Knife blade steels

The steels used to make knife blades vary depending on the specific needs of the application. Here are some of the important characteristics of knife blade steels:

1. Hardness : Knife blades should generally be hard enough to maintain a sharp edge, but not so brittle that they break easily.

2. Corrosion Resistance : Some steels are treated to resist corrosion, which is especially important for knives that are frequently exposed to moisture or corrosive liquids.

3. Edge Retention : Some steels retain their edge longer than others, meaning they have better "edge retention."

4. Ease of Sharpening : Some steels are easier to sharpen than others, which can be an important factor for those who use their knives frequently.

Here are some types of steels commonly used in knife blade manufacturing:

1. Stainless Steel : This steel contains chromium to improve its resistance to corrosion. It is often used in knives intended for everyday use, as it requires less maintenance than other types of steel. For example our knives like the BUCK 110 , BUCK 112 , MORA KANSBOL and MORA GASBERG are in this category

2. Carbon steel : This steel is appreciated for its ability to maintain an extremely fine edge and for its ease of sharpening. However, it is more susceptible to rust than stainless steel and therefore requires more regular maintenance, for example in our knives: MORA BUSH CRAFT SURVIVAL , OLDBEAR NOYER , OLD BEAR OLIVIER

3. Damascus Steel : Damascus steel is a composite material made of multiple layers of steel folded and forged together. It is prized for its unique aesthetic and can offer a combination of hardness, corrosion resistance, and edge retention, depending on the types of steel used in its manufacture.

4. VG-10 Steel : This Japanese steel is renowned for its ability to maintain an extremely fine edge and resist corrosion. It is often used in the manufacture of high-end knives.

5. S30V, S35VN, S90V, etc. Steel : These steels are high-performance alloys developed to provide excellent edge retention, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening. They are often used in high-quality knives and are highly regarded by collectors and professional users. Example in our knives: BUCK DEPLOY BLACKOUT

More details on each steel:

420 : 420 stainless steel has more carbon than 410, but less than 440. Thus, it is softer than 440, but has higher strength. 420 series steels contain several types with varying carbon content between 0.15% and 0.40% this steel grade is widely used to make knives, high-end razor blades, surgical scalpels, etc. It obtains a hardness of around 57 HRC after proper heat treatment.

420C – 420HC : 420HC (420C) is a 420 series stainless steel with a high carbon content. HC stands for “high carbon” and it can be hardened to a higher hardness than regular 420 and should not be confused with it. Buck knives and Gerber knives use 420HC extensively. 420A, and 420B are economical and highly corrosion resistant stainless steel grades. Knife manufacturers use this material for budget knives, also for diving knives because of its high corrosion resistance.

440 : The 440 series of stainless steels has three types; 440A, 440B, and 440C. 440A is a relatively inexpensive and highly corrosion-resistant stainless steel. In China, Ahonest ChangJiang Stainless Steel developed 7Cr17MoV, a modified 440A, by adding more vanadium. 440B is almost identical to 440A, but has a higher carbon content than 440A. 440C is also very corrosion-resistant, but is capable of very high hardness. The hardenability of 440C is due to its higher carbon content in the 440 series. For this reason, 440C is one of the most commonly used stainless alloys for knife making.

10xx : The 10xx series is the most popular choice for carbon steel used in knives as well as katanas. They can take and hold an excellent edge. The 1095 is a popular high-carbon steel for knives; it is harder but more brittle than lower-carbon steels such as 1055, 1060, 1070, and 1080. It has a carbon content of 0.90 to 1.03%. Many older pocket knives and kitchen knives were made of 1095. It is still popular with many bushcrafters and survivalists because of how easy and durable it is to sharpen. With proper heat treatment, 1095 high-carbon tool steels can make excellent knives. 1084 has a carbon content of 0.80-0.93%. Often recommended for knife makers because of the ease of successfully heat treating it. 1070 has a carbon content of 0.65-0.75%, it is used for machetes. 1060 is used for swords or axes. It has a carbon content of 0.55 to 0.65%. 1055, used for swords and machetes, is often heat treated very heavily to reduce breakage. It has a carbon content of 0.48 to 0.55%. 1045 , used in axes. It has a carbon content of 0.45%.

12C27 Sandvik : Swedish martensitic stainless steel1 produced by Sandvik is a grade with a high hardness of 57 HRC and good wear resistance. This steel was originally invented for disposable razor blades. It is notably used by Morakniv and Opinel.

14C28N : 14C28N, designed by Sandvik at the request of Kershaw to have the cutting properties of 13C26 but with increased corrosion resistance by adding nitrogen and chromium.

154CM : 154CM is a type of stainless steel developed and manufactured in the United States by Crucible Industries. It is a modification of type 440C martensitic stainless steel to which molybdenum has been added. It was originally developed for harsh industrial applications and combines three main elements: carbon, chromium, and molybdenum. Hitachi Corporation of Japan copied the properties of this steel for its own brand known as ATS-34 .

3Cr13 : 3Cr13 steel is a 420B stainless steel that is raised to a hardness of around 52HRC after heat treatment.

