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The number of different steels in the world today seems endless, so how can we know what is a good steel to have for a knife? I have built the ultimate guide to blade steel so you can answer that question and any others you might have about which steel is good for you, in your environment, and doing your tasks.
As steels can be produced and forged in many different ways the element percentages and hardness ratings are only meant to be averages.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GUIDE TO BLADE STEEL LIST
- 154CM – Stainless Steel
- 4116 Krupp – Stainless Steel
- 420HC – Stainless Steel
- 440A & 440B – Stainless Steel
- 440C – Stainless Steel
- A-2 – Tool Steel
- AUS8 – Stainless Steel
- 1095 Carbon – Carbon Steel
- CPM 3V – Carbon Steel
- CPM 20CV – Carbon Steel
- CPM M4 – Carbon Steel
- CPM S30V – Stainless Steel
- CPM S35VN – Stainless Steel
- CPM S45VN – Stainless Steel
- CPM S90V – Stainless Steel
- CPM S110V – Stainless Steel
- CrMoV Series – Stainless Steel
- CTS BD1 – Stainless Steel
- CTS 204P – Stainless Steel
- CTS XHP – Stainless Steel
- D2 Tool Steel – Carbon Steel
- Elmax – Carbon Steel
- H-1 – Stainless Steel
- San Mai – Stainless Steel
- M390 – Stainless Steel
- N690Co – Stainless Steel
- N680 – Stainless steel
- Niolox – Semi Stainless Steel
- 0-1 – Carbon Steel
- SK-5 – Carbon Steel
- Sleipner – Carbon Steel
- VG-1 – Stainless Steel
- VG-10 – Stainless Steel
- ZDP-189 – Stainless Steel
- CPM MagnaCut Steel
BLADE STEEL GUIDE
BUDGET STEEL
420HC
420HC steel is high-carbon stainless steel (the “HC” meaning higher carbon.) 420HC is softer than 440 but is more rugged and mixed to a harder finish than regular 420 stainless steel.
It is known for having strong corrosion resistance and moderate edge retention. It is also easy to sharpen and keep rust-free with a little rinse, dry, and an oiling.
420HC’s approximate hardness lies between 56-59RC on the Rockwell Scale. 420HC is readily used by brands such as Kershaw, Buck, and Gerber.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Nickel (Ni) | Silicon (Si) |
| 420HC | 0.45% | 13.00% | 0.80% | 0.50% | 0.80% |
440A & B
440A steel and 440B steel are placed together because of their similarities. Out of the 440 steels, 440A has the least amount of carbon making it the most corrosion resistant.
They are stainless steel and are generally used on value-priced folding and fixed knives. They are high-carbon martensitic steel created to be very hard.
These two steels have moderately good corrosion resistance and great wear resistance. Its approximate hardness lies between 56-59RC on the Rockwell Scale. Boker and MTech are two companies that use these steels.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Phosphorus (P) | Silicon (Si) | Sulfur (S) |
| 440A | 0.67% | 17.00% | 1.00% | 0.75 | 0.04% | 1.00% | 0.03% |
1095 Carbon
1095 Carbon steel is carbon steel and is by far the most widely used steel among outdoor and survival-style fixed blades. It has great wear resistance, is fairly easy to sharpen and is all-around darn tough.
This being a carbon steel, proper care is required to avoid corrosion. It’s pretty common to find that most 1095 blades are coated for a layer of extra rust protection, but it is still important to keep it dry and oil the blade from time to time.
Its approximate hardness lies between 56-58RC on the Rockwell Scale. Companies at the top end, bottom end, and everywhere in between use 1095 carbon, including ESEE, Ka-Bar and TOPS, to name a few.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Manganese (Mn) | Phosphorus (P) | Sulfur (S) |
| Carbon 1095 | 0.95% | 0.40% | 0.04% | 0.05% |
SK-5
SK-5 steel is a Japanese-created high-carbon steel. It is very tough, very wear-resistant and holds an edge like no other.
Due to its toughness though, it can be tough to sharpen when the time comes. If you were to compare it, it would be roughly similar to 1080 carbon steel and it is used mostly in fixed blades.
