HEY PETE...I realize this is a knife channel. But IMO, a video of your garden and your fruit trees would be really welcomed. The brief views in this video look great. Also, a chicken update is mandatory. THANKS PETE!!!

H1 and H2 steels aren't heat treated. They're brought to useable hardness through cycles of cold rolling. And, this sort of work hardening also goes on at the blade edge (it hardens somewhat, after being deformed). On the Spyderco forums, you'll find a few voices singing the praises of H1/H2 in serrated edges, where in use the serrations get a bit of edge deformation and work hardening, and as they're serrated, still work 'well enough'. As Vanax, LC200, and Magnacut exist, I don't think there's much use for H1/H2 anymore, except maybe in scuba diving fixed blades with serrated edges. In Spyderco's line, the Fish-Hunter for spearfishers, the Enuff Salt for cutting one's way out of monofilament entanglements (I find $3 EMT shears better here, TBH). H1/H2 is still a step up from the titanium blades many scuba divers carry.

I still can’t get the Buck 119 toilet sharpening video out of my head. L’dMAO...

Pete yelling at clouds

I prefer LC200N. Magnacut as well

Just for giggles, Sharpen it at around 12 degrees per side at 300ish grit and try it again.

I view the Salt series as a specialized line meant for those working around water or kayakers. The knife isn't coming out unless it's to cut rope or netting in an emergency.

Next year trim all the branches about a foot or so up from the ground at the beginning of your growing season. When I did this with mine I got great results.

I really want a native5 in k390

@3:30 The Spyderco Sage 5 Lightweight is FRN and also has the finger choil!

Been eyeballing the Stretch 2 XL in Cru-wear with the grey g-10 handle scales. The thing looks so good, but it's so expensive.

Love watching you actually use a knife the way it was intended to be used around the yard. More honest reviews of knives and steels in this format would be greatly received! keep up the great work!

Thanks again! I love your videos for all the thought and work that goes into them.

Just FYI viewers - don't forget there are two other versions of the Stretch 2 XL, the VG10 lightweight model and the full steel liner and G10 CruWear model. The Stretch 2 XL is the best model ever! Well, maybe the Manix 2 and Manix 2 XL...but those are the two best!

Had one of the earlier ones in this steel and promptly got rid of it after use and sharpening. Good video!

8:46 YoJimbo 2/YoJumbo is hollow ground in at least s30v, s90v, 20cv, m4, and cruwear. Further, there was a silver or black bladed variant of each steel, not sure if the black coating requires a modified heat treat, or yields different steel characteristics in such a thin behind the edge hollow grind.

Hey Pete You should use a really coarse grind on it

😊❤Hopefully magnacut version coming soon. Still waiting for PM2 in magnacut, although coated blade already released if you like it all blacked out.

I use H1 and H2 knives for work doing arboriculture and they really sing if you either just get it in SE, or sharpen it solely at a low grit for a mega coarse edge then gently strop it (around 150 - 200 grit). In SE it not only laughs at other steels, it makes vulgar jokes about their mums. Plus it is almost comically easy to sharpen.

That is a very nice garden! I've never been tempted to get a knife with the H1 steel. The only reason to own it would be if you're using it around salt water.

I laughed for 2 min after you cussed at the plane.. LoL you are priceless!

K390 blue endura, one of the top edc for the money, my pick

You rock, and your videos are ace and thought-provoking. Keep making them.

I use my pacific salt 2 in lc200n all the time as a I work in an aquatic environment and fire fighting getting all sweaty in our gear. It's perfect for opening with my bunker gloves on as well and the lock back is easier to feel with them on too. Just all around great knife for working thin and slicey.

I have great success with mine sharpened at 12dps, but capped off with 20dps microbevel on spyderco medium rods and no strop. H2 also doesn't appear to have such wide central soft zone and doesn't require off set bevel as is the case of H1.

I experienced some deformation on the factory edge of my Spyderco Aqua Salt chopping branches. I sharpened it in the their CBN rods and noticed a significant improvement. It’s serrated and those are chisel ground. As others have said, I definitely recommend fairly low grit toothy edges to maintain bite. It should be something that you touch up in a minute on the low grit CBN/Daimond with maybe a couple light strokes on ceramic. That’s just my experience, though. I also like the other Salt steel I’ve tried, LC200N, more.

Keep on dropping lots of content!!!!

Thanks for the review! I had to get one because of the rust resistance and hollow grind, and on sale for $80. I like it but will reserve it for water sports only.

