today the steels hardly play a role anymore, not because they are bad, but there are so many other steels, especially powder steels and most times the better is the enemy of the good. By the way, there is also a powder steel version of 154CM -> CPM 154 and it's a significant improvement.
@@achimgeist5185 when you say 154 cpm is significantly better than its brother 154cm, I remember Jared from kneeves knives saying he prefers the CM version over the CPM. He prefers the more bite to the edge on the CM , over the CPM. That being said the only thing I can see between the two is the CPM has the evenly distributed properties in the steel, otherwise exactly the same. PS and the CM will be at a cheaper price.
@@daveyboy6985 The composition of the alloy of 154CM and CPM 154 is the same. In the powder steel version, however, the microstructure is significantly finer and the alloy components are more evenly distributed. The grain size of the carbides is smaller, the result is a greater toughness and, since the hard carbides are more evenly distributed, also improved wear resistance. CPM 154 can be polished better and the fine structure allows a finer cutting edge to be formed, which has a positive effect on cutting performance.
I'm one who's been living under a rock. Props to Kershaw for this design and producing versions in different tiers. I like the design a lot. I'm sure there were other inspirations, but it reminds me of a Sebenza crossed with the old Benchmade Sequel. I haven't purchased anything from Kersaw in over 20 years, but I may have to pick one of these up. I have no problem with D-2 or 14C, but I like the scales on that 14C version so much that it would probably make the choice for me.
The Mora Garberg uses Sandvik 14c28n…. Hard to beat. Between the two, I choose Sandvik, but I live on Gulf Coast and need the corrosion resistance. Speaking of which, I’m waiting for a Condor Bushscot, it’s in 14c28n. Thanks for the videos, you’ve been doing a great job!
SANDVIK 14C28N is very similar to D2 but with better corrosion resistance in my opinion. I like it on my Kershaw Blur and is easy to sharpen. I'll take either over 420HC or 440C
G'day Aaron, 14C is my fav budget steel, never had a poor one. I did try a budget D2 job as an experiment, holds an edge only marginally better than 8Cr, though more effort to sharpen and spotted up within a coupla days, .... even before first use. Maybe I got a lemon, or the 8Cr was particularly good in my comparison piece, maybe both, but hey, I can only call it as I found it. With this particular design, I like it well enough, though I wouldn't by paying for M390, 14C would do me just fine. Cheers Duke.
I grew in a semi-arid climate, but currently live in the MidWest, I have yet to have trouble with D2 oxidizing. The worst case of oxidization in my collection is a CASE CV Sodbuster.
Try a controlled patina "drawing" patterns with vinegar and mustard, you'd be surprised. I edc a grey Spyderco Manix II in Maxamet steel which is very well rust protected that way and therefore aesthetically customized.
I pass on so many Kershaw's because of D2 or 8cr and the assist feature. I liked The assist on my leek which was one of my first EDC knives years ago. But I've moved past them a long time ago and will not use any assisted unless it's a OTF or Pro-Tech Auto. 14 c. I would have bought one of these a long time ago. I have to worry about rust where I live so I don't do the D2 anymore.
I love my carbon fiber Iridium and almost got the topo "budget" version ($100 now) but I don't like the G-10 backspacer. I'd have snapped it up with almost any color of aluminum backspacer, though I think it'd look best with silver or blue.
super glad to see Kershaw delivering good designs at good prices , and to be really honest for the buyer's expectations . And Shrade at low prices ,brings unexpected specs by the heat treatment of their steel
14c28n/Nitro-V are the best budget steels out there. There is no changing my mind on that. I have had the best super steels out there and price to performance, those are unmatched.
As much as I would enjoy owning an M390 blade knife, I cannot personally justify that cost given what I use my knives for. 14C28N does everything I need it to an beyond and will likely do so since I've gone most of my life using low-end (I mean like 3CR steel low end) blades and never thought of wanting something stronger until recently.
In general sandvik i prefer, however sogs cryo d2 is nothing to sneeze at. Its by far my favorite d2 that ive tried. Its easy to sharpen and stays sharp.
My Iridium is my favorite knife. I like both of those knives but if I had the money I would definitelt go with the Carbon Fiber. That is a beautiful knife. If I ever have the money (and my wife lets me) I will get that fabtastic blade!!!
Just had to reprofile my D2 Iridium after cutting two zip ties off my mtn bike, surprisingly brittle stuff. Would've preferred it in 14c28n for sure. Hope they bring that to the reverse tanto and the Layup and switch to pb washers. I wouldn't pay more than their sale price though. $75 is already too high for made in China.
Am I missing something? Because I don’t like the axis style lock to me when you can do it on one side and it requires finger and thumb it doesn’t get me excited.. my favorite is pm compression style, or frame or shark.. let me know it’s possible I don’t know how good it is thanks 👍🏼
well, D2 can be very different depending where it comes from. if you get a Boehler K110 then you know what you got. my personal fav analog steel is 14C28N of course. corrosion resistant and tougher than many super steels.
The Kershaw 14c28n got a bad rap because when it was sharpened on the belt at the factory, the edge was getting overheated and the temper was taken out of the edge of the blade and when you took the factory edge off it took a good deal of material removal to get back into the 'good' steel so your edge would be what one would expect. I collected Kershaw for a long time but stopped about 2014 because of the 'china made, gas station 8cr13mov steel, junk knife of the week' . The 14c28n steel is awesome once you get into the 'good' steel. I would rather have it than the m390. I have both and its FAR-FAR easier to get a really good edge on the 14c28n and if you need to totally re-sharpen, it wont take all day to get it right. Kershaw D2 isnt bad, but isnt great, either....gimme the 14c28n any day
Great looking knife at a graet price at $75 with a good steel my favorite locking system and made in America I’m guessing 😊. My only gripe is that handle it’s a little loud.
