What is the best steel for knives. Handbook of knife steels

One of the indispensable attributes of every hunter is a knife. For many, he is the subject of attention and even pride, his choice is approached with all care.

For the correct selection of a hunting knife, you need to decide on how to use it during hunting. If we exclude extreme situations, such as hand-to-hand combat, for example with a hare, then a hunting knife is used to finish off a wounded animal, to skin game, for camping, tourist and household purposes. In a good way, four different ones would be suitable for all this, in the first case it is better to use something like a dagger, in the second a small convenient knife with a long drop-point type bend, for kitchen purposes any small one with a thin blade, and for hiking forest, on the contrary, a large survivalist or army cleaver.

Due to all this, the best hunting blades are either the best representatives of highly specialized blades, or partially universal ones that are successful in terms of combination of characteristics, since unfortunately there is no absolutely universal hunting knife. What is convenient to cut through thickets and chop wood is not very suitable for peeling potatoes or skinning. Therefore, undertaking to choose a knife, the hunter must assume what kind of hunting he will have, taiga search, ambush for a duck or command for a large animal, and what he will have to do with it. It's often better to have a few than none.

We present a rating of ten knives that are very popular, enjoy well-deserved respect and, according to most hunters, perform well in their application. This includes both types of knives, which are a specific shape and concept, made by many manufacturers, as well as individual models that are successful individual development, based on careful calculation and analysis, from a specific manufacturer.

Buck 110BRS is a knife from Buck Knives, the only folding knife in our rating. This good hunting blade has been produced by the company since 1962, and during this time it has earned a reputation as a reliable tool, equal in strength to monolithic ones.

Made of steel 420 NS, hardness 56-58, Macassar Ebony wood handle with copper inserts. Comes with a lifetime warranty. Blade length 95 mm, total device 220 mm. The blade is suitable for skinning carcasses, as well as for domestic camping needs.

Compact, lightweight, reliable, relatively versatile.

A short blade and it's still not a monolithic knife.

Price 3000 - 5000 rubles. (1480 - 2400 UAH)

Military

Military is a group of multifunctional knives of military origin and design. Many hunters prefer them for their versatility, convenience, often habit, or brutality.

This includes both the classic army models HP-40, HP-43 "Cherry", "Finca NKVD", "Vityaz", the American "Ka-Bar Next Generation Fighter", etc. or their hiking and tourist replicas. Most of them are more than 150 mm long, more than 3 mm thick butt with sorreytor sharpening, Bowie or Spear-point blade shape, handle made of ergonomic artificial materials with a cross or a well-defined stop.

Most of these knives, due to their military origin and sick multitasking, do an excellent job with most hunting tasks, especially if the hunt is of a camping type, regardless of its model. But you need to pay attention that many of them are prohibited, free circulation and require permission.

Among civilian modifications of such weapons, we can recommend the Military knife, manufactured by the Kizlyar plant. Blade with a slight decrease in butt, tapered towards the tip and wide descents from the middle. Product length 287 mm, blades - 160 mm, butt thickness 5.2 mm, AUS-8 steel, hardness 55 - 57 HRC, with a black matte finish. A solid blade is passed through the entire handle, forming a “cullet” in the back, the material of the handle is elastron. This is a good knife for a hike, but it will do an excellent job of butchering and skinning carcasses, especially large ones. It is allowed for free circulation, and has a very nice price.

Knives are quite versatile, reliable, multifunctional, have a brutal look.

Most of these blades require permission and are not suitable for skinning small carcasses.

Price: Kizlyar "Military" - 2550 rubles. (1250 UAH)

Model 007 - a hunting knife from the gunsmith Pampukha I.Yu. It has been produced for over 20 years and is the most popular model of this workshop. Stainless damask steel is forged personally by the master, total length - 263 mm, blade - 145 mm, butt - 4 mm, hardness 60-63 HRC, wooden handle.

A very well-balanced, high-quality, well-thought-out hunting knife with a classic shape. Special properties are obtained due to the sharpening angles and the forging method. Possessing excellent cutting properties, withstands high loads. This versatile blade is good at skinning and butchering game. Would be a perfect choice if it weren't for the price.

High-quality, reliable, almost universal.

High price.

Price 21000 rub. (10000 UAH)

The fisherman's knife is a whole group, similar in form, function and appearance. The fisherman is a fairly versatile hunting blade, designed primarily for skinning and butchering trophies. A knife with a straight wooden handle (usually Karelian birch), usually simple and smooth, sometimes with a notch for the index finger.

The length of the blade is about 120 - 180 mm, the bend of the blade is slightly longer than usual, sharpening from a third to the middle of the blade. The main emphasis of the metal is on anti-corrosion properties. It usually comes with a sheath.

Similar blades are produced by different manufacturers under the names "Promyslovik", "Poacher", "Taiga", etc.

Relatively versatile, great for butchering animals.

They do not solve all the issues in the campaign.

Price: 2600 - 18000 rubles. (1400 - 10000 UAH)

Spyderco Bill Moran is a knife from the USA, a joint creation of the famous designer Bill Moran and Spyderco. One of the lightest (84 g) and durable models on the market. The length of this model is 203 mm, the blade is 99 mm, VG-10 steel. It is thanks to the very strong Japanese stainless steel that the cutter is so strong and light.

The blade is very good, it does an excellent job both with skinning trophies, even quite large ones, and with many household issues during hunting, and due to its weight, or rather its absence, it will not make it difficult during any transition and can be used without problems as a second special one. The disadvantage is the cast handle instead of surface mounting.

Strong, light, reliable, good for skinning.

Short blade.

Price: 8000 - 11000 rubles. (3600-4500 UAH)

The Yakut hunting knife is a traditional knife of Yakutia, known for more than one hundred years, it belongs to the universal hunting knife. Differs in wide functionality, as well as simplicity and ease of use, it is optimal for taiga hunting. It is a pointed blade with a straight butt, a narrow blade with an asymmetric sharpening, 110 - 170 mm long. Steel is forged by local blacksmiths using their own technologies, reaching a strength of 56-60HRC.

On the right side of the blade is a reinforcing dol. The handle is straight, without stops and crosses, the handle is oval in cross section, a little longer than a palm. Made from a single piece of birch burl, impregnated with oils to protect against moisture. A good knife can be bought in Yakutia itself, where they are widely produced, but can also be found in a number of online stores.

Versatile enough for hunting and hiking, reliable.

It is difficult to buy a high-quality, original blade.

Price: 4000 - 20000 rubles. (3000 UAH)

Benchmade Hidden Canyon is another US knife from Benchmade. This is a good hunting blade, if not one of the best at the moment. He appeared recently, but has already managed to firmly gain popularity among hunters. Blade type Drop Point, 65 mm long, with a total length of the product 160 mm, butt thickness 3.5 mm. Steel S30V hardness 58-60 HRC.