3G : 3G Powder Rolled Steel is a rolled steel consisting of a 3G core and VG2 outer layers. It is generally accepted to have a better cutting edge than the already exceptional VG10, and is also slightly more corrosion resistant and sharp.

420J2 : It is a durable, low carbon stainless steel standard.

5Cr15MoV : stainless steel made in USA and China, the hardness could be 55-57 HRC. It is widely used to make kitchen knives, high-end scissors, folding knives, hunting knives, etc.

7Cr17MoV : This is a modified 440A stainless steel with more vanadium. Vanadium has the advantage of increasing strength. Recommended hardness is around 55/57 HRC.

8Cr13MoV : similar to steel AUS-8 , a steel with excellent value for money for its performance.

9Cr13CoMoV : This is a Chinese made steel similar to 440B but with a higher carbon, cobalt and vanadium content to add more strength to the blade.

AN-58 : Low carbon stainless steel.

AUS-8 : The AUS series of stainless steels is produced by Aichi Steel Corporation in Japan. They differ from the AISI 4xx series by the addition of vanadium. Vanadium improves wear resistance and ease of sharpening. In the alloy name, the A indicates that the alloy has been annealed. AUS-8 steel is comparable to 440B with a carbon content close to 0.75%. It is often used in place of 440C. SOG knives make extensive use of AUS-8.

Bohler N695 : N695 is a stainless steel produced by Bohler that is used in many types of survival knives and fixed blades. It is considered a softer steel compared to most other high-end steels available. It is a comparable steel to VG-10. Manufacturers such as Cudeman make the most of it due to their superior heat treatment process. In terms of quality, N695 is considered an upper mid-range carbon steel.

Blue steel : a high-end Japanese carbon steel manufactured by Hitachi. The "blue" refers not to the color of the steel itself, but to the color of the paper in which the raw steel is wrapped.

C75 : C75 is a classic non-stainless carbon steel. Carbon steel quickly develops its typical blue-grey patina which is not a defect but a natural property of the material.

CPM 20CV : CPM series are stainless steels from Crucible Industries produced using the CPM process.

CPM S30V : it has a carbon content of 1.45%. However, S30V is still considered a superior choice for knife making. CPM S30V is used in a wide range of knives by the ZT brand.

CTS-204P : CTS-204P is a premium steel made in the USA (developed by Carpenter), and an equivalent to Bohler's M390 steel. It contains more tungsten (0.65%) than its equivalent steels, which contain 0.60% tungsten.

D2 : With a chromium content of 12%, D2 is a stainless steel. Given that its chromium content is right on the threshold, however, a little extra care for D2 wouldn't hurt. As a higher-level conventional steel, D2 offers excellent edge durability, although sharpening does require a bit of effort.

Damascus : Damascus is a composite steel, that is, a steel composed of two or more steel bases with different characteristics. The finished product has a clearly visible texture of alternating layers of its base.

German 4116 : medium carbon steel manufactured by Thyssen-Krupp. Widely used for hygiene products. Also used in entry-level knives.

High Carbon Steel : Carbon steel is a popular choice for heavy-duty knives. Carbon steel used to be much stronger, much more durable, and easier to sharpen than stainless steel. They do not have the chromium content of stainless steel, making them susceptible to corrosion. Carbon steels contain less carbon than typical stainless steels, but it is the primary alloying element. They are more homogeneous than stainless and other high-alloy steels, having carbide only in very small inclusions within the iron. The material is harder than stainless steel, allowing them to hold a sharper, more acute edge. But they dull more quickly from abrasion because they lack hard inclusions to withstand friction. This also makes them quicker to sharpen.

Stainless steel MOX27Co : stainless steel made in France. Its 60HRC hardened hardness makes the blade practically impossible to blunt.

Lam. CoS : A new, highly alloyed cobalt special steel.

N690 : N690CO is a hardened Austrian stainless steel with high hardness.

SK-5 : Japanese carbon steel. SK stands for "Steel Kougu" which means "Steel Tool".

VG10 : VG-10 is a cutlery grade stainless steel produced in Japan. The name stands for V Gold 10. It is a high carbon stainless steel (1% carbon, 15% chromium, 1% molybdenum, 0.2% vanadium, and 1.5% cobalt). Due to its lower vanadium content, VG-10 has a finer grain content than VG-1. Cobalt and nickel improve strength. Overall, it has better edge durability compared to VG-1. VG-10 is widely used in Japanese kitchen knives, with several manufacturers using it for fixed blade knives, including Cold Steel and Fallkniven.

White steel : Japanese unalloyed carbon steel, finest martensitic structure. Non-stainless, extremely sharp, close to sword steel. Normally used by knife makers alone or in roll forging of knife/sword blades.

X46Cr13 : X46Cr13, commonly called Z40 in France, is the most widely used stainless steel in cutlery. Its carbon content of 0.46% allows it to obtain sufficient hardness for everyday use while obtaining correct results in terms of corrosion resistance.

X50CrMoV15 : X50CrMoV15 steel is a high/mid-range German martensitic stainless steel primarily used in high-quality kitchen knives, it is high in chromium, making it ideal for corrosion resistance.