Like your top tier Kershaw looks like a Bench made bugout wipeout.( I'm a long time fan of Kershaw) as i used to set their booth @ the SH.O.T. Show,a long w a few competitors. They were good clients and generous w products,s i became partial and familiar with the Brand
D2 is legitimately one of my most hated steels. It has the worst combination of all the properties: chippy, a pain to resharpen, and not stainless. D2 is why I don't own an Iridium. I will avoid it (and 8Cr13MoV) at all costs.
I really like 14C28N, so easy to sharpen on my sharpmaker, takes a crazy edge also. What gives it the edge over D2 imo is the angle you can give it, since it's way tougher you have a lot more freedom. That being said, if you give me the choice of a free knife in m390 or 14C28N, i'm gonna take m390, i already have a lot of 14C28N 😂
Dont take m390 that's poorly heat treated. 98% of the knives on the market in m390 are poor performance and low value due to the poor heat treatments they get for m390. How do you not know that?
Unless its from Reate, TRM or spyderco, theirs zero point in getting 20cv or m390. 61rc ideally 62rc or 60-61 with secondary hardening are the only acceptable cases. Anything less is Garbo
14C28N is certainly better than D2 but 440C is a better option than either for a budget knife. I still struggle to figure out how D2 became such a ubiquitous budget steel over 440C in the first place.
G'day Andrew, I've only one example of 440C, on a Ganzo G720, yep solid stuff alright and would certainly buy again at the price point. Yep forget D2, from my limited experience with it anyway, though must say; I've a few more in 14C, and very "consistently" good for the dough IMO. I'd throw in 9Cr18MoV as a good option too if you come across it. Cheers Duke.
I'm so hoping the reverse tanto comes to other stores in 14c. Kershaw needs to take a page out of Civivi's Elementum playbook. Got a hit? Sell it baby, all the variations.
Love the 14C28 version for the price, but the M390 is kind of meh, and that version is too big of a price jump for M390 steel. Plus, I'm just not that excited about carbon fiber anymore. Do a magnacut with OD Green Topo lines instead of white and sell it for $189.99, and I'll buy 2.
The M390 version is awesome, great premium steel but not sure about $199 being a sale price. There are other great knives with M390 for the same price or even lower. A Magnacut version would be even better!
Zt still fails spin whacks and still has low hardness on all their steels despite the advertising once saying 62rc across the board. Most of them were like 58rc and burnt from sharpening on a hot grinder.
The Iridium really is a home run. I had one and it was great. Just didn't feel like owning any Chinese made Kershaws anymore. It is nice they've finally made a budget version with 14C. Nice option for those living in a perpetually humid environment. At least for those of us that pined for a USA-made version (which will never happen) we've got a consolation prize in the Bel Air, which is awesome. Picked one up the other day and it is absolutely the superior knife next to the Iridium in every way, just smaller. 😎🙏
I’m glad to hear that you can pronounce Topo correctly…. There is more than one RUclipsr that incorrectly pronounces it as “top-oh”… I’m proud of you…good work
personally i always hated d2, i hate how it sharpens & how easily it pits, dislike the edge it takes and how easily it chips. it's just not a good edc steel, not even a good knife steel in the first place. what i learned is that my (uncoated) knives in cruwear have a MUCH better corrosion resistance than any d2 knife i ever had, which i found very weird since cruwear has only ~7.5 cr. in the alloy and d2 about 12%. later i read on knifesteelnerds that the chromium in d2 almost entirely ends up in the carbides during the ht, with almost no cr. left to protect the surface. in other tool steels like 3v or cruwear this isn't as extreme, so they have less cr. to begin with but end up with more free chromium after the ht and thus are much more stain resistant. edit: i really like 14c28n and consider to get one of these, the design looks very nice anyway! cheers
No, in 3v you have two options, high heat temper which 99% of knives use and it rusts easy. Or low heat temper that takes longer to rust... But still rusts.
