S90V — usually sold as CPM S90V — is the steel that turned "super steel" from marketing talk into a measurable difference on the cutting board and the job site. In the Artisan Cutlery and CJRB lineups alone there are more than fifty S90V knives, from an $80 FRN-handled Pyrite-Light to a $609 titanium-Damascus Crusoe. This guide ranks the best S90V knives in the collection by price tier, using the specifications and prices published on each product page.
S90V earns its place through vanadium carbide and powder metallurgy, not marketing.
What Makes S90V Different
CPM S90V is a powder-metallurgy stainless steel developed by Crucible Industries and originally released as CPM-420V. Its defining feature is roughly 9% vanadium: because the chromium content is held to about 14%, most of that vanadium forms very hard vanadium carbides instead of softer chromium carbides. The result is abrasive wear resistance near the top of any stainless knife steel, which translates into an edge that keeps slicing long after a conventional stainless blade has given up.
In Artisan Cutlery and CJRB knives, S90V is run at HRC 60-62. It is a fine-slicing, edge-retention steel rather than an impact steel: excellent for cardboard, rope, food, and general utility, with corrosion resistance that is good but not class-leading. If you want to go deeper into the metallurgy, the Knife Steel Nerds analysis of S90V and S125V is the reference to read, and Crucible Industries is the company behind the CPM process.
How These S90V Knives Are Ranked
Every knife below is a current, in-line model with an S90V blade. They are grouped by price band — under $100, $100-$200, and premium or limited editions above $200 — so you can match a steel to the money you actually want to spend. Prices are the current listed prices and can change with promotions.
Best S90V Knives Under $100
| Model | Blade | Handle | Lock | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CJRB Pyrite-Light J1945 | CPM S90V | FRN | Button lock | $79.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Revel 1867G-BU | 3.54" S90V, stonewash | FRN | Button lock | $89.99 |
| CJRB Lanky J1965G-ST | 3.58" CPM S90V, stonewash | Steel | Liner lock | $89.99 |
| CJRB Bolt J1960G-BMGN | 3.25" S90V, black PVD | Green Micarta | Recoil lock | $90.23 |
| CJRB Large Pyrite-Light J1945LG-BU | 3.7" CPM S90V, stonewash | FRN | Button lock + safety | $99.99 |
This is the sweet spot if you have never owned S90V. The Pyrite-Light and the FRN Revel put a genuine 60-62 HRC S90V blade in a sub-$100 knife, and the Lanky adds a longer 3.58" cutting edge in a slim steel frame. Buyers who want a little more grip than FRN usually step to the Bolt's Micarta handle for about ten dollars more.
Best S90V Knives from $100 to $200
| Model | Blade | Handle | Lock | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artisan Cutlery Holm 1875 (Steel + Micarta) | 3.10" S90V wharncliffe | Stonewashed steel + Micarta | Button lock + safety | $109.99 |
| CJRB Hectare J1935 Ultem | CPM S90V | Ultem | Crossbar lock | $119.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Wizard ATZ-1870G | S90V | Copper | Button lock | $139.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Cleo 1871G-CO | 2.52" S90V wharncliffe | Copper | Button lock | $139.99 |
| CJRB Large Pyrite-Light J1945L | 3.7" S90V wharncliffe | Copper + rose wood | Button lock | $149.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Cleo ATZ-1871G | 2.52" S90V wharncliffe | Titanium | Button lock | $149.99 |
| CJRB Gobi J1906G-TI (Exclusive) | 3.5" CPM S90V, stonewash | Titanium | Frame lock | $169.99 |
| CJRB Mini Pyrite J1933 | CPM S90V | Titanium + Fat Carbon | Button lock | $176.40 |
| CJRB Maximal J1954G-GY | 2.95" CPM S90V, stonewash | Titanium | Crossbar lock | $179.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Mini Xcellerator ATZ-1860GS | CPM S90V | Frag titanium frame | Frame lock | $189.99 |
| CJRB Mini Pyrite J1933 (Limited) | CPM S90V | Fat Carbon | Button lock | $189.00 |
| Artisan Cutlery Revel 1867G | 3.54" S90V clip point | TC4 titanium | Frame lock | $199.90 |
| CJRB Ekko J1929 | CPM S90V | Titanium + Fat Carbon inlay | Button lock | $199.98 |
Two patterns dominate this band. The first is titanium: a framelock S90V folder such as the Cleo or the Gobi trades some weight for a stiffer, more premium feel and a smoother pivot. The second is the copper and wood handle, which adds heft and a patina that changes with use — the Holm 1875 is the value pick of the group at $109.99, while the CF-backed Mini Pyrite and Ekko are the lightest-feeling options.
