At A GlanceRWL 34 is a premium stainless steel popular for knife making due to its excellent blend of hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and edge retention. Developed by Damasteel, this steel offers consistent performance across the blade thanks to its balanced alloy composition and fine microstructure. While it may not be the perfect choice …
At A GlanceATS 34 is a high-quality stainless steel known for its impressive edge retention, corrosion resistance, and overall toughness, making it a popular choice for various types of knives. Despite the emergence of newer, more advanced steels, ATS 34 remains a solid option for knife enthusiasts. It is produced by the Japanese company Hitachi …
At A GlanceCPM M4 is a high-end tool steel renowned for its toughness and wear resistance, making it an excellent choice for knife-making. Manufactured by Crucible Industries, CPM M4 has a fine microstructure that contributes to its superior edge retention and moderate toughness. Despite its limited corrosion resistance, the steel is still highly favored for …
At A Glance1075 steel is considered a good knife steel due to its balance of strength, sharpness, and affordability. It is particularly popular among budget-conscious knife makers and newcomers to the craft, given its relative ease of workability. While 1075 steel may not have as high hardness as some other knife steels, it retains a …
At A GlanceCPM S45VN, developed by Crucible Industries, is a high-quality knife steel notable for its impressive properties, such as better hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance compared to its predecessor, S35VN steel. This stainless steel achieves these performance levels through a rebalanced chemical composition, including slight increases in Carbon, Chromium, and Niobium. S45VN steel offers …
At A Glance420J2 stainless steel is often used in low-cost knives and tools due to its high chromium content, which provides excellent corrosion resistance. However, its edge retention is considered to be on the lower end when compared to other blade steels due to its relatively low carbon content. This steel is known for its …
At A GlanceX50CrMoV15 is a popular German martensitic stainless steel used predominantly in high-quality kitchen knives due to its excellent corrosion resistance, ease of sharpening, and respectable wear resistance. This steel exhibits a hardness level between 56-58 Rockwell Hardness (HRC), ensuring a good edge while being relatively easy to sharpen. It may not have the …
At A Glance9Cr18MoV is considered a good knife steel, originating from China and gaining popularity due to its impressive corrosion resistance, decent edge retention, and overall durability. This high-end stainless steel is known for its high carbon and chromium content, contributing to hardness and resistance to rust. 9Cr18MoV performs well in a variety of knife …
At A GlanceZDP-189, a high-quality Japanese stainless steel, is known for exceptional hardness and edge retention, thanks to its unique composition, including about 3% carbon and 20% chromium. However, its hardness can make it slightly prone to chipping under heavy use and challenging to sharpen. While offering superior hardness and edge retention, it may fall …
At A GlanceCPM CruWear, manufactured by Crucible Industries, is gaining popularity for its optimal performance as a knife steel. It offers a balanced combination of wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and edge retention, making it a versatile choice for demanding tooling applications and knife blades. Although not a stainless steel, its unique composition ensures durability, toughness, …