Roman Landes Heat Treatment recommendation: Now this is what I would recommend for heat treat cpm 3v: 1st preheat: 500-600°C, equalize 2nd preheat:800-900°C, equalize Authenize: 1060-1070°C, equalize, soak 30-35min Quench in Oil preheated 60-80°C Cryo: immediately after cleaning, minimum -80°C or lower soak 30min 1st Temper: 150°C equalize, soak 2hrs, quench in water Cryo: immediately after temper 2nd Temper: 180-200°C equalize, soak 2hrs should give you 60+ and a fine durable grain. RGDS Roman This is why I would do it like this. The "receipt" suitable is for a vacuum furnace (Quench with maximum pressure) or a regular cline, but surface protection has to be assured. Salt bath will cut the soak time approximately by 1/3 and thus give better aust-grain. The preheating steps will assure the the austenization steps can be done quick. Quicker speed >> smaller grain Authenization temperature is dedicated to dissolve Chrome and Molybdenum >> fair hardness and some enhanced "Stainresistance" is to be expected. The vanadium will remain in the steel bond as a compound of carbon, hence aust-grain cant really grow The oil quench is suitable for any steel out of the air hardening classes. The thin cross sections get higher hardness after quench (greater volume fraction of martensite) and a less stabilized volume fraction retained austenite. (The volume fraction of RA can be expected (near guess) between 20 and 30% or even higher) Warping of the blade shall not be an issue with these materials. If you have done a lot of hard mechanical work before hardening (milling, grinding,)then do a stress relief so warping gets less likely. The cryo needs to be done as quick as possible below -80°C. RA tends to stabilize rather quickly after the quench (some reports speak of minutes) The longer you wait, the less efficient the transformation to untempered martensite will be. And a minimum of -70°C is necessary to get enough stress into the micro structure, so the transformation (RA>>Martensite) process can restart again. Extensive soak time is not necessary since the process runs at hypersonic speed. But still there will be remains of RA that need to be addressed by the 2nd cryo. The first temper is a low temper so the remaining RA is stabilized at the lowest level possible and at the same time there is enough stress relief in the martensite that has been built and furthermore the transformation from tetragonal to cubic martensite is started. The water quench speeds the whole thing up and avoids precipitation of embrittling phases. Then the rest of the remaining RA will be attacked by the 2nd cryo (usually the RA will drop below 5% volume fraction) so burr formation is less likely. 2nd temper will now temper the untempered martensite build up by the cryo and bring the blade to a fully tempered martensitic structure with a low volume fraction of RA and a fair amount of carbides undissolved. Of course there is the question why not temper it at 540°C? First of all, if you don't have access to cryo then this is your way to go. In my studies of edge stability I did extensive work to compare secondary hardening and low temper with cryo. The results (reference is my graduate thesis 1999 Munich University of Applied Sciences) I found considerable higher edge stability with the samples that had low temper/cryo The material used at the time was ATS-34 all with the same charge and thus the same condition of austinization, but with different temper cycles. RGDS Roman
i'm obviously not an expert and i can only speak from my experience with my own knives, but so far my spyderco ayoob cruwear sprint has never showed any rust or even a single pit and i've used it for pretty much anything. i had it in my sweaty pocket for hours lol and even forgot to clean the blade a few times after cutting fruits and veggies and aside from a light discoloration (which looks pretty cool anyway) there's absolutely nothing. same goes for my cold steel ak47 field knife in 3v and my cruwear mini adamas (which is coated but the edge never had any staining). i had d2 knives in the past, some expensive ones from boker germany and many budget folders and i basically always had pitting problems, even on the knives i cleaned rigorously, which is crazy since i carry and use1095 gecs, which i have no issues with. also calling larrin thomas a joke is disrespectful in my opinion, his website has a lot of very valuable information (name me a better source for knife people) and his magnacut steel in my sharps bros, hogue and pro-tech is simply one of the best stainless steels i've ever used, it's basically stain proof as long as you use it for normal daily stuff, it holds the edge for a very long time, sharpens up very nice (and easy!) and is surprisingly tough for a ss.
I Definitely prefer the best edge holding capability as first priority. I take good care of my knives, so corrosion resistance is lower priority. Honestly, diamond hones are how I get my primary edge, so "excessive hardness" is NOT an issue for me. One thing you don't mention often with folders is blade thickness. This is a priority for me, with the thicker overbuilt blades as preferable. There are some (often expensive) knife makers cheaping out with the blade thickness using terms like "slicey" etc to excuse ripping off the customer narrowing the blade thickness. As a result, I refuse to buy from these manufacturers regardless how trendy or popular they may be with the generally uninformed, ignorant public that doesn't understand basic physics or engineering principles of how a thicker blade will by definition be stronger and more durable. Additional weight? Really?? Are you so weak an extra ounce will tire you out?? Man up!
I wonder how many know 14c28n was made for kershaw. So they should have heat treatment down. M390 when around 60 rockwell it can be brittle. I love 14c28n it's one of my favorite steels.
M390 at 62 isn't even brittle. You are ignorant. Its also a wear Resistance steel. Not a toughness steel. Its for slicing. You can't even find most m390 above 60rc other than Reate or spyderco.
@@tacticalcenter8658 really explain why kershaw had many blades cracking installing thumbsstuds. Wanna know how I know. I bought a knockout in m390 with a cracked blade. It was a nightmare because of covid. I never did get it fixed because kershaw just wanted to give me my money back. They stopped making the m390 knockout. This is experience I've had you can disagree it doesn't change the truth. Not to mention m390 doesn't really have better edge retention then 14c28n. Maybe go look up old videos on edge retention. Most of these super steels are just super marketing.
D2s edge retention absolutely does hold up to the height of the company you're getting it from heat treats it in a way that D2 is supposed to be heat treated... A lot of cheap Chinese d2 knives don't hold up, you're right. But it can hold an edge with some of the better super steals if heat treated properly. I'm not saying that all Chinese companies do their d2 like crap. But you get what you pay for
Between the two, I'd go 14C28N every time for an EDC knife. Were I in the market for an Iridium, that's the one I'd go with. Unfortunately, I'm subject to sub-3" requirements for knife carry, so the Iridium doesnt have much use for me. Though, I did buy one of the D2 versions for my father in law to use at work and he loves it.
Realsteel knives does 14c28n up to 61rc. I dont really want it below 60rc. But at the right price 58 to 60 can be okay as long as its low enough. 75 is too much for low hardness and China.
As a resident in the deep south where humidity is usually high, 14c28n is the preferred option over d2 easily.
Totally!!
Plus it’s easier to sharpen
Is that the sanvick he was talking about??