Its approximate hardness lies between 55-63+ RC on the Rockwell Scale. Three companies that use SK-5 steel are CRKT, Cold Steel, and Boker.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Manganese (Mn) | Phosphorus (P) | Silicon (Si) | Sulfur (S) |
| SK-5 | 0.85% | 0.32% | 0.03% | 0.25% | 0.03% |
4116 Krupp
4116 Krupp steel is produced by ThyssenKrupp AG and originates from Germany, however, it is normally manufactured in Taiwan.
It is a good mid-range stainless steel that has high corrosion resistance, decent edge retention, decent wear resistance and is quite easy to sharpen.
It also shares qualities similar to 420HC steel. Its approximate hardness lies between 55-57RC on the Rockwell Scale. 4116 steel is used by brands such as Cold Steel and CRKT.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Vanadium (V) |
| 4116 Krupp | 0.50% | 14.50% | 0.65% | 0.15% |
MID-RANGE STEEL
440C
440C steel is the third part of the 440 stainless steel series and is categorized apart from the other two because of its higher carbon content. It has been used in knives since the turn of the century and was once known as “the premium steel”.
Due to its high Chromium and carbon content, it has great edge retention. 440C also excels in corrosion resistance and wear resistance.
Its approximate hardness lies between 59-61RC on the Rockwell Scale. It is still widely used today by brands like Boker, Spyderco, and Kizlyar.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Phosphorus (P) | Silicon (Si) |
| 440C | 0.85% | 17.00% | 1.00% | 0.75% | 0.04% | 1.00% |
AUS-8
AUS 8 is the most widely used of the AUS series. It is a Japanese stainless steel and is generally comparable to 440C. It has vanadium added to it though which adds hardness.
AUS-8 provides extremely good edge retention very similar in fact to steels that are in the premium steel section. It has great corrosion resistance although not the best and has great wear resistance. It’s tough and very easy to sharpen.
Its approximate hardness lies between 58-60RC on the Rockwell Scale. A large many quality brands use AUS-8 in their knives, including SOG, Ka-Bar, and Ontario Knife Company.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Nickel (Ni) | Phosphorus (P) | Silicon (Si) | Vanadium (V) |
| AUS 8 | 0.72% | 13.70% | 0.50% | 0.20% | 0.49% | 0.04% | 1.00% | 0.18% |
CCTS BD1
CTS-BD1 is a stainless steel which is vacuum-melted. The vacuum melting of this steel gives it a very solid edge retention and allows this steel to be sharpened to quite a fine point.
It is known for how wear-resistant it is and even though it is a fairly hard steel it remains fairly easy to sharpen.
Its approximate hardness lies between 58-60RC on the Rockwell Scale. A few of the companies that use CTS BD1 are Spyderco, Kizer, and SOG.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Phosphorus (P) | Silicon (Si) | Sulfur (S) | Vanadium (V) |
| CTS BD1 | 0.90% | 16.00% | 1.00% | 0.50% | 0.04% | 1.00% | 0.03% | 0.10% |
CrMoV Series
The CrMoV series of steels are value-priced stainless steels, generally produced in China and are similar in makeup to AUS-8 and 440C.
Due to the levels of carbon and chromium, they are hard with great edge retention. They also come with great wear resistance however blades made of these steels are decently easy to sharpen and care for.
8Cr13MoV’s approximate hardness lies between 60-62RC and 9Cr18MoV’s approximate hardness lies between 58-60RC on the Rockwell Scale. Just about everybody uses CrMoV steel in their knives, including CIVIVI, CRKT and Kershaw.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Nickel (Ni) | Phosphorus (P) | Silicon (Si) | Sulfur (S) | Vanadium (V) |
| CrMoV (8Cr13MoV) | 0.80% | 13.70% | 1.00% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.04% | 1.00% | 0.03% | 0.17% |
| CrMoV (9Cr18MoV) | 1.08% | 14.00% | 0.16% | 0.80% | 0.75% | 0.04% | 1.00% |
A-2
A-2 steel is an air-hardening tool steel. It is known for how strong and tough it is. Its toughness would come in a little over D2 steel.
