Artisan Cutlery builds some of the most consistent production frame locks and flippers in the EDC world, and CPM S90V sits at the very top of the brand's steel lineup. If you are trying to work out which Artisan Cutlery S90V knife belongs in your pocket, this guide walks through every model in the current catalog — what handle options exist, what each knife is built for, and how to pick between them without overpaying.
CPM S90V holds a working edge longer than almost any other stainless cutlery steel — which is why Artisan Cutlery puts it on the top of its lineup.
Why S90V Is Artisan Cutlery's Flagship Steel
CPM S90V is a powder-metallurgy stainless steel from Crucible Industries, released around 1996 under the name CPM-420V. Crucible's designers cut chromium down to roughly 14% and pushed vanadium toward 9%, which lets far more of the very hard vanadium carbide form instead of softer chromium carbide. The result is a stainless steel with extreme wear resistance and edge retention that is comparable to, or better than, almost anything else in stainless production cutlery steel.
According to Knife Steel Nerds' technical history of S90V and S125V, S90V and S125V showed the highest edge retention of any stainless knife steel in their CATRA wear testing, while S90V's toughness measures in the same range as other powder-metallurgy stainless steels such as S30V and M390. With an appropriate heat treatment S90V is capable of roughly 66 HRC — far harder than the norm for production EDC knives.
In practical terms, S90V buys you a slicing edge that keeps cutting far longer than S35VN or D2, good (but not class-leading) corrosion resistance, and one real trade-off: it is demanding to sharpen. The vanadium carbides in S90V are harder than the aluminium oxide abrasive used in most conventional stones, so diamond or CBN abrasives do the job far more efficiently. That is the honest cost of ownership — a stunning edge that takes a little more effort to restore.
The Complete Artisan Cutlery S90V Lineup
Below is every active Artisan Cutlery model that ships with a CPM S90V blade, with the handle options and pricing as listed at the time of writing. Prices move with sales and promotions, so treat the figures as a guide and confirm on the product page.
| Model | Handle options | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Revel 1867G-BU | Blue FRN, button lock | $89.99 |
| Holm 1875 (Micarta) | Steel & Micarta | $109.99 |
| Holm 1875 (Copper) | Copper & Wood | $149.99 |
| Holm 1875 (Titanium) | Titanium | $198.99 |
| Holm 1875 (Fat Carbon) | Titanium & Fat Carbon | $199.99 |
| Cleo 1871G-CO | Copper | $139.99 |
| Cleo ATZ-1871G | Titanium | $149.99 |
| Wizard ATZ-1870G | Copper | $139.99 |
| Mini Xcellerator ATZ-1860GS | Titanium | $189.99 |
| Xcellerator ATZ-1860G | Titanium | $199.99 |
| Baskin 1853G | Titanium | $199.99 |
| Satyr 1852G-BBO / 1852G-ODG | Titanium, or Micarta & Titanium | $199.99 |
| Io ATZ-1872G | Titanium | $199.99 |
| Prime 1866G | Micarta & Titanium | $199.99 |
| Banjaara 1868G | Titanium | $199.99 |
| Crusoe ATZ-1869G | Titanium | $199.99 |
| Revel 1867G (Titanium) | Titanium, frame lock | $199.90 |
| Dark Wing 1887G-GDBU | Carbon Fibre, black PVD blade | $199.99 |
| Fragarach ATZ-1879G | Titanium & Fat Carbon, frame lock | $199.99 |
| Banjaara / Fragarach Prototypes | Titanium (prototype runs) | $266.65 |
| Proponent 1820G-JW | Titanium & Fat Carbon inlay (Limited) | $478.67 |
| Crusoe ATZ-1869G Damascus | Titanium Damascus | $609.00 |
You can browse the full range on our folding knife collection page, where S90V models sit alongside AR-RPM9, D2 and S35VN options.
How to Choose the Right Artisan Cutlery S90V Model
Best value: the Revel 1867G-BU and Holm 1875 Micarta
The Revel 1867G-BU is the cheapest way into an S90V blade from Artisan Cutlery. A button lock, blue FRN handle and a 3.54" stonewashed S90V blade at $89.99 makes it the natural first S90V purchase: light, ambidextrous, and easy to live with.
The Holm 1875 in steel and Micarta is the middle path at $109.99. Micarta adds grip and warmth that FRN cannot match, and if you later want more heft or a dressier look, the same model scales up through copper and wood ($149.99), plain titanium ($198.99) and a titanium / Fat Carbon holiday edition ($199.99).
Best all-rounder: Cleo, Satyr and Io
The Cleo ATZ-1871G (titanium, $149.99) is the sweet spot for most carriers — titanium slabs keep the weight reasonable and the S90V blade gives premium edge holding without stepping into collector pricing. The Cleo 1871G-CO swaps to copper for $139.99 if you want a handle that patinas as you use it.
The Satyr 1852G in Micarta and titanium and the Io ATZ-1872G sit at $199.99 and offer the two most popular handle philosophies in modern EDC: textured Micarta for grip, or full titanium for a slim, clean frame lock.
Collector tier: Fragarach, Crusoe Damascus and Proponent
The Fragarach ATZ-1879G pairs a 3.72" S90V blade with a frame lock and titanium plus Fat Carbon handles for $199.99, and it is also the model that shows up in prototype runs at $266.65. The Crusoe ATZ-1869G follows the same pattern: $199.99 in titanium, or $609.00 with a titanium Damascus handle for people who collect the top of the range.
If you want a blacked-out working knife rather than a display piece, the Dark Wing 1887G-GDBU puts a black PVD-coated 3.63" S90V blade in a carbon fibre handle for $199.99 — the coating adds corrosion resistance and kills reflections.
Sharpening and Caring for an S90V Blade
- Use diamond or CBN abrasives. Vanadium carbide is harder than aluminium oxide, so conventional stones cut slowly and glaze. Diamond plates or CBN stones remove material predictably.
- Do not let the edge go dull. Touching up S90V with a few light diamond passes beats trying to rebuild a rolled edge from scratch.
- Keep the pivot clean. A drop of quality lubricant and a wipe-down of the blade after wet or salty use is enough to prevent staining.
- Strop for the last few percent. A loaded strop brings back an S90V edge quickly between full sharpenings.
- If your blade is black PVD coated, tape over the blade flats or sharpen only the bevel so the coating stays intact on the face of the blade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is S90V actually worth the premium?
For a knife you carry and cut with daily, yes — S90V holds a working edge noticeably longer than S35VN or D2, which means fewer sharpenings per year. If you enjoy regular maintenance and touch-ups, the extra cost is less compelling.
Will S90V rust?
S90V is stainless, but it is not stainless in the way 14C28N or MagnaCut are. Wipe it down after cutting acidic or salty material and keep it oiled in storage, and corrosion will not be an issue in normal EDC use.
Which Artisan Cutlery S90V knife is best for everyday carry?
The Cleo ATZ-1871G in titanium is the most balanced choice for most people: comfortable size, clean lines and $149.99. If you want the lightest possible S90V carry, the Revel 1867G-BU button lock at $89.99 does the same job with less weight.
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