Yup
Totally. At the end of a hard use day I tune my Knockout up with a Lansky and she's ready to go. Zero rust (I live in Florida), and the blade has zero wiggle up or down, left or right. Great knife.
These are perfect! I live in Florida and im a surveyor so the topo handles fit in with my aesthetic! I need like ten of these to hand out to some fellow employees
14C28N was developed for Kershaw in cooperation with Sandvik, so It's good to see them start using it more again.
Thanks for the info, Aaron. I'm definitely much more interested in this version. In my always-hot, always-humid environment, pocket knives made from D2 are prone to very rapid rusting. By contrast, 14C28N is much more stain resistant, and I really don't miss any edge-retention advantage that D2 might offer.
Sandvik has been one of my favorite knife steels ever since I bought an all stainless Kershaw Leek so many years ago. I still have it & EDC it to this day.
I snapped the tip off my all stainless leek and left it with a bomb tech in Africa. I replaced it with an all stainless steel Random Leek which I really like. Awesome little EDC. I bought one for my son. He loves it.
@@allwrong3114
That fine tip is it's only weakness.
@@PerceptionVsReality333 Agree.
Knockout 14c28n is my working knife. EDC is a Leek. BOTH U.S. MADE. Obviously we can't avoid buying Chinese made goods. It's just a feature of our society currently. But buying US products when you can keeps your fellow countryman employed. I'm a Gideon follower; I just don't buy Chinese knives. Ever. I don't even look at them.
💯
Knockout was a great blade. Always wanted a g10 version of it.
Is the situation really that bad in America as they are telling us here in Europe? That people are losing jobs and everything is expensive....etc?
I know this is a knife channel, but I saw the opportunity to get info from real people.. not just television propaganda
@@ludikonj8927 Our social condition is deteriorating depending on your outlook. Right now we're going through a phase where cross-dressers and transvestites are being given legitimacy. Transvestism is a well documented mental infirmity but soft politicians have found opportunities to pander to these goofballs. It too will pass. The economy is ticking along and is currently in poor condition when you consider the sky high inflation that has ravaged our economy which coincided with the election of Joe Biden. This too will pass. Crime is through the roof also as a result of soft policies on criminals. The singular factor that has kept our republic from devolving to a dependent socialist society is our right to keep and bare arms. That keeps an aggressive and bloated government at bay. Other than the retarded transvestites, economic inflation, and crime, the other grave issue is immigration. Not just over the southern border but particularly from the Middle East. These folks intend to conquer this society. They have no intent in "Americanize". That's a big problem. Good question. If you're an American citizen, don't forget to vote. And if you vote for a democrat, you get what we're getting currently.
@@737AMT There are lots of awesome knives out there. I don't own any of them really. I have like 8 knives and a year ago I had three. I don't collect knives. To me that is a colossal waste of money and is an impulse issue. BUT, I appreciate a good knife and my line of work requires a solid moderate-hard use knife. I like the Knockout so much that I bought a second one, a blem, and tossed it in my tool box for that inevitable day when I lose my current one or break it and there is no evidence whatever after five years of use that this Knockout will break. It is tough as hell. My current one has DYI jimping cut into it with a Dremel for traction. I also have beefier clips on both Knockouts. The factory clip is pretty weak. In my opinion deep carry clips are useless but I guess some guys like them. I'm not trying to hide my knife. It's a tool and I enjoy not fighting with my pocket for my knife when I need it. But to each his own of course. Also in my opinion, in case anyone is curious which I'm sure you're not, is that I give very little consideration to pocket knives as "Tactical" self-defense knives. That's what .45 ACP is for.
I’ve only had a few D2 blades I’ve liked. I’ve always been happy with the performance of the Sandvik Steels...
14c was made for razor blades, it’s perfect for thin edges, & gets super sharp! For a slicer it’s definitely one of the best non pm steels! Also I’d like to see a version with carbon fiber & something like S35VN for about 170,- US$.
Not gonna lie, gonna go m390 all day. 14c28n is a great steel though and I’d prefer it over the standard d2, especially fitting for kershaw seeing as how they had sandvik develop it for them. I’ve been sad seeing them go away from it when it was a staple in their lineup for so many years. Im glad to see it’s return on a newer model. They need to return to USA made semi affordable models in 14c! I Would love that!!! That ken onion era at kershaw was epic!
That is the first Kershaw Iridium that I like. The 14c28n one.
I'm glad to see Kershaw trying to make a come back , early 2000s Kershaw was in alot of pockets, I have a few Snap-on version Kershaws off the tool truck
I collected the old SnapOn Kershaws and many of them were the n690 steel which is also an awesome blade steel, IMO.
I prefer 14c28n any day over D2. It's stainless, is tough and sharpens easily.
I don't think it should be what steel do you want your knife in but what task to you want the knife to do? Then choose the steel. I have a very mixed knife collection, one thing I dont have is any super steels. I can sharpen what I have just fine. I love the small Victorinox pen style sharpener for a quick touch up in the field.
I picked up the CF M390 on the 1st run at $149
It's been fantastic and l have been carrying it over my CF M4 Bugout and other more expensive knives.