A-2 has good edge retention and good corrosion resistance. Even though it’s a hard steel it is still fairly easy to sharpen due to the low level of chromium carbide.
A-2 steel lies between 58-60RC on the Rockwell scale. A-2 steel is a favourite steel for the classic fixed blade brand Bark River.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Nickel (Ni) | Vanadium (V) |
| A-2 | 1.00% | 5.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 0.30% | 0.32% |
H-1
H-1 is a strong, reliable, rust-proof steel manufactured for Spyderco for the ‘Salt Series’ knives.
It is best suited for use around salt water, in or around boats, for diving or other conditions where contact with water is inevitable. Unlike any other steel, the edge of H-1 actually becomes harder with use, allowing the edge to keep its edge longer over time.
H-1 steel’s approximate hardness lies between 57-58RC at the spine and 65RC at the edge on the Rockwell Scale. Spyderco is one of the very few that use this steel.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Nickel (Ni) | Nitrogen (N) | Phosphorus (P) | Silicon (Si) | Sulfur (S) |
| H-1 | 0.15% | 15.00% | 2.00% | 1.00% | 7.00% | 0.10% | 0.04% | 3.70% | 0.03% |
O1
O1 steel is a high-carbon tool steel and is said to be a step down from A2 steel. This steel is known for its toughness, its edge retention and its wear resistance.
The major drawback for O1 steel is its corrosion resistance which is quite poor. This means proper maintenance and constant oiling will be needed in humid environments.
Its approximate hardness lies between 60-62RC on the Rockwell Scale. Several companies that use O1 steel are Treeman, CRKT, and Cold Steel.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Phosphorus (P) | Silicon (Si) | Sulfur (S) | Tungsten (W) | Vanadium (V) |
| O-1 | 0.92% | 0.50% | 1.20% | 0.03% | 0.50% | 0.03% | 0.50% | 0.30% |
HIGH-END STEEL
154CM
154CM steel is an iconic High-end stainless steel produced and manufactured in the United States by Crucible Materials Corporation, known today as Crucible Industries.
Crucible modified the once premium 440C steel by adding molybdenum. No steel is 100% corrosion resistant, but 154CM is about as close as you can get.
It is an exceptionally balanced steel with the three main attributes of hardness, toughened, and corrosion resistance.
It has great edge retention, is quite easy to sharpen and it has an approximate hardness of 58-61RC on the Rockwell Scale. It is widely used by top knife companies like TOPS, Hogue and Gerber.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Silicon (Si) |
| 154 CM | 1.05% | 14.00% | 0.50% | 4.00% | 0.3 |
D2
D2 steel is a high-carbon tool steel, falling just shy of the “stainless” required chromium percentage. It is known for its ability to hold an edge much longer than most other non-powder steels.
It is very strong and abrasion-resistant and its wear resistance is said to match or beat that of premium S90V steel. D2 steel’s approximate hardness lies between 60-62RC on the Rockwell Scale.
Bastinelli Creations, SOG, and Kershaw are just a couple of high-end companies who commonly use D2 steel in their knives.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Phosphorus (P) | Silicon (Si) | Sulfur (S) | Vanadium (V) |
| D2 | 1.50% | 12.00% | 0.60% | 0.95% | 0.03% | 0.60% | 0.03% | 1.10% |
CTS-XHP
CTS-XHP stainless steel is produced by Carpenter Technology as a more corrosion-resistant alternative to D2 steel. It is this corrosion resistance as well as having the hardness of 440C steel that CTS-XHP is widely known for.
This extreme hardness give it great edge retention and extremely good wear resistance. Being one of the most corrosion-resistant steels out of all the stainless steels makes it an ideal steel for wet environments.
Cold Steel a while ago began upgrading many of its models from AUS-8 to CTS-XHP for a better performance standard.
CTS-XHP steel’s approximate hardness lies between 62-64RC on the Rockwell Scale. It is used by many brands including Spyderco, SOG, and Cold Steel.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Nickel (Ni) | Silicon (Si) | Vanadium (V) |
| CTS-XHP | 1.60% | 16.00% | 0.50% | 0.80% | 0.35% | 0.40% | 0.45% |
VG-10
VG-10 is a stainless steel which is produced by Takefu Special Steel in Japan. VG-10 is a high-end Japanese steel that is very popular in Japan and has been introduced into the American market by high-end knife companies.