The G-10 handle is non-absorbent so won't slip. He excels at skinning and butchering game. Quite versatile and comfortable to wear. Would be perfect for hunting if not for the short blade.

An excellent blade for working with a trophy, thoughtful, high-quality, reliable.

Very short blade.

Price: 9000 - 11000 rubles. (4600 - 6000 UAH)

Berkut - from the Kizlyar plant, a model that has been produced for more than ten years, is widely sold and has become quite popular. Kizlyar blades, among domestic ones, are distinguished by a good price-quality ratio, and this model especially emphasizes this.

This is a knife with a bowie-type blade, on the straight bevel of the butt there is an additional sharpening for cutting small bones, on the heel of the blade there is a sub-finger notch. The length is only 285 mm, the blade is 160 mm, French steel Z60CDV14, hardness 56 - 58 HRC. The handle is made of Caucasian crepe, protected from moisture. The golden eagle is a good universal blade, thanks to its shape it is perfect for skinning, butchering and for work in field conditions. The only downside is that it belongs to melee weapons and requires permission.

Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. If there is too much of the latter substance, then cast iron is formed. If on the contrary it is not enough, then it turns out tin. And steel is an alloy with the same amount of both components. Different types of steel are determined primarily not by the proportions of carbon and iron, but by alloying additives and impurities that give the workpiece different properties.

The history of the production of knife steel dates back centuries, since a good blade at all times served not only for defense and attack, but also as a kind of capital investment, the value of which grew from year to year. The highly demanded modern knife steel requires a solid knowledge of the characteristics of metal alloys and a range of advanced technologies for successful production.

Quality of knife steel

The fact is that carbon gives rigidity, hardness and strength to iron, which simultaneously embrittles the internal structure of steel alloys. That is, the main task of technologists manufacturing knife steel is to optimally select the composition of the alloyed alloy, which should embody the following, sometimes very contradictory qualities in the final products (blades):
strength and wear resistance;
elasticity, plasticity and rigidity;
sharpening retention;
corrosion resistance

Property of knife steel alloys

To achieve the above results, knife steel is made from high-alloy alloys, which contain the following elements with the appropriate properties:
up to 1% carbon, which provides the blade with hardness and strength;
chromium, which, with the help of an oxide film, resists the destructive effects of corrosion, and also increases wear resistance and hardenability;
nickel - an additional barrier to corrosion, which also increases the hardness and toughness of the alloy;
tungsten - is responsible for wear resistance and, in combination with molybdenum and chromium, makes steel "high-speed";
manganese - increases the wear resistance and hardness of the alloy;
silicon - approximately similar to the properties of manganese in steel;
molybdenum - gives steel resistance to heat, reduces its fragility;
vanadium - an element of increased hardness, contributes to wear resistance and strength. Gives the alloy a fine-grained structure.

Knife steel grades

Each steel has a set of properties that meets certain conditions. The skill of metallurgists and steelmakers is to achieve maximum performance, striving to maintain a balance of qualities. Since it is impossible to achieve the maximum in everything, you have to choose. For example, mild steel loses sharpness relatively quickly, but allows you to quickly and easily sharpen a knife. Too hard steel is prone to chipping. If the chemical composition is too complex, there are difficulties with the processing of steel, its production becomes more complicated, and therefore the price - and so on. Those alloys in which it is possible to achieve significant achievements in several indicators at once, as a rule, represent a significant technological achievement and significantly affect the price of the knife itself.

Depending on the material of the blade, the knife can rust, dull quickly, be difficult to sharpen, easily bend or break at the slightest load. The steel grade does not play the only decisive role here. The quality of heat treatment is a very important factor, depending on it, the blade may be too soft, bend and quickly become dull (not hot) or brittle and brittle (overheated). For example, many global manufacturers make blades from cheap and popular all over the world steel 420: Swiss Victorinox and Wenger, Brazilian Tramontina, German Magnum and Beker, Chinese all kinds, Austrian (Fortuna), American SOG and Buck, etc. Each manufacturer manages to achieve different indicators of this one steel, depending on the processing technology.

Sharpness alone is clearly not enough for a good blade. Extremely important in assessing the quality of the cutting edge is wear resistance. This property is directly related to the percentage of carbon. In ordinary carbon steel, maximum hardness is achieved at a C content of 0.7% (approximately 64 HC), and further wear resistance increases predominantly. Of great importance for improving the mechanical properties of steel are alloying additives: chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, nickel, silicon, manganese. Therefore, alloyed tool steel has significant advantages over conventional carbon steel, including in terms of hardness and wear resistance. It should be borne in mind that alloying elements improve strength and toughness at low concentrations and deteriorate them at higher concentrations. One of the most valuable alloying elements is molybdenum, the addition of which causes an increase in strength and toughness at the same time. Apparently, it is the high content of molybdenum (up to 7-8%) in Japanese katanas that largely determines their outstanding qualities. Elements such as chromium, tungsten, vanadium, while increasing hardness and strength, at the same time contribute to increased brittleness. The high chromium content (starting from 13%) not only increases hardness and wear resistance, thereby improving the cutting properties of the blade, but also gives the steel anti-corrosion properties. However, such steel becomes somewhat more brittle than ordinary carbon steel. Stainless steel 440 C (its domestic counterpart - 95x18) is considered one of the best knife steels. It sharpens well and stays sharp for a long time. At the same time, it is significantly inferior in terms of the combination of hardness, wear resistance, toughness and elasticity to such grades as 154 CM, ATS-34, BG-42, which contain a smaller amount of chromium, but contain about 4% molybdenum and some other alloying materials. elements. All of the above grades, including 440 C, belong to the class of modern ball-bearing stainless or low-corrosion steels. And this, of course, is not accidental: it is for them that a high degree of wear resistance is an indispensable quality. A very promising material for the manufacture of knives is also domestic low-corrosion steel X14M4F1 close to them in composition.

Steel 40X13
- cheap domestic kitchen knives are made from it. This steel is suitable for the kitchen, as it does not rust under any conditions, knives from it are easily sharpened and do not require additional care. Moreover, if you are used to working in the kitchen "in a European manner", constantly adjusting the knife with musat, a knife from 40X13 is a good choice. It is also used to make medical scalpels and other instruments, which is why it is often referred to significantly as "surgical" or "medical" steel. The popular 420th steel is considered a foreign analogue of this steel.

Steel 65X13
It is considered the most common knife steel in the domestic market. The advantage of this steel is that it really never rusts. Almost all domestic knife consumer goods are made from it. The closest analogue of the domestic 65X13 can be considered American steel grade 425mod.

Steel 95X18
- good domestic stainless steel, but every cloud has a silver lining - it is rather capricious in hardening and processing. With proper heat treatment, it has high hardness, good flexibility and sufficient strength. A knife made of this material is not as easy to sharpen well as a regular kitchen knife, but it will be good to keep the blade sharp. With prolonged contact with moisture, and even more so with salt, corrosion can occur. With all this, it is one of the best steels of domestic production, with which both large manufacturers and respected private craftsmen work. Steel 440C is considered to be an imported analogue.