I picked up a Pacific Salt with black FRN years ago and pretty quickly came to the same conclusion as you here. It's probably pretty decent in its niche category but for general edc not so much. It hangs out with my orange Endura because I also figured around the same time that I don't like nor need that size of knife for edc use. Even my k390 stretch 2 doesn't see a ton of use with me favoring my others like the Delica or Para 3, Mini Griptilian or Small Sebenza sized knives.

Keep them coming Pete!

I have increased a preference for tool steels but have a soft spot for H1 salties. I hardly use them, mostly carry them when I go to the beach and that is only once or twice per year. It is softer steel feels like aluminum in a way, but they sharpen fast. Most of them are in fully serrated only have 2 in plain edge. I would not put them in my edc rotation for obvious reasons but they still have a place in my collection.

The Leaf Jumper doesn’t have a choil , but the top of the handle comes right up to the blade edge , unlike the Delica/Endela. The Leaf Jumper’s grip shape is closer to the Stretch 2.

The Waterway folder(one of my favorites) has LC200n, the choil and is about the same dimensions.

Although Lc200n and magnacut are not truly stainless like H1/H2 they are so superior in toughness and edge retention that the trade off isn’t worth it to me. Also I think you’re spot on with the kind of single/emergency use with the H1/H2 knives in general. As far as the stretch 2 xl. I’d love to see them make a LW version of the existing $280+ grey G10/Cruwear production model, as I think it is a good in between for vg10 and H2. That said, k390 would be the ultimate of course and in my opinion is what really made the current stretch 2 model so popular.

The Hap 40 Stretch is one of my most regretted sell I’ve been through. It’s still tough. I carry on tho, with help of meetings and my community.

Great review. Thanks, Pete.

I love the vg10 flat ground version of this knife. I’m patiently awaiting the k390 version.

Thanks for this, Pete. Always wondered abt. H2 after it replaced H1. Now I know I can sleep without worrying about buying an H2 blade. I’ll stick with Vanax & Magnacut for corrosion-possible applications.

Pete the Stretch 2 XL in Cruwear is a great alternative also (for people wanting the XL and don't worry about the stainlessness).

Hey Pete, thank you - that was some very helpful information to know about H2 steel. I think I'll stick to LC200 or Magnacut if I decide to buy a Spyderco SALT series knife. I'm also really into gardening - ESPECIALLY FRUIT and NUT TREES, so I appreciated the tip you gave about picking off the initial fruit from a new tree for the first couple of years to let it focus on tree growth - and showing the results. You give a lot of useful/helpful information. By the way, one of my favorite mandarin orange varieties is "Golden Nugget". It is seedless, easy to peel, and has an excellent, sweet flavor! I'm not sure if they grow in Australia. I used to grow them in my backyard in Southern California. I'm living in Singapore now, and I have not had the heart to start my fruit tree growing again (I had to sell my house in the US along with all my fruit trees! 😢 I need to get back to it - now I can grow all the tropical fruit I always wanted to, but couldn't due to climate. It was just so discouraging to lose all my trees and hard work on them. I can only do container gardening here on the roof of my condo now! Another recommendation: I don't know if you ever heard of Dave Wilson Nursery - they are a fruit tree grower in North America. On the davewilson.com website, they have something called "FruitTube", which has tons of educational videos about growing and pruning different types of fruit trees. I LOVE these videos - very helpful! They especially focus on "Backyard Orchard Culture". Most of them are conducted by Tom Spellman who works for Dave Wilson Nursery. I'm not sure if you can get Dave Wilson trees in Australia, but they have some amazing varieties and many hybrid fruits (e.g. like a "pluot", "aprium", etc.). They also sell several multi-grafted trees with several varieties on one tree that have successive ripening and cross pollinate with each other. Even if you can't get their trees - check out the videos on FruitTube - I think you'll like them!

I had a serrated H1 Pacific Salt (an Endura by another name) that was an excellent gardening/sod knife. The serrations were aggressive and pretty easy to maintain with a Sharpmaker. Sadly it’s resting at the bottom of a river, victim of a rafting trip! I keep a Tasman (H2 serrated hawkbill Delica) at the bottom of my Kayak/fisshing bag as a backup knife. I think you’ll find most people view H1/H2 as purpose specific, and serrated. I

"Nothing like having a hobby everyone has to enjoy" 😂 Thank you for brightening my day

I’ve heard of more than a few commercial fishermen that keep a serrated Spyderco on them for emergencies only. I think you’re right on the money with the H2.

I had a feeling Basil could hit that note. 🤘🤘

Spyderco made a catcherman sprintrun last year in lc200n. I wan't that thing so bad as it is omega large and quite thin. An absolute dream to use in the kitchen.