With VG-10’s level of hardness, it offers great edge retention and with its very high level of chromium, it has excellent corrosion resistance. Due to its high level of chromium, it is also considered one of the best steels for corrosion resistance.
Finally, it also has great wear resistance. Thanks to the levels of each metal that goes into making VG-10 steel although it is a very hard steel, it is also very easy to sharpen.
Its approximate hardness lies between 59-61RC on the Rockwell Scale. It is widely used in Japanese-made knives by brands like Spyderco and Mcusta
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Cobalt (Co) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Phosphorus (P) |
| VG-10 | 1.00% | 15.00% | 1.40% | 0.50% | 1.05% | 0.03% |
N690Co
N690Co (Cobalt) is higher-end stainless steel which is produced by the Austrian Tool company Böhler-Uddeholm. N690 offers great edge retention, thanks to its hardness.
It comes with great wear resistance due to the amount of chromium and vanadium. And even though it’s hard it doesn’t give up anything in its ease of sharpening.
Its hardness lies approximately between 58-60RC on the Rockwell Scale. N690 steel is favoured heavily by European knife makers such as FOX Knives and Extrema Ratio.
N680
N680 is another Bohler-Uddeholm steel. It is very similar in composition to N690 as you can see in the chart below. A huge bonus however is the added Nitrogen.
Nitrogen is added during production to make this steel highly corrosion resistant, especially around seawater.
Its approximate hardness lies between 56-58RC on the Rockwell Scale. A couple of great companies that use N680 are Hogue Knives and Benchmade in their “Dive Series” knives.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Cobalt (Co) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Silicon (Si) | Vanadium (V) |
| N690 | 1.08% | 17.30% | 1.50% | 0.40% | 1.10% | 0.40% | 0.10% |
| N680 | 0.54% | 17.30% | 0.00% | 0.40% | 1.10% | 0.45% | 0.10% |
Sleipner
Sleipner steel is produced by Bohler-Uddeholm and is a new and improved version of D2 steel. It only has about 8% Chromium so it is not counted as stainless steel, which needs a minimum of 13% chromium.
This steel has great edge retention, great toughness, and good corrosion resistance, although because it is so strong it is also very hard to sharpen.
The approximate hardness lies between 62-64RC on the Rockwell Scale. DPX and Lion Steel use Sleipner steel in their knives.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Silicon (Si) | Vanadium (V) |
| Sleipner | 0.90% | 7.80% | 0.50% | 2.50% | 0.90% | 0.50% |
Niolox
Niolox steel is a semi-stainless tool steel, made in Germany by Lohmann. It is well known for its ability to hold an edge while being used in hard-wearing situations and although it is slightly easier to sharpen than some other harder tool steels, it is still not the easiest steel to sharpen.
It is thanks to the Niobium that the wear resistance in Niolox steel stands apart from other tool steels.
Its approximate hardness lies between 59-61RC on the Rockwell Scale. Kizlyar and DPX are two of the high-quality companies that use this steel in their knives.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Niobium (Nb) | Vanadium (V) |
| Niolox | 0.80% | 12.70% | 1.10% | 0.70% | 0.90% |
CPM 3V
CPM 3V steel was designed by Crucible Industries with one idea in mind, to provide an extremely wear-resistant tool steel that had the maximum resistance to breakage and chipping.
It has an impact resistance greater than A2, D2, and CruWear steel.
CPM 3V has great edge retention, and good corrosion resistance, it isn’t that easy to sharpen, but as stated is extremely tough.
CPM 3V’s approximate hardness lies between 58-63RC on the Rockwell Scale. It is used by brands like Cold Steel, TOOR knives and Bark River in some of their fixed blades.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Vanadium (V) |
| CPM 3V | 0.80% | 7.50% | 1.30% | 2.75% |
PREMIUM STEEL
VG-1
VG-1 is a stainless steel produced in Japan by Takefu Special Steel. It is an incredible steel which is extremely tough and has excellent corrosion resistance.