Steel 65G
is a rusty spring steel popular for artisanal knives. Most throwing knives are made from it, and quite rarely - kitchen knives. Because a rusty knife has nothing to do in the kitchen. The tendency to corrosion is sometimes tried to be neutralized by various coatings of the blade or by oxidation / bluing, but any coating will ever wear off and in any case does not guarantee against corrosion. However, 65G steel is one of the cheapest knife materials, and it cuts quite well, so knives made of this steel will be made for a long time.

420 steel
- is considered the cheapest and most popular. True, among knife lovers, steel is considered low-grade. Perhaps because many Chinese manufacturers make knives from it. The advantage of 420 steel is that it is an absolute "stainless steel". In Japan, quite high-quality products are made from 420s. In the "western" version, 420 steel is also considered a normal inexpensive knife material. Spanish knives made of 420 steel are soft. But German (Magnum, Beker), Swiss (Victorinox, Wenger) and Austrian (Fortuna) knives from 420th are more hard and accurate. The American firms SOG and Buck also make excellent knives from 420 steel with a blade hardness of up to 57 HRs, while the blade often retains elasticity and is thin in thickness. Brazilian Tramontina also make decent quality 420 steel knives. Thanks to heat treatment with nitrogen, Tramontina achieves a hardness of 53 units, flexibility and excellent corrosion resistance from steel. This once again confirms that high-quality hardening and processing is often more important than the grade (chemical composition) of steel.

8Cr13MoV
- Chinese steel, characteristic of Spyderco's Byrd line of knives. This is a steel with a fairly high content of carbon, chromium, vanadium and molybdenum, it keeps sharpening well and at the same time it is easy to sharpen.

8Cr14MoV
- Chinese steel, similar to the previous one, including the chemical composition. The presence of more chromium in it than in 8Cr13MoV allows it to combine the same cutting and strength qualities with improved anti-corrosion protection.

420J2
- Japanese steel, used for a long time in the manufacture of knives by various companies. Due to its affordability, ease of processing and significant distribution, knife manufacturers use it both on its own and as part of composite alloys, where 420J2 acts as a lining, enclosing harder steel inside.

420HC
(High Carbone - “high-carbon”) is one of the popular alloys used for mass production of knives in recent years. Many well-known manufacturers prefer this steel because of its low cost, ease of processing, sufficient strength for an average knife, and good anti-corrosion toughness. Steel 420HC holds the cutting edge well, however, it needs to be sharpened from time to time, yielding in this to higher grade steels, the knife is easy to sharpen from it.

12С27
- Swedish stainless steel, similar in properties to 420HC. It cannot boast of characteristics that are outstanding beyond the scope of alloys of this class, but in its own way it is of high quality and suitable for use in the manufacture of knives for various purposes. It is also traditionally known for its "pure composition" - i.e. absence of any foreign impurities.

3Cr13
- Chinese stainless steel, which is a modified 440A steel, hardened to a hardness of approximately 57 HRC. Due to the increased carbon content, its cutting properties are superior to 420J2, but inferior to 420HC. It is used on knives of the middle price category from different manufacturers.

440A - 440B - 440C
- the carbon content in these steels is on the rise, respectively, A (0.75%), B (0.9%) and C (1.2%). 440C is an excellent high tech stainless steel, typically hardened to 56-58 HRC. All three resist corrosion well, (440A being the most rust resistant). 440C has long been the standard for quality stainless steel for knives, it's common and has a well-deserved reputation, but it's also the most expensive of the bunch. Steels 440A and 440B are also quality alloys that can withstand loads well.

AUS-4
- Japanese steel, knives from which are not widely used. It can be compared to 420J2 steel, but by definition it does not have sufficient rigidity due to the negligible carbon content of the alloy. A knife made of such steel is easy to edit and sharpen, but it also quickly loses its sharpening.

AUS-6 - AUS-8 - AUS-10
are Japanese stainless steels roughly comparable to 440A (AUS-6.65% carbon), 440B (AUS-8.75% carbon) and 440C (AUS-10, 1.1% carbon) respectively. The widespread use of AUS-8 steel has made it popular and, although it does not hold the strength of ATS-34, many note its outstanding wear resistance. AUS-10 has about the same carbon content as 440C but contains less chromium and is therefore slightly less corrosion resistant. All of these steels contain up to a quarter percent of vanadium, which improves wear resistance.

ATS-34 and 154CM
- one of the most modern high-tech stainless steels. 154CM is the original American steel, its outstanding performance makes it also quite expensive, it is not used in every knife. The ATS-34 is a product of the Japanese corporation Hitachi and is very close to 154CM in terms of performance. These grades are usually hardened to 60 HRC and are stable at this hardness while maintaining high rigidity, but they are not as rust resistant as 440 series steels. These steels can rightfully be considered one of the best steels today.

H-1
- stainless steel, characteristic of Spyderco knives. Due to its unusual chemical composition, it has increased corrosion resistance, including in the sea, where the amount of salt is increased. It also boasts high cutting performance and the ability to hold sharpening for a long time. It is quite difficult to process, therefore it is used relatively rarely, most often in the production of professional knives for yachtsmen, sailors, etc.

3G
- Swedish packet (composite) powder steel of the latest generation, one of the best in its class. The high carbon content (1.4%) gives it the hardness and rigidity necessary for a “knife” alloy, and additional impurities contribute to high corrosion resistance, good toughness and wear resistance.

S30V
(CPM S30V) is a stainless martensitic powder steel that was developed by Dick Barber in collaboration with renowned knife maker Chris Reeve. In the manufacture of this steel, vanadium carbides are formed, the properties of which give the steel greater strength than the use of chromium carbides. In addition, vanadium carbides make it possible to achieve a more perfect steel grain. This steel quickly gained popularity and is now widely used in the manufacture of knives by many companies.

D-2
- modern tool steel, which is sometimes called "semi-stainless". It has a fairly high chromium content (12%), but still not enough to classify this steel as stainless. Despite this, in terms of the "corrosion resistance" parameter, it far surpasses any carbon steels. It also has high strength, which allows you to keep the cutting edge for a long time.

ZPD-189
- Japanese powder steel of the highest category. It combines extremely high hardness, which currently has no analogues among other steel grades, but at the same time has significant strength and toughness. Such steel is used by only a few companies on the best models of knives from the range, it also surpasses all analogues in cost.

SHH15, H12MF, D2

Fine cutting properties are also distinguished by knives made of ordinary SHKH15 ball-bearing steel. Blades made of D2 steel (the Russian analogue is Kh12MF die steel) are also distinguished by very high wear resistance, strength and elasticity. But both these grades of steel are susceptible to corrosion.