I wish they did hollow grinds again. Still have an s30 manix that’s hollow ground. Back when they were $99

apex stability should be better with this steel. i do not know the edge angle, but ug tools from germany made a machete out of this steel, did not hear bad things, but it was a kind of semi custom production, so not many hard users i think. otto used it at the 7 vs wild show season 2

What’s probably clogging up your stones with the h2 steel is all that soft nickel in its composition if I am not mistaken.

I can’t remember if it was Sal or Eric. But at a trade show they mentioned in an interview that either h1 or h2, I forget which, had drastically higher edge retention with a serrated edge. Like more than double I believe. That would be interesting to test. Pit your best h2 mirror edge against the factory serrations.

I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on the k390 Leafjumper. But I can't before I've seen a decent review here on KZfaq...

I think the h1/h2 steel is purely made for an emergency water knife. The edge won't cut for weeks but I don't think it was ever meant to. You get it sharp, and then forget about it until you need it. I have a salt series serrated knife tethered to my life jacket for when I'm canoeing or kayaking and it just lives there. And for that it is just fine. If you hard use or edc it you're probably gonna hate it and something like vg10 will be cheaper and better and still faily rust resistant.

I see that fender box, nice

The spyderco fanbois collectively gather on rooftops to scream "h1 and h2 is best in serrations" ...myself included

As someone who loves the choil on the Byrd Cara Cara 2, I have always longed for that feature on the Endura. The regular Stretch 2 XL looks like it may fill that void. I'm glad Spyderco don't make a S2XL in Magnacut because the money would be flying out of pockets!

I've got the exact same knife but with a Spyderedge (full serrated). Every Salt H1 or H2 i had in the past always were fully serrated because they works a lot better than plain edge, the serrations on the Stretch 2 XL are nicer than the ones on the Pacific Salt because they got less depth, i've sold my PacSalt because it was a great rope cutter but not useful for other tasks, but the smaller serrations works better for most tasks (like a serrated tomato knife vs a break knife) Still prefer my Salt in Lc200n and Magnacut but my H2 Salt is a great "marine life" knife (boat/beach/kayak/paddleboard/fishing). I don't mind letting it sleep in my tackle box or opening chemical products bag with it, it will never rust.

Love the reaction to the plane, mate I feel less concerned about my own reactions to most things now....since I'm clearly not the only one who reacts the same way.....lol Good vid too mate

Your videos are usually different then USA knife videos and that is a good change of pace. Like watching your videos

For H2 the edge works much better at low grit (600). Been using H1 for over a decade around work, and also use H2 now in this exact same knife. This steel isn't really made for all day cutting, more for specific use. But I can say for a fact the serrated version of H2/H1 will run circles around any knife steel out there if they go head to head cutting all day. Cheers

Basil makes up for having to think about H1 steel.

Yeah Pete, enjoying your interaction with the comments. I was initially curious about this steel but after seeing information about how soft it is I'm not a buyer. Don't really have a problem with rust/ salt water. Glad you made this video.

The hallow ground lends itself to sharpening. If you are sharpening regularly the thinner blade stock above the edge lends itself to maintaining a more narrow edge after material loss....allegedly 👌

If someone worked on or around the ocean, do you think anything more stainless than Magnacut would be necessary?

Do you think the edge would hold longer with a more obtuse angle like 20 or 22.5 degrees?

I have the CruWear Stretch 2XL variant Aside from the fact it came with a rolled edge from the blade hitting the lanyard tube when closed (very annoying), it’s a good knife. The price is absolutely asinine, though, being almost $300 for a basic lockback, which makes me very glad I got it as a gift. Now that the CruCarta Military 2 is out, it’s kind of irrelevant in terms of the market, assuming it wasn’t already. I really want to pick up the VG-10 lightweight version since it seems like a very good Endura competitor to me, but it’s perplexing as to why it costs more than an Endura while having the same steel, same blade length, and no liners whatsoever. The best deal in terms of the Stretch line seems to be the K390 version, since it’s not ridiculously overpriced or in any way redundant in terms of features for where it’s priced

Excellent review

Can Buck ever stop winning, fellas? Coming up roses every time

Basal for the win. Thank you for the uptick in content, appreciated the wife series, but as always, lovely film making over the past few months

You know there is a strech 2 XL CRUCARTA version ? Maybe it was a sprint run idk. Those salt (except for new Magnacut ones, obviously, I speak about H1, LC200n and H2) are OK for backup diving knives to use once every other month and be resharpened afterwards, not for edc use at all. Idk about the strech 2 being so beginner friendly because of the aggressive downward blade like a shillin cuter, the thumb ramp and straight spine. I love it, k390 obviously, but I think for non knife people, a simple design may be better (think Laconico simple)

Beautiful orange trees.🍊

Hey Cedric! With an abundance of cheap EDC knives available on the market today, how is it logical for a company to produce a knife with good ergonomics in underperforming H2 steel? I was shocked to see how easily the blade chipped! Thank you for your great knife reviews!