Not only has it achieved those two qualities, but due to its makeup it has effectively achieved the four major requirements for knives: high hardness, high toughness, high wear resistance, and high corrosion resistance.
The approximate hardness of VG-1 steel lies between 61-62RC on the Rockwell Scale. VG-1 steel is often used by Cold Steel as well San Mai III steel uses VG-1 as the core of the laminate with 420J layers on the outside.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Nickel (Ni) |
| VG-1 | 1.00% | 14.00% | 0.30% | 0.25% |
CPM M4
CPM M4 is a special purpose high-speed steel made by Crucible Industries. M4 has a high amount of carbon, which gives it optimum hardness and thanks to its hardness level, M4 steel has amazing edge retention.
It is also high in vanadium and molybdenum levels which gives it a great combination of wear resistance and toughness. M4 steel only has 4% chromium so proper oiling and maintenance are needed to prevent corrosion.
Its approximate hardness lies between 63.5-65.5RC on the Rockwell Scale. Benchmade, Spyderco and Bradford knives are just a couple of the great companies that use CPM M4 Steel.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Silicon (Si) | Sulfur (S) | Tungsten (W) | Vanadium (V) |
| CPM M4 | 1.42% | 4.00% | 0.30% | 5.25% | 0.55% | 0.06% | 5.50% | 4.00% |
CPM S30V
CPM S30V is made by Crucible Industries and is one of the most popular premium US-made steels. It is a martensitic steel that has been very carefully designed to offer the best combination of toughness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.
Its chemistry has been specifically balanced to prioritize and enhance wear resistance. S30V has huge improvements in hardness over other high-hardness steels such as 440C and D2 steel.
As well its corrosion resistance is the same as and potentially better than 440C steel, depending on the environment. Due to its carefully designed makeup, it also offers quite superior edge retention.
S30V’s approximate hardness lies between 58-61RC on the Rockwell scale. High-end knife makers such as Benchmade, Zero Tolerance and Spyderco use S30V for many of their knives.
| Knife/ DNA Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Vanadium (V) |
| CPM S30V | 1.45% | 14.00% | 2.00% | 4.00% |
CPM S35VN
CPM S35VN steel is a martensitic steel made by Crucible Industries and is quite similar to S30V. It was originally designed to offer improved toughness over the previously mentioned CPM S30V steel.
According to Crucible, substituting niobium for vanadium carbides increases the toughness by approximately 15-20% compared to S30V and it doesn’t give up any wear resistance. S35VN has outstanding edge retention even when compared to other high chromium steels such as 440C and D2.
It is because of these reasons that S35VN is highly regarded as one of the best premium steels in the knife industry today.
Its approximate hardness lies between 58-61RC on the Rockwell Scale. S35VN is used by many of the absolute best knife makers like SOG, CIVIVI, WE Knife Co., Cold Steel, and Zero Tolerance.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Niobium (Nb) | Vanadium (V) |
| CPM S35VN | 1.40% | 14.00% | 2.00% | 0.5 | 3.00% |
CPM S45VN
CPM S45VN steel is a martensitic steel produced by Crucible Industries. S35VN steel was created to offer improved toughness over S30V Steel, while S45VN was created to offer improved corrosion and wear resistance over CPM S35VN steel.
Its chemistry has been rebalanced so that it forms more chromium carbides, while at the same time leaving more free chromium in the matrix.
The use of Niobium and Nitrogen in place of some of the Vanadium and Carbon produces an excellent combination of edge retention, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and toughness properties.
S45VN’s approximate hardness lies between 61-62RC on the Rockwell Scale. Spyderco, Chris Reeves, and Benchmade or a few companies that use S45VN steel for their knives.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Niobium (Nb) | Vanadium (V) | Nitrogen (N) |
| CPM S45VN | 1.48% | 16.00% | 2.00% | 0.50% | 3.00% | 0.15% |
ULTRA PREMIUM STEEL (SUPER STEEL)
CPM 20CV
CPM 20CV is an ultra-premium “SUPER STEEL” made in the United States by Crucibles Industries.
CPM-20CV is a premium stainless steel with the highest amount of chromium of any currently available high-vanadium stainless steel.