Damascus and bulat

The best material for blades is, of course, damask steel and Damascus of the highest grades. A large number of articles have recently been published on damask and Damascus steels, and therefore there is no particular need to describe their excellent qualities. As a matter of fact, all examples of the exceptional sharpness of blades refer specifically to damask steel or Damascus. Not without reason, when in the old days they wanted to emphasize the highest quality of the blade, they very often called the blade damask steel or simply used the word "damask steel". The technology for smelting various grades of damask steel, including alloyed steel, has been restored and mastered by Russian metallurgists. As for the quality of products made of damask steel, everything here depends on the art of the blacksmith, on the correctly chosen heat treatment mode, on careful grinding and polishing. The highest grades of Damascus patterned steel are unlikely to be inferior to damask steel in terms of their cutting properties, but at the same time they often surpass some types of damask steel in elasticity and strength. Of the modern grades of steel with bulat and Damascus, only Swedish steel CPM-T-440 C, made by powder metallurgy, can compete. Specially organized tests have shown that in terms of wear resistance this composite metal is 18 (!) times superior to steel 440 C. Unfortunately, it should be noted that the technology for obtaining all these types of steels and their processing is extremely complex and time-consuming, so products from them are still very expensive.

As you know, the secret of the legendary damask steel was rediscovered by the Russian metallurgist P.I. Anosov. Among the "barbarians" the art of blacksmiths was extremely highly valued and they were very respected and revered people. Sabers from Zlatoust damask steel were highly valued in Central Asia, and there they have long known a lot about good weapons. As noted by gunsmiths, the Zlatoust blades were superior to oriental damask steel in terms of elasticity. In the second half of the 19th century, hunting knives of the Zavyalov brothers were famous in Russia, elastic, like a whalebone, and at the same time so hard that they could cut iron. The well-known connoisseur of hunting weapons L.P. Sabaneev wrote that in his time (at the end of the 19th century) the knives made by the Tula master Yegor Samsonov were considered the best - they were, in his opinion, stronger and cheaper than the English knives of Rogers - the supplier of the royal court (fragile) , Solingen (weak temper) and the St. Petersburg master Shaf, but he considered the Zlatoust knives to be the best (Sabaneev L.P. Hunting calendar. M., 1985, vol. 1, p. 445). And at present, Zlatoust blades, including damask ones, are rightly considered one of the best in terms of the excellent quality of the metal. At the end of the 20th century, the production of knives in the Soviet Union fell into complete decline, largely due to overly strict legislation and a whole system of prohibitions. It is hardly possible to consider those knives that were officially produced at that time as any suitable for a hunter. These knives were in many respects inferior to the products of single handicraftsmen and amateur craftsmen, who, in fact, acted illegally. I was convinced of this from my own experience, when, during a hunt, one local hunter cut off a blade from my number plate made of 4x13 steel with his homemade knife. This was a very convincing argument, indicating the low quality of a factory product. Of course, in those days there were craftsmen in our country who forged knives of excellent quality.

Your EDC knife is only as good as the steel it is made from. When the knife steel is of high quality, then the knife will be sharp, it will keep sharpening well and will not break just like that. But if the quality of steel leaves much to be desired, then such knives become dull quickly and break at the most inopportune moment.

Considering that there are a huge number knife steels, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages, it becomes much more difficult to choose the right knife for yourself, which requires a more detailed study of the issue. Therefore, we will talk about several of the most popular materials that are most often used in production. knives for EDC.

What should you pay attention to first of all in a knife?

• Hardness and durability. Or rather, the balance of these two qualities. You don't need a blade that can bend under load, and you don't need a material that can lose some of its properties over time.
• Sharpness and ability to hold sharpening. The knife must be sharp and must remain sharp as long as possible. And at the same time, you should be able to sharpen it. That is again a balance of two qualities. Which is largely determined by the amount of carbon in the steel.
• Corrosion resistance. Knives made of ordinary steel require special care and maintenance. Stainless steel products are much easier, but they too can rust if not properly cared for. Elements such as chromium and vanadium reduce the rate of rusting knife steel so pay attention to that.

There are a huge number of different types of materials, depending solely on the manufacturer. As a rule, the name of the steel partially reflects its composition, facilitating orientation. But this is not always the case. And if the manufacturer is silent about the name of the material, then this is definitely a reason to change your mind about buying this tool.

And now the 10 most effective examples good knife steel.

1. 1095 carbon steel

1095 carbon steel is a typical example of regular steel with a carbon content of 0.95 percent. This allows you to get a stiff blade that holds the cutting edge perfectly. But it rusts without proper care. So pay special attention to lubrication and storage conditions. In addition, knives made of 1095 steel are usually thick, because this is the only way to avoid excessive fragility of the blade.

2. D2 tool steel

This material is used to make large industrial tools used to cut and stamp softer steel products. Therefore, D2 tool steel is characterized by increased strength and wear resistance. And much less prone to rust. But such heavy and durable knives are extremely difficult to sharpen without special equipment.

3.420HC

This slightly old fashioned high carbon stainless knife steel, from which classic hunting and gentleman's knives were made. 420HC is not as durable as some of the other materials on our list, but is great for heavy daily use. Moreover, these knives are extremely easy to sharpen. And almost about the unpolished bottom of a ceramic plate.

4. Sandvik 12C27 / Sandvik 14C18N

knife steel with an average carbon content (0.6 percent), which also has a large admixture of chromium. Blades made from this material are highly wear-resistant and rust-resistant. Due to its comparatively low carbon content, Sandvik 12C27 can have sharpness problems, but proper machining and the right tools can solve this. And Sandvik 14C18N just has a lot of carbon, so it holds an edge a little better.

5.8Cr13MoV

One of the most common options, because it provides fairly high performance at a relatively low price. The name 8Cr13MoV reflects the composition - 0.8 percent carbon and 13 chromium. It's universal knife steel, ideal for budget knives. Normally keeps sharpening, relatively strong, does not rust. There are other variations, but they, due to the smaller amount of carbon, are worse at staying sharp.

6. 440C

It's stainless knife steel with a particularly strong crystal structure and a high chromium content. In principle, 440C steel has the same amount of carbon as 1095, but the higher chromium content makes it resistant to corrosion. And since it is an alloy steel, it is less brittle than 1095, and its wear resistance will be higher. Therefore, it is perfect for folding knives, not differing in massiveness and dimensions.

7. AUS-8

The properties are almost identical to 440C stainless steel, only it contains much more vanadium in its composition. The material itself is fine, but the quality of knives largely depends on the quality of forging and heat treatment. If you are buying a knife made of AUS-8 steel, then make sure that the manufacturer understands the topic. These knives are both easy to sharpen and dull fairly quickly, so renew the cutting edge regularly to avoid problems.