D2 and 14C28N both have their advantages and disadvantages. D2 is a tool steel, therefore more susceptible to corrosion, but has a relatively high wear resistance and therefore a relatively high edge retention. D2 from good production with good hardening is anything but a bad steel for knives. The 14C28N is a chrome steel and is therefore highly corrosion-resistant. Another property of 14C28N is its relatively high toughness. When it comes to edge retention, the 14C28N doesn't come close to D2, but it is at a good level. The Böhler N690 is also a good non-powder steel, with a very fine, homogeneous microstructure, which has a high corrosion resistance and performs very well with cryogenic hardening. Two other good non-powder steels are, for example, Sleipner (tool steel) and Niolox (chrome steel). All in all, the 14C28N is a really good non-powder steel and a good choice for knives in the lower price segment.
@@olivierbatiste6035 154CM or e.g. ATS34 are good steels and were often used by knife makers over 20 years ago. Today the steels hardly play a role anymore, not because they are bad, but there are so many other steels, especially powder steels and most times the better is the enemy of the good. By the way, there is also a powder steel version of 154CM -> CPM 154 and it's a significant improvement.
@@achimgeist5185 when you say 154 cpm is significantly better than its brother 154cm, I remember Jared from kneeves knives saying he prefers the CM version over the CPM.
He prefers the more bite to the edge on the CM , over the CPM.
That being said the only thing I can see between the two is the CPM has the evenly distributed properties in the steel, otherwise exactly the same.
PS and the CM will be at a cheaper price.
@@olivierbatiste6035 154 cm is a good steel, with a bit more edge retention over the 14c28n, but not much.
14c28n is quite a bit tougher though.
@@daveyboy6985 The composition of the alloy of 154CM and CPM 154 is the same. In the powder steel version, however, the microstructure is significantly finer and the alloy components are more evenly distributed. The grain size of the carbides is smaller, the result is a greater toughness and, since the hard carbides are more evenly distributed, also improved wear resistance. CPM 154 can be polished better and the fine structure allows a finer cutting edge to be formed, which has a positive effect on cutting performance.
Wish they'd use the blue CF from the obverse on this! Definitely would like to see regular distributor options in 14c28n and premium materials.
I'm one who's been living under a rock. Props to Kershaw for this design and producing versions in different tiers. I like the design a lot. I'm sure there were other inspirations, but it reminds me of a Sebenza crossed with the old Benchmade Sequel. I haven't purchased anything from Kersaw in over 20 years, but I may have to pick one of these up. I have no problem with D-2 or 14C, but I like the scales on that 14C version so much that it would probably make the choice for me.
The Mora Garberg uses Sandvik 14c28n…. Hard to beat. Between the two, I choose Sandvik, but I live on Gulf Coast and need the corrosion resistance. Speaking of which, I’m waiting for a Condor Bushscot, it’s in 14c28n.
Thanks for the videos, you’ve been doing a great job!
SANDVIK 14C28N is very similar to D2 but with better corrosion resistance in my opinion. I like it on my Kershaw Blur and is easy to sharpen. I'll take either over 420HC or 440C
Most of the EDC knives in my rotation are 14C28N, it's perfect for what I use them for and maintenance is not noticeably high.
G'day Aaron, 14C is my fav budget steel, never had a poor one. I did try a budget D2 job as an experiment, holds an edge only marginally better than 8Cr, though more effort to sharpen and spotted up within a coupla days, .... even before first use. Maybe I got a lemon, or the 8Cr was particularly good in my comparison piece, maybe both, but hey, I can only call it as I found it.
With this particular design, I like it well enough, though I wouldn't by paying for M390, 14C would do me just fine. Cheers Duke.
I grew in a semi-arid climate, but currently live in the MidWest, I have yet to have trouble with D2 oxidizing. The worst case of oxidization in my collection is a CASE CV Sodbuster.
Try a controlled patina "drawing" patterns with vinegar and mustard, you'd be surprised. I edc a grey Spyderco Manix II in Maxamet steel which is very well rust protected that way and therefore aesthetically customized.
One thing every knife nut notices about 14c28n blade steel is how fast and how easy it is to get razor sharp with MK.2
I pass on so many Kershaw's because of D2 or 8cr and the assist feature. I liked The assist on my leek which was one of my first EDC knives years ago. But I've moved past them a long time ago and will not use any assisted unless it's a OTF or Pro-Tech Auto. 14 c. I would have bought one of these a long time ago. I have to worry about rust where I live so I don't do the D2 anymore.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think these are assisted.
Love your videos; this time you showed us some great knives, AND I really loved the Hardside drinking system! Thank you!!😊
Awesome!! Glad you enjoy the videos every week and that hardside system does totally rock
I love my carbon fiber Iridium and almost got the topo "budget" version ($100 now) but I don't like the G-10 backspacer. I'd have snapped it up with almost any color of aluminum backspacer, though I think it'd look best with silver or blue.
super glad to see Kershaw delivering good designs at good prices , and to be really honest for the buyer's expectations . And Shrade at low prices ,brings unexpected specs by the heat treatment of their steel
14c28n/Nitro-V are the best budget steels out there. There is no changing my mind on that. I have had the best super steels out there and price to performance, those are unmatched.
I've got the M390 & CF one and love it. Planning to order the topo aluminum one too.
As much as I would enjoy owning an M390 blade knife, I cannot personally justify that cost given what I use my knives for. 14C28N does everything I need it to an beyond and will likely do so since I've gone most of my life using low-end (I mean like 3CR steel low end) blades and never thought of wanting something stronger until recently.
M390 is also way under done and over priced for how poorly its been heat treated across the market.
Howdy again! Great review! Love the Iridium…just ordered the Topo and will get the M390 soon! Saddle up!
In general sandvik i prefer, however sogs cryo d2 is nothing to sneeze at. Its by far my favorite d2 that ive tried. Its easy to sharpen and stays sharp.