Premium, Limited-Edition, and Series S90V Knives
| Model | Blade | Handle | Notes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artisan Cutlery Holm 1875 (Titanium / Fat Carbon) | 3.10" S90V wharncliffe | Titanium, or titanium + Fat Carbon | Button lock + safety | $198.99-$199.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Satyr 1852G | S90V | Titanium or Micarta + titanium | Premium folder | $199.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Crusoe ATZ-1869G | S90V (Nick Rogers design) | Titanium | Desert-island full-size folder | $199.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Dark Wing 1887G-GDBU | 3.63" S90V, black PVD | Glow-in-the-dark carbon fiber | Top liner lock | $199.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Fragarach 1879G | 3.72" S90V | Titanium + Fat Carbon | Frame lock, Dustin Rhodes line | $199.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Weyden 1859G | 3.23" S90V drop point | Titanium or gold-flake CF + titanium | Frame lock, Nick Rogers design | $199.99 |
| CJRB Frack J1931 (S90V) | 3.9" CPM S90V | Titanium, frag pattern | Button lock, 102 g | $199.99 |
| CJRB Pyrite J1925T-GCF | CPM S90V | Titanium | Limited edition | $199.99 |
| Building the Dark Wing - ToughWing | CPM S90V, stonewash | Black G10 | Kickstarter series | $159.75 |
| Building the Dark Wing - BlackWing | CPM S90V, tumbled black | Titanium | Kickstarter series | $202.50 |
| Building the Dark Wing - GloWing | CPM S90V, stonewash | Titanium + GITD carbon fiber | Kickstarter series | $267.00 |
| Building the Dark Wing - HellWing | CPM S90V, black PVD | Black titanium + red Fat Carbon | Kickstarter series | $277.50 |
| CJRB Galactic Pyrite J1925G | CPM S90V | Titanium + titanium Damascus inlay | Limited edition | $452.00 |
| CJRB Interstellar Pyrite-Light J1945G | CPM S90V | Titanium + Fat Carbon inlay | Limited edition | $452.00 |
| CJRB Lanky J1965G-TDB | 3.58" CPM S90V, mirror polish | Titanium Damascus | Limited run | $459.99 |
| Artisan Cutlery Proponent 1820G-JW | S90V | Titanium + Fat Carbon inlay | Limited edition | $478.67 |
| Artisan Cutlery Crusoe ATZ-1869G | S90V, titanium Damascus handle | Titanium Damascus | Full-dress version | $609.00 |
Above $200 you are paying for the handle and the finish, not the steel. Titanium Damascus, Fat Carbon inlays, hand-polished blades, and Kickstarter-only colorways are what separate a $199 S90V knife from a $609 one. If you want the full-dress Crusoe or the BlingWing at $749, buy it because the materials speak to you — the edge will perform the same as the base model.
Which S90V Knife Should You Choose?
- First S90V knife, tight budget: CJRB Pyrite-Light J1945 at $79.99, or the FRN Revel 1867G-BU at $89.99 if you prefer a button lock with a longer blade.
- Best all-around value: Artisan Cutlery Holm 1875 in steel and Micarta at $109.99 — a 3.10" S90V wharncliffe with a button lock and safety switch.
- Longest cutting edge for the money: CJRB Frack J1931 with a 3.9" S90V blade at $199.99.
- Ultralight: CJRB Mini Pyrite J1933 or Ekko J1929 with Fat Carbon handles.
- Collector piece: CJRB Galactic Pyrite J1925G, the Lanky in titanium Damascus, or the Crusoe in titanium Damascus.
- Wet or humid environments: choose titanium or FRN over copper and wood, both of which patina over time.
Sharpening and Caring for S90V
- Use diamond or CBN abrasives. Vanadium carbide is harder than the aluminum oxide in most conventional stones and sandpaper, so ordinary stones remove material slowly.
- Maintain the edge instead of rebuilding it. A few light passes on a fine diamond stone or a strop keeps S90V sharp; a full reprofile is a project.
- Dry the blade after use and wipe it down. S90V has good corrosion resistance, but it is not a saltwater steel — the salt-adjacent trade-off is handled better by higher-chromium steels.
- Keep pivot screws snug, not crushed. Ceramic ball bearings run best with a clean, lightly oiled pivot.
Every knife listed above is a current part of the Artisan Cutlery and CJRB lineup. Browse the full folding knife collection to compare the rest of the S90V, M390, and S35VN models side by side.
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