8.154CM

Further development of the 440C idea. By adding molybdenum, it was possible to achieve even greater strength and sharpening retention efficiency than other types of stainless steel. Such knives are even quite easy to sharpen on your own, which makes 154CM knife steel an almost ideal choice as a material for EDC knife.

9. VG-10

VG-10 - high quality knife steel with a high carbon content, which is usually used for the most expensive kitchen knives. And if you add to this also excellent resistance to rust ... In short, this is a rather expensive material, but it is worth the money.

10. CPM-S30V / CPM-S35VN

This steel, despite its highest quality, is extremely difficult to manufacture due to the use of vanadium carbides. But it's worth it - CPM-S30V and CPM-S35VN steels, like no other, can keep sharpening. Therefore, they are most often used in the most expensive and high-quality knives.

Using a knife, you can perform two different actions: chop (plan) and cut. Chopping (planing) is a movement across the blade, and cutting is along. Very often, even knife makers do not distinguish between these actions, and in vain. When you cut a knot, the hardness and strength of the knife are checked, which depend on the composition of the steel and its hardening, and when cutting a ripe tomato, you check the structure, and this is a derivative of the technology of creating a knife, i.e. how and from what it is made: Damascus, damask steel or ordinary steel. Since these characteristics: hardness and structure are achieved in different ways, they often come into conflict with each other.
Here is a simple example: we take U-8 steel (silver) and make two products from a bar - a chisel and a knife. We harden the chisel: 650 ° ÷ 680 ° and in cold water. We will get the finest grain and maximum hardness. A knife hardened in the same mode is, firstly, brittle, and secondly, it cuts poorly - the grain is too fine. It is better to quench at 720° - 760° and in oil with t° = 60° ÷ 200°, temper in the same oil and cool in water. We will not get maximum hardness, but elasticity and cutting properties will be higher.
The second example: alloying additives of chromium, vanadium and tungsten increase the hardness, strength and elasticity of steel and sharply reduce its cutting properties. So a knife forged from a chrome-vanadium spring does not cut at all, it slides like a skate on ice, but does not cling to the surface. High speed steels (HSS) with a high tungsten content (9% ÷ 18%) also cut badly - they plan, they are hard, but they are weak against tomato or felt.
I believe that there are three structures in which good cutting performance can be achieved - these are bulat, Damascus and CPM steel - a product of powder metallurgy, although it is clear that with the same performance characteristics, they will have different patterns, hardness, elasticity and strength. In my opinion, the possibilities of CPM steels are limited by too high alloying (sometimes only 26% chromium). In Damascus and damask steel, each piece is so individual that to pronounce these two words is to say nothing. It's like saying the word "girl". Although, if you describe a new acquaintance to your friend for half an hour, then he will get a vague idea of ​​​​her, but with damask steel - Damascus, such a trick will not work - you need to see it, hold it in your hands and work. Two knives can only be compared side by side, directly, as you would compare two cars. Looks first, performance second. As for the appearance, today there is only one criterion: whether you like it or not, personally for you, and not for someone else. In Indian damask damask, the pattern was a function derived from quality, so P.P. Anosov could say that "if damask steel is properly etched, then samples are superfluous; without them one can see: viscous or brittle, hard or soft, elastic or weak, sharp or dumb metal." But the last samples of Kara-Taban and Kara-Khorasan were produced in the XIII century, and the last specialists who could distinguish one from the other at a glance died out more than a hundred years ago. Therefore, the drawing does not tell us anything about the quality and can be pleasant or not. The same damask pattern is achieved on completely different components and therefore, two items with a very similar pattern will be of different quality. The only pattern on Damascus that shows, well, not quality, but at least the knowledge of a blacksmith and his attitude to his work, is a wavy pattern on the edge of the blade, and even then, if it is made at the last moment before hardening.
I explain: for example, there are 200 layers in the package. The most popular way now is milling, i.e. the strip is chopped off, turned and a rich pattern and 1 layer on the edge are obtained.
That is like this:

Fig1.

It turns out not Damascus in terms of properties, but patterned steel. But, if you forge this strip, pull off the edge, in which, with a thickness of 1 mm, all 200 layers will be present, and then make a wave with a stamp, then after milling, teeth will go along the cutting edge, and all 200 layers will work, and not just decorate surface.
1. Forging.

shank not shown


Fig.2

2. Wave on the blade.

Fig.3

3. Drawing after milling.

Fig.4

This is the final touch on the blade finish and the patterned steel begins to have the qualities of Damascus and cuts three times longer. The data is accurate - so I took a strip of stainless Damascus (made by Grachev S.), cut it in half and made two blades: one with a wavy pattern, and the second without it. The wave blade made 65 cuts in the felt, and the second one made 22. There are several ways to mix up the layers on the edge, but this is the simplest and most effective. (I note in passing that the need for entanglement disappears if the number of layers exceeds 3,000). Wild damascus is more intricate in structure than rolling damascus, but only a few layers work on the edge, and often not the best, so the wave also does not hurt. I agree that this somehow limits the artistic possibilities of the design, but sometimes you need to worry about working properties, and not just about the drawing. However, the wave on the edge occupies 5-8 mm, a field of 20-25 mm remains - you can roam on it: knock with a ball, rhombus, draw tic-tac-toe, etc.
Note to users: the wave on the edge can go, but if it is slightly moved away from the edge, then this is a fake. Often done not out of malice, but out of ignorance. The master, not realizing that this is not just a drawing, but turning all the layers across the blade, takes a package 10 - 20 mm thick, stuffs oblique risks, grinds the bulges and forges the product. There is a wave pattern from above, but the inner layers are not affected, and again 1-2 layers go along the edge. This fake is immediately visible: the wave is moved away from the edge, and parallel lines go along it.
Here's how it goes:
1. Package with a wave along the edge.

inner layers
not deformed

Fig.5.

2. Finished drawing.

Edge layers
are parallel

Fig.6

Blacksmith Note: a thin edge, and even in contact with the stamp, cools down quickly, and the deformation is large, so it’s good to heat, stamp the wave quickly and with one blow - otherwise delamination occurs.
* And the easiest and most reliable way is milling. First, pull the edge to a thickness of approximately 3 mm, then with a sharp angle of a medium-grained emery wheel, grind the notches on both sides.
It looks like this:

Fig.7

Then heat and straighten the edge - all layers turn.
All these tricks increase the cutting ability of the edge, create teeth on it. But we must remember that the strength decreases because of this, and these teeth can crumble. Therefore, it is more difficult, but better, to make 3,000 ÷ 60,000 layers along the edge, without worrying about tangling the layers and having maximum strength, and to sculpt the decoration on the cheeks in 40 - 200 layers, adding copper, nickel, chromium, tantalum, etc. brightly colored metals.
Well, we compared two cars in appearance - it's time to compare driving performance. Of course, no one will disperse them on the highway for this, and beat them head-on. This results in nothing but a pile of scrap metal. It's the same with blades: hitting one blade against another - whatever the result - does not say anything at all, so do not turn the knives into metal, but compare them in action. After all, the knife has only two working parameters: the ability to cut and the ability to cut. If a knife cuts a dry spruce branch, a beech stick, a bamboo trunk or a deer horn without chipping or dulling, then this is an excellent knife, you don’t need to wish for anything better.
The cutting property is easiest to check on felt, which contains a lot of silicon and dulls the blade as quickly as possible. In ancient times, a felt felt was rolled up, and this roller was cut - such a large-scale operation is suitable for a length gauge, but with a knife you can do it easier: mark 5-7 cm on the blade and cut a strip of felt in one motion. So I did, comparing knives made from different steels, but on the same felt.
Testing conditions.
All blades were sharpened by me, sharpening angle 18 ° ÷ 25 °. There was only one set of stones and whetstones. After sharpening, a soft bone was cut - the horn of a deer. If the edge deformed, then the sharpening angle increased until the blade passed this test with flying colors. (Except as noted: *).
After the hardness test, the cutting properties were checked.
A dense felt was taken, with a section of 20 mm × 20 mm. A gap of 70 mm was marked on the blade, and the felt was cut across in one motion from the mark to the heel of the blade with slight pressure.

Fig.8

As soon as the knife began to slide and did not cut the felt in one movement, the testing was stopped and the data were entered into the table.
It quickly became clear that in fact the angle of sharpening, the hardness of the blade and honing stones play an insignificant role - only the structure of the edge of the blade and the density of the felt, its composition were important. Therefore, those who wish and are curious can repeat these experiments. The results will differ from the data here, but the ratio of the number of cuts of knives from different steels will remain the same.

Table 1.
Legendary steel of yesteryear.

* There was no point in chopping the bone: the blade would have bent.

Table 2.
modern steels.

Table3.
Foreign steel.

Table4.
Exotic.

I want to explain once again that these figures are not absolute, but relative - they only show the relationship between the cutting properties of some steels. The blades were sharpened not to the "ideal", but to the moment when they cut the paper with a wheeze and a spike, but confidently cut the paper, and the test stopped when the blade did not cut the paper. This narrow gap is taken only to save time and felt. Even under such conditions, time was spent - two years and felt rugs were bought for a hundred dollars.
For example, I tested my kitchen knife "Mora 2000", K.J. Ericsson, stainless" twice. Once in the usual way, and the second time I sharpened it to the limit that I can reach; and in the second case, he made - 90 cuts ( in the first - 30), but twice as much time was spent on sharpening, three times - not a test, three times more felt was cut and these expenses are unnecessary in the experiment. Apparently, any blade from the table is capable of making three times as many cuts, but here we are not talking about some absolute, but only about the ratio of steels to each other.The only thing I can notice is that if during testing the difference is 10 cuts, then in real life it feels like 2 times.Therefore, 30 cuts and 100 cuts are two big differences.
Also, I did not try to evaluate the author's works - my goal was to find out "what is what" in the world of steels, to identify common patterns.
The work will continue, the table will be filled in, but some conclusions can be drawn.
The legend about the high cutting properties of Damascus is a legend. They cut the steels that are part of it, and not the seams between them. Therefore, all the properties of Damascus: strength, hardness and cut are the arithmetic mean, but not the sum. This can be deduced speculatively: for example, we took ShKh-15 as cutting steel, and 65G as elastic - this does not mean at all that the resulting Damascus will cut like ShKh-15 and will be elastic like 65G. After all, we diluted both steels, thereby worsening its basic properties. This rule will apply, no matter how many layers we mix: from 2 to 1.000.000. So, for example, a standard composite: St.3 + file + spring - gives a pattern with a poor set of colors - from light gray to dark gray and from 40 to 55 felt cuts. There is only one working steel in this set: 65G (spring), it itself gives 70 cuts and is elastic. Everything else is added for color, but sharply worsens its (65G) properties.
The only type of Damascus, the properties of which will be the sum of all the properties that make up its composition, will be Damascus without a pattern. That is, the steels in it are not mixed with each other: the cutting steel goes along the edge, and the elastic one goes along the butt. This design can have from 2 to 9 bands, this does not change the essence of the matter. On the edge there may be a damascus of cutting steels or one steel, but well mixed (as in Japanese swords), and on the cheeks there may be a decorative damascus of nickel and chromium - this fundamentally does not change anything either. I want to convey a simple idea: do not interfere in a pile of steel according to the principle: "what if something comes out like that" - that kind of thing will not work, there are no fairy tales, unfortunately. As steel behaves separately, it behaves in the same way in Damascus - nothing new is born in this mixture.
Therefore, if the steel is unknown, it is not in my tables - research it. It is not difficult to make one reference knife from ShKh-15, and compare unknown steels with it - you can send the data to me and the tables will fill out faster. For example, U16A has not been tested - I think that it is not cutting, i.e. continues the line U12A, U13A, but you need to check something. Buying a U16A strip on the Klink is money down the drain. So at the spring "Klink" in 2004, Mr. Petrik bought a product from supposedly U16A, the spectrograph showed that it was 12X5. Perhaps the master simply bought the strip, taking his word for it.
Poorly cut modern damask steel, having in the composition even C \u003d 1.9%. Since the structure, not the composition, is decisive in any steel, the presence of carbon in any quantities does not mean anything.
Here is a list of steels that give 60 ÷ 90 cuts in felt: U7A; U8A; U10A; ShKh-15; R6M5; ShKh-13; 9XC; 9HFM. They have a carbon content of 0.7% to 1.05%, but a good structure, so the Damascus, composed of them, will cut.
But the steels that give 7 ÷ 30 cuts: U-12; U-13; H12FM; 12X; 13X. Carbon in them is from 1.2% to 1.7%, but adding them to Damascus is a mistake. After all, the same file is added to Damascus for two reasons: to increase the% carbon (improve working properties) and for contrast. Alas, there is a deterioration in properties, and contrast can be achieved in another way.
Here, for example, Damascus (Photo), composed of 3 cutting steels: Shch-15; 9XS and 65G (as a layer between them). Damascus polished and 10sec. manifested in iron sulfate: dazzling white polished lines of chromium on a dark background, which is not uniform, but consists of black, brown and blue stripes. Damascus is resilient and cuts like a spring - 70 cuts, which is three times more than the best Damascus type: spring + file.
This Damascus does not cut like ShKh-15, since the volume of ShKh-15 \u003d 25% and hardening was carried out according to 65G, (i.e. heating for hardening is 200 ° less), otherwise everything would crumble. But at least the spring is thinned with the best steel, not a file. ШХ-15 fulfilled its task - it gave chromium lines. Oddly enough, Damascus from one steel also gives a very contrasting pattern. Here is a series of pictures showing the process of turning the chain from the "Sandrik" saw into a Damascus with a very bright pattern (Photo).
The picture is incredibly contrasting, I had to do an analysis and it turned out that the entire chain, including the rivets, was made of one metal. Then, to confirm this fact, I made Damascus from a reinforcing bar, however, with a powder of iron filings at the seams. And this Damascus turned out to be bright and contrasting. Therefore, it is better to think about the working properties of Damascus when mixing steels, and the pattern will always be present.
All this is said about Damascus, which has a pattern. Be it wild; Turkish; stamp or something else. Any pattern on the surface is a cut layer and the germ of a future crack. Any mixture of steels on the edge cuts worse, or the same as the best steel from this mixture. Mechanical increase in the number of layers does not increase the quality of the cut.
One experience is reflected in the tables. A blade forged from a file made about 30 cuts, and a damascus from a file with 30,000 layers also made 30 cuts. In addition, I conducted the following experiment: I took a strip of Damascus in 400 layers, weighing 1.6 kg (produced by I.Yu. Pampukha), and began to weld it, sometimes cutting off a piece for testing. As a result, 4 blades of 50 g each were obtained, the remaining 1.4 kg went to the scale. The blades had: 3,000 layers, 30,000 layers, 300,000 layers and the last blade - 4 million 800 thousand layers. Only the initial version of 400 layers had good cutting properties, then it deteriorated. Welded only with flux, cutting the strip into 5-10 pieces. Those. There were many layers, but few welds. The increment of quality goes at other process. If the strip is bent in half each time and covered with iron filings. Those. there are many welds, and the increase in the number of layers is very slow. At the same time, carburization occurs due to cast iron. The path is not promising and laborious. Waste is 50% - 75%. This means that Damascus is the best in quality, in which the result is equal to the sum of its constituent steels - this is: cutting steel along the edge, a spring along the butt and a pattern on the cheeks. Such a design will cut, chop and be beautiful (with a good selection of all components), but, whatever one may say, it will be inferior in strength to the creations of E. Samsonov. These are conclusions about Damascus.
Now about steels. Of carbon steels, the Swiss file turned out to be the favorite, of course, not just milled, but forged. 100 cuts in felt, cuts any bone, with a thickness of 4 mm, it does not deform under a load of 80 kg, i.e. it springs. In general, it is not surprising if we remember that not a single jeweler uses our files, which go bald from the first movement. And Swiss files work for 15 - 20 years. Approximately the same results were given by the products of Germany and Austria. It was not for nothing that the Amuzgin masters (Dagestan) inserted Sheffield files into Damascus.
Of the alloyed steels, the best was R6M5 (well forged!). Viscous, elastic, not critical in hardening. After etching, it gives a beautiful damask pattern, cuts any bone, cuts very well, like carbon. It is a paradox that more carbon steels, such as 110X18 or X12FM, are inferior to R6M5 many times in terms of operating parameters, blinding only with their brilliance. In general, there is no Damascus equal to R6M5, although it does not fulfill its direct purpose. I explain - this is steel for metal drills, but it does not drill metal, unlike its predecessor P18. But, as it turned out, it can be used in knife production; independently or by sticking stainless Damascus cheeks. It's just that P6 is also mixed into Damascus, but with a drop in working qualities, as described above, in the chapter on Damascus.
CPM steels cut perfectly, do not rust, are brittle, do not have a pattern. If you bring out the geometry of the blade well (not thinner and not thicker, so as not to break, but cut), then this is an ideal knife for hunting and fishing. That's all for now with conclusions.