Their Cryo does some to make a difference
My Iridium is my favorite knife. I like both of those knives but if I had the money I would definitelt go with the Carbon Fiber. That is a beautiful knife. If I ever have the money (and my wife lets me) I will get that fabtastic blade!!!
I love my blades in Sandvik 14c28n. I wish Boker would use that steel in their auto series.
Yeah...i have an AK74 in XHP and its very difficult to get an edge on it that lasts....once you DO, its great....until you need to re-sharpen it
Wish they'd use the blue CF from the obverse on this!
Just had to reprofile my D2 Iridium after cutting two zip ties off my mtn bike, surprisingly brittle stuff.
Would've preferred it in 14c28n for sure. Hope they bring that to the reverse tanto and the Layup and switch to pb washers.
I wouldn't pay more than their sale price though. $75 is already too high for made in China.
Am I missing something? Because I don’t like the axis style lock to me when you can do it on one side and it requires finger and thumb it doesn’t get me excited.. my favorite is pm compression style, or frame or shark.. let me know it’s possible I don’t know how good it is thanks 👍🏼
Dude! Thanks for the heads up. Just order the topo, it looks sick!
Hope you enjoy it!
Sandvik 14C28N is probably the best “budget” steel. I was waiting and hoping that this version would come out and it finally has!!!!!
well, D2 can be very different depending where it comes from. if you get a Boehler K110 then you know what you got.
my personal fav analog steel is 14C28N of course. corrosion resistant and tougher than many super steels.
I'm a sucker for edge retention. For budget friendly steels, I like D2.
I love this channel keep up the good work my man
The Kershaw 14c28n got a bad rap because when it was sharpened on the belt at the factory, the edge was getting overheated and the temper was taken out of the edge of the blade and when you took the factory edge off it took a good deal of material removal to get back into the 'good' steel so your edge would be what one would expect.
I collected Kershaw for a long time but stopped about 2014 because of the 'china made, gas station 8cr13mov steel, junk knife of the week' .
The 14c28n steel is awesome once you get into the 'good' steel. I would rather have it than the m390. I have both and its FAR-FAR easier to get a really good edge on the 14c28n and if you need to totally re-sharpen, it wont take all day to get it right.
Kershaw D2 isnt bad, but isnt great, either....gimme the 14c28n any day
Great looking knife at a graet price at $75 with a good steel my favorite locking system and made in America I’m guessing 😊. My only gripe is that handle it’s a little loud.
Yes hopefully they will offer more versions
Like your top tier Kershaw looks like a Bench made bugout wipeout.( I'm a long time fan of Kershaw) as i used to set their booth @ the SH.O.T. Show,a long w a few competitors. They were good clients and generous w products,s i became partial and familiar with the Brand
Kershaw needs to start a Custom shop on their page, even if there was some waiting time I think a lot of people would enjoy that.
D2 is legitimately one of my most hated steels. It has the worst combination of all the properties: chippy, a pain to resharpen, and not stainless. D2 is why I don't own an Iridium. I will avoid it (and 8Cr13MoV) at all costs.
Agreed. Chippy and glassy. I hate the way it takes an edge.
It feels like ceramic.
i personally am drawn to the aluminum and 14c version. both are cool however
I wish they still sold this version
Will the hard side hydro work on a stainless insulated bottle? Nice knife by the way.
Double check the website, I believe some but not all.
I love that topo fella. Also don't mind D2. Patiently waiting for the Bronze BHQ exclusive Iridium to return. That's the one I really want.
I really like 14C28N, so easy to sharpen on my sharpmaker, takes a crazy edge also. What gives it the edge over D2 imo is the angle you can give it, since it's way tougher you have a lot more freedom. That being said, if you give me the choice of a free knife in m390 or 14C28N, i'm gonna take m390, i already have a lot of 14C28N 😂
Dont take m390 that's poorly heat treated. 98% of the knives on the market in m390 are poor performance and low value due to the poor heat treatments they get for m390. How do you not know that?
Unless its from Reate, TRM or spyderco, theirs zero point in getting 20cv or m390. 61rc ideally 62rc or 60-61 with secondary hardening are the only acceptable cases. Anything less is Garbo
Looks awesome! Would love to see it with a black blade and im in
I'll take 14c28n over D2 any day. Wish they did micarta or g10 instead of aluminum because I hate it.
14C28N is certainly better than D2 but 440C is a better option than either for a budget knife. I still struggle to figure out how D2 became such a ubiquitous budget steel over 440C in the first place.
G'day Andrew, I've only one example of 440C, on a Ganzo G720, yep solid stuff alright and would certainly buy again at the price point. Yep forget D2, from my limited experience with it anyway, though must say; I've a few more in 14C, and very "consistently" good for the dough IMO. I'd throw in 9Cr18MoV as a good option too if you come across it. Cheers Duke.
I'm so hoping the reverse tanto comes to other stores in 14c. Kershaw needs to take a page out of Civivi's Elementum playbook. Got a hit? Sell it baby, all the variations.
Due to the high humidity where I live, D2 is out of the question. 14c28n is fantastic
Oh shit im in!!
It’s legit!
@gideonstactical that price though...$75 on sale when there are soo many good knives in 14c
@@maxlvledc ya hopefully they keep it low and come out with a version for distributors.
Looking forward to a Maxlvledc review on this Topo version.
I got the M390 one during the original release, I love it
I'm sorry, you got a low hardness m390 and paid too much for it.