I have one knife in H1. It lives in the pocket of my kayaking life vest. It might have cut something at some point, but I can’t remember.

I remember reading on some forum that the hardness of the steel changes with use. Not sure how that would be possible, but is that something to consider?

I got the spydercos pm2 in dlc magnacut. Its awful. Im wondering if its because they have to ruin the temper to do the coating.

I would love to see you get ahold of a spyderco leafjumper in K390... mind boggling good knife that nobody is talking about.

Nice vid! isn’t H2 a cold rolled steel? Saw a video about it and it doesn’t feel like a good choice for knife steel at all when I read about it 😅

A man named Peter Freuchen once used a poop knife to save his life. I believe H2 is a homage to this myth.

The one thing about Spyderco Japan lockbacks that bothers me is that the blade moves backward when you put force on it. It's harmless but a little spooky feeling.

I can fit most medium gloves but not well so call me a barely large glove guy. I find the Stretch to be really uncomfortable. Like all the other molded handle Spydercos, there are no indexing points for your hand so you grab where you grab. For me, that ends up about an inch back of the blade on a Stretch giving me really crappy leverage. I've carried both a Delica and an Endura, each for about 10 years so I'm no stranger. Joy to me, the Endela hits my sweet spot. Ain't choices grand!

There's the Stretch 2 XL in CruWear, probably quite expensive in Australian Dollars 🤯

Fishing knife, kayaking knife, etc. Niche knife steel. Japanese steel from an island country. Not my cup of tea either, but Spyderco does a good job of filling specific ’gaps’ by using normal knife patterns with unusual steels. I’m happy they do this type of thing because it gives us all kinds of steels to try that few companies would even bother with. I’m happy it exists even if I won’t buy it…but somebody will…

Dang Pete. I don’t know that this edge damage is normal. I haven’t had a H type steel in my collection in many years, but I remember sharpening my old salt knives fairly acutely, and none of them exhibit such severe edge damage from regular use, like cutting cardboard.

Makes a great deep sea salt water fishing or dive knife for the avid diver.

Digging the new outro. 🤘

Maybe H1/H2 has had its day and it’s time to use LC200 or Magnacut for the Salt Series. I love my Jumpmaster 2 but as said it sits there just in case.

Well thanks for the warning Pete, i was pondering the idea of h2 but i think ill stick with magnacut

If you can believe it H1 / H2 have fanboys, mostly for serrated blades but they are a fairly sizable contingent on the spyderco forums. Gabe from the Home Slice did a test of a Serrated H2 salt against his death rope. I believe it did extremely well, like beat out dual grit magna-cut well.

I'm not a big snob when it comes to steels, but that extreme close up shot of the mangled edge made me dry heave a little bit.

I believe there's a cruwear one in G10 too.

Thank you for the validation I have wanted for over 15 years. When Spyderco first released Salt knives, they were only available in H1, and they hyped it to the moon. I bought a Salt 1 (Delica) in it and absolutely hated it. It went so dull after only 20 minutes or so of cutting at work. I have to aggressively sharpen it every night. I went to Bladeforums to complain about it and got booed and hissed at by all the Spyderco trogs.

Yeah. LC200N or definitely Magnacut are both highly preferred over H2!

Good info thanks

So you are saying that 17 degrees is “Edge-divergent?” I can; therefore, like it!

vanax steel for the win. both on edge retention and corrosion resistance. Not sure why no one seems to be acknowledging this.

Im curious to know what Spyderco you would recommend for someone wanting to buy their first one, and have the best "Spyderco Experience" price and sharpening requirements not being a factor.... the one you used to carry seems like a cool choice I think it was the gold series or something . if you do more Spyderco vids be great if you add your thoughts ,cheers .... if you throw your modern bowie hard and precise enough I think you could hit that crop duster 😁

Mars Volta Goliath, hell yeah! Great review Pete!

If you need or want very high corrosion resistance, then a superalloy like Terravantium is better than any steel and Terravantium also has really good edge retention. Disadvantage, expensive.

Seeing how you're a K390 fanboy. Any plans on doing a review on the Spyderco Enuff 2 in k390? If that spyderco fixed blade interests you in any way.

What did you get from Fender? New amp,guitar?

Great video

Why all the hate for General Aviation? Fair weather flying Pipers and Cessnas is a joy. I'm stuck on the compression lock with Spyderco. For a spine lock it's the Lawman for me and in XHP.