I give a general answer to several questions received.
Two years ago, I began to compare the cutting properties of Damascus, damask, steel, in full confidence that steel was the worst of all, everything was overshadowed by the image of a microsaw inherent in damask and Damascus. A purely speculative idea that no one has confirmed or refuted. I started writing and filling out the article and tables at the same time, also two years ago. When the facts began to refute the theory, he followed the facts, so the article begins "in health" and ends "for the rest." But he did not rewrite, let him reflect the evolution of thought. I appreciate the work very simply - I saved time for that Damascus fanatic who is sure that the whole point is in mixing different steels, their correct proportion, the number of layers or in cast iron between layers. I affirm that this is not so: the properties of Damascus, as a result of all this work, will be the arithmetic mean of the properties of the components. Here is another logical proof. Imagine that two strips are welded: let it be a spring and a file. This design was hardened and sharpened. They sharpened on one side - the spring cuts and gives 70 cuts. On the other side they sharpened - it cuts a file and gives 30 cuts. They sharpened in the middle (along the seam) - it doesn’t cut at all. We anneal this Damascus, bend in the middle to the thickness of the strip, like this:

We harden, sharpen, we get Damascus with a steel ratio of 1: 1. How will he cut? Very simple (70+30): 2 =50. The seam will only hurt. That's the whole point of Damascus in terms of cutting properties. You can make 1.000.000 layers - it will cut the same way as this strip (if the proportion is 1: 1). If someone is not sorry for his time, let him refute. That is, you need to get Damascus, which cuts better than the steel that makes it the best cut and so that the explanation is clear: you need to make 3,000 layers in 7 welds, after the 3rd welding, torsion clockwise, and after the 5th - counterclockwise and then a miracle happens.
My advice: if Damascus is made of steels, and quality is important, and not just a pattern, then steels must be selected not by color or carbon, but by strength, hardness and cutting properties.
Steel R6M5 I praised for its combination of properties. It is not a leader in cutting: ShKh-15 cuts 4 times better, and 65G - 2 times better, but I give it 100 units for strength, 90 for hardness and 60 for cut. In addition, it has a wide forging range: from 1.000 ° C to 550 ° C and completely non-critical to hardening, that is, a very convenient steel. It rusts weakly, and after etching it has a beautiful pattern, though small (martensite relief). Perhaps the high qualities of this steel are due to the correct alloying, i.e. and ligatures as much as necessary and its selection is good. After all, if the alloying is less than a percent, then the properties of the steel change little, and if more than 15%, then the steel can turn into something opposite. Example: Gatfield steel. I note that I took R6M5 for analysis three times, being not sure what it was and made sure that the doping spread in% is very large: even the tungsten content ranged from 4.5% to 6.5%; perhaps this fits into GOST, but the difference in quality will undoubtedly be. Unfortunately, there is no getting away from the scatter of the parameters of one grade of steel if it is smelted in different ways (open-hearth, Bessemer, converter, electric arc) and the quality of melting strongly depends on the day of the week. This confirms even more clearly in the thought that for Damascus it is necessary to take good, expensive steels, smelted by the electric arc method.
Once again about the entanglement of layers on the edge. This should be paid attention to if there are few layers and if there are poorly cutting steels in the composition. Calculate for yourself: the diameter of the rounding of the tip = 5 microns. The thickness of the point before hardening, if the blade is forged, is approximately 3 mm. So, if there are 3,000 layers in Damascus, then 5 layers will have to be on the cutting edge - this is already enough and there is no need to confuse anything. Well, if there are up to 500 layers in Damascus, and even milled, and not forged, then 1 - 2 layers walk along the edge, just like in the example that is drawn a little higher. Grachev's Damascus, which I gave as an example at the beginning of the article, has 40 layers and not all of them have become good cutting, so it is clear that it is necessary to confuse the layers.
Steel Damascus is predictable and uninteresting. Nothing happens to these steels in the forge, since all vacancies in them are filled with ligature. But with pure iron in a charcoal furnace and in a reducing flame, interesting things happen. For example, I took bloomery iron of the 11th century (composition: C = 0.08%, S = 0.14%) and carried out 15 weldings. The composition was obtained: C = 0.45%; S=0.08%. That is, there is carburization and burning out of sulfur. Nothing new - it is described in any textbook. True, the limits of this process are not written, so I will find out. So the topic of Damascus is not closed and will not be closed by me. "The worm is so long, and life is so short," said one biologist who spent his whole life studying the earthworm.

