I think it got concluded that the wear difference between a plane blade well made from carbon steel and anything else is at best a factor of two, and probably less.  Recently Weaver made some knives for me to be used in butchering and I have been using a skinning knife I made from CPM 3V for some years.  It is easy to see times differences in how slow these knives dull compared to what is manufactured and readily available.  The task is skinning and removing bones from dead critters to be eaten.  Not sure what that tells me or if it matters.