I am trying to make some sense of all of the available steels on the market.
Could someone tell me if CPM S30V steel is "better" then 154CM steel?
By better I mean, edge retention and how tough/durable are they?
Thanks

Yes, S30V is supposed to be better than 154cm. Though I've got knives in both and the difference is barely noticeable IMO.

Better is relative. I am not a steel expert but have owned many different knives of varying steel.
S30V is super tough and holds an edge real well; it is also more difficult to sharpen than some other steels. To perform anything other than touch ups you will need a diamond stone.
154CM is very good steel IMO and easier to sharpen than S30V.
one thing I don't like is that S30V (at least on my Mini Ritter Grip) is that the spine of the blade will not make a good spark on a firesteel. Maybe it is the polish and not the steel; I don't know. But other S30V knives I have are the same on this.

There has been a lot of attention given to excotic steels these days and some really reliable steel like 440C and AUS8 are getting overlooked.
In my experience both of these "lower quality" steels are some of the easiest to keep sharp. In fact I used an inexpensive KA-Bar Dozier folder in AUS8 recently for a lot of tough work (opening and cutting down cardboard boxes, cutting binding straps) and the blade stayed real sharp throughout and then went right back to hair popping sharp with a few passes over the white rods on a sharpmaker.
That said I just had my Mini Ritter resharpened by a local "shaver and cultlery" shop and now it is as sharp as when Benchmade finished it; maybe even sharper. The reground the edge so it looks brand new.

All in all any decent knife available these days (and some real inexpensive deals) will come with quality steel. Perhaps too much is being amde of some of the newer excotic steels.

You might want to read the Steel faq from bladeforums.com.

But both steels are verry good.

Hey Redflare,
I own knives in both steels too and I can't say anything more than what Billym said. 154CM is definitely, to me, easier to sharpen but I can't say for sure which would hold an edge better. S30V is one of today's "super steels" and is supposed to have better edge retention qualitys but, the steels have to be tested side-by-side for me to confirm that and I've never done that with any knife. So I'd just have to say I'd bank on the expert's testing and believe that it'll hold an edge better than 154CM....depending on what it's asked to do, of course.

What kind of knife are you considering and what will you ask of it? Maybe then you could narrow down which one would be better for you.

I was just comparing Doug Ritter's RSK Mk3 to its "mother" model, the Benchmade 151 Fixed Griptilian. RSK is in S30V, while Benchmade 151 is in 154 CM steel.

As far as what will be asked of it, is the basic survival stuff: building shelter, making fire etc.

154CM is easier to sharpen and should be tough enough. I like DR's Mk 1 for its blade profile, S30V is just extra. If you prefer the Benchmade original blade profile (Hollowground Modified Sheepsfoot) it would be a very good knife.

I agree...the MK3 has a nicer blade profile AND it's bead-blasted or otherwise finished very nicely. I didn't know the original BM151 was hollow ground. I would say you couldn't go wrong with either steel because, in the end, if you don't test them extensively, side-by-side, you won;t notice a difference between the two (steels). At least, I wouldn;t notice and I have knives in both steels already.

I don;t know if you're like this or not RedFlare, but I am: the Ritter knife is special because of the way the blade is shaped, finished, and engraved as a Doug Ritter knife. It costs more than twice the BM fixed grip but with every knife, at least with me, there's something to say for aesthetics. I look at them alot and admire them and so, though I don;t own one yet (and might never) I'm one who is willing to spend a little extra money for "just a little extra" knife."

With steels as good as S30V, 154CM, M2, A2, D2, even the old carbon standard 1095, the steel takes a back seat to design & aesthetics.

My bad. That hollowground was from the current 550HG, not the 151. Still, the point is that blade profile should have at least as much input to a knife choice as blade steel. 154CM is a good choice.