CPM 20CV is Crucible Industries’ answer to M390 and Carpenter’s CTS-204P and as stated before is a coveted “SUPER STEEL” among knife enthusiasts.
It has excellent edge retention, fantastic corrosion resistance, and it is extremely tough, the one drawback being that because it is so hard it can be difficult to sharpen.
CPM 20CV’s approximate hardness lies between 58-61RC on the Rockwell scale. Benchmade, Kizer, Zero Tolerance, and WE Knife Co. are just a few high-end companies that use this “SUPER STEEL”
| Carbon (C) | Chromium | (Cr) | Molybdenum(Mo) | Tungsten (W) | Vanadium (V) | |||
| 1.90% | 20% | 1.00% | 0.6% | 4% |
CPM S90V
CPM S90V is an ultra premium martensitic tool steel made in the United States by Crucible Industries. It is a high-carbon stainless steel with vanadium which gives the steel its strength.
S90V is a very unique steel Crucible makes due to its high level of vanadium which is 3x that of Elmax steel. It offers a very substantial improvement in wear resistance over 440C, D2, and other high chromium tool steels.
It also offers great corrosion resistance equal to or better than 440C steel. S90V with quite a bit of work can get extremely sharp and due to its hardness can hold an edge extremely well.
Outside of CPM S110V, nothing matches S90V in its ability to hold an edge. The one area S90V lacks a bit is in its toughness.
Its approximate hardness lies between 57-60RC on the Rockwell Scale. Several brands which use S90V include Benchmade, Spyderco, and Darrel Ralph Knives.
| Knife/ DNA Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Vanadium (V) |
| CPM S90V | 2.30% | 14.00% | 1.00% | 9.00% |
CPM S110V
CPM S110V is a newer martensitic, ultra-premium stainless “SUPER STEEL”, made in the United States by Crucibles Industries.
CPM S110V is the big brother to CPM S90V and is quite literally the ABSOLUTE PINNACLE of wear resistance and Edge Retention.
It also has better corrosion resistance than 440C and even better than S90V steel. It also doesn’t thankfully lose much on toughness compared to the S90V. Due to the out-of-this-world wear resistance and edge retention, however, S110V steel is not easy to sharpen at all!
This “SUPER STEEL” is rare, Spyderco and Zero Tolerance are currently a couple of the only brands to use it in their blades. Its hardness is between 58-61RC on the Rockwell scale.
| Knife/ DNA Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Cobalt (Co) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Niobium (Nb) | Vanadium (V) |
| CPM S110V | 2.80% | 15.25% | 2.50% | 2.25% | 3.00% | 9.00% |
Elmax
Elmax steel is an ultra-premium, high-carbon stainless steel made by Bohler-Uddenholm. It is a combination of very high wear resistance, very high edge retention great corrosion resistance and toughness, and is probably the easiest of the super steels to sharpen.
It is because of how amazingly well rounded at such a high level Elmax Steel is, that by many in the knife industry, Elmax Steel is considered the ABSOLUTE BEST knife steel there is!
Its approximate hardness lies between 60-62RC on the Rockwell Scale. Elmax steel is used by numerous high-end companies such as Zero Tolerance, Microtech, and Enzo Knives
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Silicon (Si) | Vanadium (V) |
| Elmax | 1.70% | 18.00% | 0.30% | 1.00% | 0.80% | 3.00% |
M390
M390 is a martensitic chromium powder steel that is produced by Austrian tool manufacturer Bohler-Uddeholm. It is an ULTRA PREMIUM stainless steel and is another one of the few steels considered to be a “SUPER STEEL”.
The toughness of M390 steel is so high, that none but a few other steels in this Ultra premium, SUPER steel category can match it.
M390 is also extremely hard, which makes it hard to sharpen, but holds a razor-sharp edge extremely well due to out-of-this-world edge retention. Last but not least M390 Steel has a very high corrosion resistance.
M390’s approximate hardness lies between 60-62RC. High-end knife companies such as Benchmade, GiantMouse, and Lion Steel use M390 in their knives.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Silicon (Si) | Tungsten (W) | Vanadium (V) |
| M390 | 1.90% | 20.00% | 0.30% | 1.00% | 0.60% | 0.60% | 4.00% |
CTS-204P
CTS-204P Steel is produced by Carpenter Technology in the United States and is another modern-day “SUPER STEEL”.