The D2 scared me away from iridium’s. I have no hold up now. I like that handle pattern too. “Topo”?
Love the 14C28 version for the price, but the M390 is kind of meh, and that version is too big of a price jump for M390 steel. Plus, I'm just not that excited about carbon fiber anymore. Do a magnacut with OD Green Topo lines instead of white and sell it for $189.99, and I'll buy 2.
Sandvik all day! Great video as usual!
The M390 version is awesome, great premium steel but not sure about $199 being a sale price. There are other great knives with M390 for the same price or even lower. A Magnacut version would be even better!
love it but I don't like how you can't choke up with the heist/iridium
14c28n all the way . My D2 rusted in Puerto Rico on the beach while slicing a mango! Really 😂😂
Would prefer MagnaCut over M390.
The premium reminds me of the mini freek.
That it does!
M390 non-carbon fiber.
How about an M390 blade with a topo titanium handle. 👍
i love sandvick
I have a comment. Bring back the Knockout! Toughest knife ever! Bring it back.
This might be my first pickup for a pocket knife in a long time
These remind me of cheap versions of my benchmade Arcane with S90v
For sure!!
ZT needs a duralock would be great.
Zt still fails spin whacks and still has low hardness on all their steels despite the advertising once saying 62rc across the board. Most of them were like 58rc and burnt from sharpening on a hot grinder.
The Iridium really is a home run. I had one and it was great. Just didn't feel like owning any Chinese made Kershaws anymore. It is nice they've finally made a budget version with 14C. Nice option for those living in a perpetually humid environment.
At least for those of us that pined for a USA-made version (which will never happen) we've got a consolation prize in the Bel Air, which is awesome. Picked one up the other day and it is absolutely the superior knife next to the Iridium in every way, just smaller. 😎🙏
I’m glad to hear that you can pronounce Topo correctly…. There is more than one RUclipsr that incorrectly pronounces it as “top-oh”… I’m proud of you…good work
Haha! Thanks
personally i always hated d2, i hate how it sharpens & how easily it pits, dislike the edge it takes and how easily it chips.
it's just not a good edc steel, not even a good knife steel in the first place.
what i learned is that my (uncoated) knives in cruwear have a MUCH better corrosion resistance than any d2 knife i ever had, which i found very weird since cruwear has only ~7.5 cr. in the alloy and d2 about 12%.
later i read on knifesteelnerds that the chromium in d2 almost entirely ends up in the carbides during the ht, with almost no cr. left to protect the surface.
in other tool steels like 3v or cruwear this isn't as extreme, so they have less cr. to begin with but end up with more free chromium after the ht and thus are much more stain resistant.
edit: i really like 14c28n and consider to get one of these, the design looks very nice anyway!
cheers
No, in 3v you have two options, high heat temper which 99% of knives use and it rusts easy. Or low heat temper that takes longer to rust... But still rusts.
Also larrin is a joke in Comparison to other professional heat treatment experts. Like Roman for example.
Roman Landes Heat Treatment recommendation:
Now this is what I would recommend for heat treat cpm 3v:
1st preheat: 500-600°C, equalize
2nd preheat:800-900°C, equalize
Authenize: 1060-1070°C, equalize, soak 30-35min
Quench in Oil preheated 60-80°C
Cryo: immediately after cleaning, minimum -80°C or lower soak 30min
1st Temper: 150°C equalize, soak 2hrs, quench in water
Cryo: immediately after temper
2nd Temper: 180-200°C equalize, soak 2hrs
should give you 60+ and a fine durable grain. RGDS Roman
This is why I would do it like this.
The "receipt" suitable is for a vacuum furnace (Quench with maximum pressure) or a regular cline, but surface protection has to be assured.
Salt bath will cut the soak time approximately by 1/3 and thus give better aust-grain.
The preheating steps will assure the the austenization steps can be done quick. Quicker speed >> smaller grain
Authenization temperature is dedicated to dissolve Chrome and Molybdenum >> fair hardness and some enhanced "Stainresistance" is to be expected.
The vanadium will remain in the steel bond as a compound of carbon, hence aust-grain cant really grow
The oil quench is suitable for any steel out of the air hardening classes. The thin cross sections get higher hardness after quench (greater volume fraction of martensite) and a less stabilized volume fraction retained austenite. (The volume fraction of RA can be expected (near guess) between 20 and 30% or even higher)
Warping of the blade shall not be an issue with these materials.
If you have done a lot of hard mechanical work before hardening (milling, grinding,)then do a stress relief so warping gets less likely.
The cryo needs to be done as quick as possible below -80°C.
RA tends to stabilize rather quickly after the quench (some reports speak of minutes)
The longer you wait, the less efficient the transformation to untempered martensite will be.
And a minimum of -70°C is necessary to get enough stress into the micro structure, so the transformation (RA>>Martensite) process can restart again.
Extensive soak time is not necessary since the process runs at hypersonic speed.
But still there will be remains of RA that need to be addressed by the 2nd cryo.
The first temper is a low temper so the remaining RA is stabilized at the lowest level possible and at the same time there is enough stress relief in the martensite that has been built and furthermore the transformation from tetragonal to cubic martensite is started.
The water quench speeds the whole thing up and avoids precipitation of embrittling phases.
Then the rest of the remaining RA will be attacked by the 2nd cryo (usually the RA will drop below 5% volume fraction) so burr formation is less likely.
2nd temper will now temper the untempered martensite build up by the cryo and bring the blade to a fully tempered martensitic structure with a low volume fraction of RA and a fair amount of carbides undissolved.
Of course there is the question why not temper it at 540°C?
First of all, if you don't have access to cryo then this is your way to go.
In my studies of edge stability I did extensive work to compare secondary hardening and low temper with cryo.
The results (reference is my graduate thesis 1999 Munich University of Applied Sciences) I found considerable higher edge stability with the samples that had low temper/cryo The material used at the time was ATS-34 all with the same charge and thus the same condition of austinization, but with different temper cycles.
RGDS Roman
i'm obviously not an expert and i can only speak from my experience with my own knives, but so far my spyderco ayoob cruwear sprint has never showed any rust or even a single pit and i've used it for pretty much anything.
i had it in my sweaty pocket for hours lol and even forgot to clean the blade a few times after cutting fruits and veggies and aside from a light discoloration (which looks pretty cool anyway) there's absolutely nothing.
same goes for my cold steel ak47 field knife in 3v and my cruwear mini adamas (which is coated but the edge never had any staining).
i had d2 knives in the past, some expensive ones from boker germany and many budget folders and i basically always had pitting problems, even on the knives i cleaned rigorously, which is crazy since i carry and use1095 gecs, which i have no issues with.
also calling larrin thomas a joke is disrespectful in my opinion, his website has a lot of very valuable information (name me a better source for knife people) and his magnacut steel in my sharps bros, hogue and pro-tech is simply one of the best stainless steels i've ever used, it's basically stain proof as long as you use it for normal daily stuff, it holds the edge for a very long time, sharpens up very nice (and easy!) and is surprisingly tough for a ss.
@@Schnoizl you're a fanboy. You can't even name one person before Larrin.
Now do an upgraded version of the covalent.
I Definitely prefer the best edge holding capability as first priority. I take good care of my knives, so corrosion resistance is lower priority.
Honestly, diamond hones are how I get my primary edge, so "excessive hardness" is NOT an issue for me.
One thing you don't mention often with folders is blade thickness. This is a priority for me, with the thicker overbuilt blades as preferable.
There are some (often expensive) knife makers cheaping out with the blade thickness using terms like "slicey" etc to excuse ripping off the customer narrowing the blade thickness. As a result, I refuse to buy from these manufacturers regardless how trendy or popular they may be with the generally uninformed, ignorant public that doesn't understand basic physics or engineering principles of how a thicker blade will by definition be stronger and more durable. Additional weight? Really?? Are you so weak an extra ounce will tire you out?? Man up!
I wonder how many know 14c28n was made for kershaw. So they should have heat treatment down.
M390 when around 60 rockwell it can be brittle.
I love 14c28n it's one of my favorite steels.
M390 at 62 isn't even brittle. You are ignorant. Its also a wear Resistance steel. Not a toughness steel. Its for slicing. You can't even find most m390 above 60rc other than Reate or spyderco.
@@tacticalcenter8658 really explain why kershaw had many blades cracking installing thumbsstuds. Wanna know how I know. I bought a knockout in m390 with a cracked blade. It was a nightmare because of covid. I never did get it fixed because kershaw just wanted to give me my money back. They stopped making the m390 knockout.
This is experience I've had you can disagree it doesn't change the truth.
Not to mention m390 doesn't really have better edge retention then 14c28n. Maybe go look up old videos on edge retention.
Most of these super steels are just super marketing.
14C28N all day, every day. I've had D2, it rusts too easily and the edge retention does not live up to the hype.
D2s edge retention absolutely does hold up to the height of the company you're getting it from heat treats it in a way that D2 is supposed to be heat treated... A lot of cheap Chinese d2 knives don't hold up, you're right. But it can hold an edge with some of the better super steals if heat treated properly. I'm not saying that all Chinese companies do their d2 like crap. But you get what you pay for
Between the two, I'd go 14C28N every time for an EDC knife.
Were I in the market for an Iridium, that's the one I'd go with. Unfortunately, I'm subject to sub-3" requirements for knife carry, so the Iridium doesnt have much use for me. Though, I did buy one of the D2 versions for my father in law to use at work and he loves it.
I’m surprised at the number of people who dislike d2 and yet it is made on so many knives. Why is that?
Only improvement would be to make it a flipper
Stainless. Definitely stainless.
I personally don’t like D2. 14c28n is a great all around steel.
If they don't make it in magnacut, I'll just get the Dvidend in magnacut instead.
Kershaw is really making a comback
No their not.
real knockout would be 14c at 62 hrc
Yeah, I don’t know too many companies bringing it to that hard to Rockwell. I usually see if 58 to 60.
watch out, Kershaw is listening
It honestly doesn't matter to me as long as they're done well
S35vn + G10 scales pleaaaaaase :)
$109 MSRP isn't my budget. Especially for Sandvik, Kershaw leans to the pricier side of MSRP. Why? No clue.
I'm a simple man - give me a version with G10 scales.
M390
I would rather have the sandvik version.
Cool looking / functioning knives, made in USA would definitely make it a must have...... but otherwise it's just meh....
Who's Gideon? If the talking head is Aaron?
It’s the name of the channel 😉
Buy American 🇺🇸
It would be great for a USA version soon!
Realsteel knives does 14c28n up to 61rc. I dont really want it below 60rc. But at the right price 58 to 60 can be okay as long as its low enough.
75 is too much for low hardness and China.
Avaid their m390. Its worse than microtech.
If only it wasn't made in China.
It would be great for a USA version soon!