CTS-204P, M390, and CMP 20CV steel are all super siblings as they are all made by high-end companies, with basically the same chemical composition, providing very much the same qualities and attributes.
The toughness of CTS-204P is extremely high and on par with M390. It is also extremely hard, which means extremely high wear resistance, which also makes it hard to sharpen, but means it holds a razor-sharp edge extremely well due to its incredible edge retention.
Last but not least CTS-204P “SUPER STEEL” has a very high corrosion resistance thanks to its %20 chromium.
The approximate hardness of CTS-204P lies between 60-62RC on the Rockwell Scale. Several premium knife companies that use CTS-204P steel in their knives are Microtech, Ultimate Defence Knives, and Reate Knives.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Silicon (Si) | Tungsten (W) | Vanadium (V) |
| CTS 204P | 1.90% | 20.00% | 0.3% | 1.00% | 0.70% | 0.65% | 4.00% |
ZDP-189
ZDP-189 is a high carbon, Ultra Premium stainless “SUPER STEEL” made by Hitachi in Japan. It is an extremely hard steel, which means extremely high wear resistance as well as extremely high edge retention.
With %20 chromium this steel also has amazingly good corrosion resistance. And of course, being considered a “SUPER STEEL” ZDP-189 also has extremely good toughness.
Truly the one area where these “SUPER STEELS” fall short is in their ease of sharpening, so like the other steels in this rare category, it’ll be a pain to get sharp.
The approximate hardness lies between 64-66RC on the Rockwell Scale. ZDP-189 is used by companies such as Spyderco, Rockstead, and William Henry.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Manganese (Mn) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Silicon (Si) | Tungsten (W) | Vanadium (V) |
| ZDP-189 | 3.00% | 20.00% | 0.50% | 1.40% | 0.40% | 0.60% | 0.10% |
San Mai
San Mai steel is a form of Japanese-made laminated steel very similar to Damascus steel. Laminate steel is when two sheets of steel are layered together.
A very hard steel is used in the centre for the edge, allowing for a blade with great edge retention and a softer metal is used on the outside to create great toughness and make up for the brittleness of the harder steel.
San Mai III uses VG-1 as the spine and 420J2 layers on top. It is used in several different Cold Steel Knives.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Nickel (Ni) | Sulfur (S) | Vanadium (V) |
| VG-1 | 1.00% | 14.00% | 0.30% | 0.25% | ||
| 420J2 | 0.32% | 15.00% | 0.30% | 1.00% | 0.15% |
CPM MagnaCut
Crucible Industries has finally appeared to find that perfect balance between toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance.
Normally when you want more of one of those properties you sacrifice another, MagnaCut has sacrificed nothing. Tough enough to baton 2x4s and nails, and corrosion resistant to the point where Spyderco has started to use it in some of their salt water-specific knives.
The edge retention is so incredible that after you baton that nail, it’ll still be sharp enough to cut paper, and it’ll be razor sharp again with only the slightest bit of sharpening.
The approximate hardness lies between 63-65RC on the Rockwell Scale. CPM MagnaCut is used by companies such as Hogue, LionSteel, and Benchmade.
| Elements | Carbon (C) | Chromium (Cr) | Molybdenum (Mo) | Niobium (Nb) | Vanadium (V) | Nitrogen (N) |
| CPM MagnaCut | 1.15% | 10.7% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 0.2% |
ATTRIBUTES OF STEEL
Throughout this article, as we look at and talk about different steels, the good things and bad things about them you’ll start to notice some common trends that are mentioned.
There are generally five main attributes of steel that are talked about when looking at the quality of steel. Those attributes are hardness (wear resistance), toughness, corrosion resistance, edge retention, and ease of sharpening.
Now I am sure some of those are self-explanatory, but I’ll do a quick breakdown so we’re all on the same page and so the steel descriptions make a little more sense. The last thing to understand is that these attributes to some degree affect each other.
The general rule is that you can’t have great toughness, hardness and corrosion resistance as the chemical makeup of the steel to enhance one or two of these attributes will lower the steel’s attributes in another area.
| Toughness | The measure of a material resisting scratch, wear, or abrasion. Another way to refer to hardness is “wear resistance”. The harder a steel is, the better edge retention the steel will have, being able to hold a razor-sharp edge through a lot of use. The harder a steel is, the less tough it is, meaning it is more brittle. The more brittle a steel is the more likely it is to chip, crack, or break. Also the harder the steel is the harder it will be to sharpen. |
| Hardness | The hardness of a knife is its ability to resist deformation and maintain its shape while having external stress and force applied to it. Hardness is measured using the Rockwell hardness scale (HRC or RC). To measure the hardness of steel you apply weight. to the steel and then measure how deep the indentation created is. For steel to be good for knives it should have a hardness rating generally between 58-62 HRC. This level of hardness offers a good balance between a knife’s edge retention and toughness. |
| Corrosion Resistance | Corrosion resistance refers to the resistance a material offers against a reaction with adverse elements that can corrode the material. If a blade with high corrosion resistance is used outside a lot, consistently around water, or to cut food with acidic juices it will be fine. The less corrosion resistance a steel has, the more careful you have to be with making sure you clean the blade well and oiling it, so it doesn’t rust and erode destroying your knife. |
| Edge Retention | Edge retention is the ability of the steel to hold a sharp edge over time and use. You want to be able to use it regularly without it dulling and continually needing to be sharpened. Whether you’re cutting paper, cardboard, wood, or anything in between a blade needs to be sharp and stay sharp. Generally the harder a steel is, the better the edge retention. |
| Ease of Sharpening | Ease of sharpening refers to how easy it is to sharpen and hone your knife to a razors edge. steel with a high ease of sharpening won’t generally have a high hardness which means it will get dull more quickly and will need to be sharpened more often. A very hard steel will have a low ease of sharpening, but will maintain a sharp edge much longer and will need to be sharpened much less. |
As you get down to the bottom of the article, you’ll hit the “Ultra Premium” steels. It is here where you’ll see what those in the knife industry refer to as “SUPER STEELS”.
These steels are called SUPER STEELS because of their superior chemical composition allowing them to reach as best we can in the industry today the ultimate trifecta of greatness in hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance.
THE ROCKWELL SCALE
Rockwell hardness refers to how resistant a metal object such as a knife blade is to penetration and permanent deformation due to the force applied to it from another material.
It’s a measuring system in which only enough force is applied to the metal being tested to cause little to no damage to determine how hard and strong metal such as that used in knife-making truly is.
Especially important in the knife blade manufacturing and producing industry is the scale these metals are measured on. There are three different scales when it comes to Rockwell testing, scales A, B, and C and Rockwell scale C is the chart that the hardness of knife blade metals are measured on.
The abbreviation of the Rockwell C scale is HRC or can further abbreviated to just RC. The higher the number on the RC scale, the harder the steel is. Conversely, the lower the RC scale number is, the softer the steel.
Most alloys in knife blades range from soft steels in the 45RC range to hard metals rated in the 60RC range.
It’s a misconception to think high RC ratings mean better-quality knives. It depends entirely on a blade’s intended use as to what hardness knife makers specify for their steel.
As a rule of thumb, softer steels such as those rated at 45RC are more durable and withstand impact better than hard steel rated at 60RC.
Hard steel blades hold their edge longer than soft material. However, they can be brittle and tend to chip or even shatter under impact.
Experienced knife blade manufacturers design their products to match their purpose. They strive for a balance between a lower number on the RC scale, a softer more durable metal and a higher number on the RC scale, a harder and stronger metal that keeps a razor-sharp edge for a long time.
FINAL THOUGHTS
No matter what you’re looking for in a knife, there is a knife out there just for you. Tough, corrosion-resistant, cheap, expensive, black, white or any color in between.
Take some time, and find your perfect EDC! If you haven’t found it here, take a look at my article “The Best Tactical Folders: Be Dangerous”.
A knife is one of the oldest and most valuable tools on God’s green earth. Find your knife, carry your knife, and be proficient with your knife!
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