One of the most important challenges that arise when creating a new steel for knives is finding the optimal balance of strength and hardness. It is possible to develop an alloy that has very high hardness characteristics, but on the other hand it will be very brittle and, if dropped on a hard surface, will shatter into parts. On the contrary - if the blade is very flexible and durable, it will become dull very quickly. What is the best steel for a knife? To choose the right knife steel, you must definitely decide on the purpose of the knife.

Use of additives in different knife steels

The mechanical properties of steel for knives are largely determined by various alloying additives in the form of chromium, vanadium, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, and other elements. Included in the composition of steel in different proportions, these additives affect wear resistance, hardness, and other characteristics of the alloy. One of the valuable additives of knife steel is molybdenum. Thanks to him, the steel becomes more viscous and more durable. Molybdenum increases durability during heating and reduces blade brittleness. Japanese steel grades contain up to 8% molybdenum, which is why Japanese knives are known for their high quality.

Vanadium, chromium, tungsten provide high hardness of steel, but at the same time reduce its strength. Alloys with a high chromium content are highly resistant to wear and corrosion, blades retain their sharpness for a long time. However, such steel is characterized by increased brittleness when compared with conventional carbon steels.

The presence of additives in carbon steel can greatly affect its properties. For example, they sharpen well and retain their sharpness for a long time. But the steel of this brand is very much inferior in hardness, wear resistance, toughness, elasticity to such alloys as BG-42. In these steels, chromium is contained in a smaller percentage, at the same time, up to 4% of molybdenum is included in their composition.

To increase the strength, rigidity, wear resistance of steel, manganese is added to its composition. This alloy has a granular structure. Almost all knife steels contain manganese. Nickel gives the alloy greater toughness, hardness, and enhances corrosion resistance. The addition of this element is typical for such grades of knife steel as AUS-6, L-6. Silicon increases the strength of the blade.

Steel grades and their application

Each steel grade is distinguished by a certain composition - and, as a result, properties.

The best knife steel

M390 is a chromium vanadium steel that is characterized by wear resistance and high anti-corrosion properties. Blades made of this alloy are distinguished by a balance of simple sharpening and long-term preservation of sharpness. This steel is often used in the production of .

ZDP-189 is a Japanese steel that combines high hardness and ductility. This alloy lends itself well to polishing, knives made from it have excellent cutting properties. Steel is used for the manufacture of expensive and limited series. On the other hand, this steel grade is somewhat brittle and tends to crumble at impact points on hard surfaces.



CPM S30V is a grade invented by American steelmakers. This alloy combines high strength and hardness, which is why it is often used to make expensive blades.



CPM S35VN - development of the S30V steel grade. Renowned knifemaker Chris Rav added niobium to S30V steel; for the production of new steel, they proposed the use of a powder of a finer structure. Knives made of new, improved steel are characterized by high strength and good cutting edge retention. In 2009, Crucible Particle Metallurgy began producing knives made from this steel.



Elmax is a powdered knife steel that is widely used in the European market. Chromium, vanadium and molybdenum in an optimal ratio provide high abrasion resistance and anti-corrosion properties.



BG-42 - blades made of this steel grade retain a cutting edge for a very long time and are highly resistant to wear. However, these knives are difficult to sharpen.



154CM - the main difference of this brand is high hardness and at the same time good sharpening ability. This American-made steel is used for the manufacture of knives for various purposes. This alloy is also used to make Benchmade blades. The composition of this steel is similar to the CPM grade, however, they differ in manufacturing technologies, CPM includes carbon of a finer structure.



ATS-34 is a Japanese analogue of 154CM steel, these alloys are very similar in quality characteristics. The ATS-34 is used by many blade makers for various types of blades.



Steel D2 - this steel contains about 14% chromium. It has a higher hardness than the 154CM and ATS-34 grades, which ensures a long-lasting blade sharpness. On the other hand, such a blade sharpens worse. This alloy is often used to make knives from brands such as Benchmade and .



VG-10 is a Japanese development, this steel contains slightly more chromium than grades 154CM and ATS-34. At the same time, the presence of vanadium in the composition provides the alloy with greater hardness. This relatively young steel grade is used to make Spyderco blades. VG-10 knives lend themselves well to sharpening, but are somewhat brittle. In the event of impacts on very hard surfaces, the steel may crumble.



Steel of knives of high and middle class

440C Steel - Knife manufacturers often use this steel due to its combination of high hardness and wear resistance, easy sharpening, and low cost. This brand is characterized by a high content of chromium and carbon.



AUS-8 is a Japanese-made steel that has high corrosion resistance. It has a very high hardness and ability to hold the cutting edge. However, the blades of this steel are easily sharpened.



8Cr13MoV is a Chinese steel that contains a slightly higher percentage of carbon than Japanese AUS-8 steel. This alloy is very widely used to make inexpensive knives - this steel is used by companies, Spyderco,. The choice of steel for a knife of this brand by Chinese knife brands is usually justified by its low cost.



14C28N (Sandvik) is a medium grade Swedish steel with a light edge that is used to make knives by many Scandinavian companies - for example, .



Steel of knives of average and low class

420HC is a steel grade that differs from a cheaper alloy in a large percentage of carbon. in the production of steel 420HC increases the heat treatment of the alloy. Thanks to this, the blades retain their sharpness better and are more resistant to corrosion.



440A is a knife steel comparable to 440HC. The difference is that 440A contains more chromium, so it has better rust resistance.



Entry level knife steel

Steel 420 - this steel grade is very often used to make cheap knives. The alloy is soft because it contains a low percentage of carbon. Such blades are easy to sharpen and at the same time dull quickly, knives made of 420 steel wear out quickly.



AUS-6 - Japanese analogue of steel 420.



Collectible knives

Knives of author's series, collection and gift blades are often made of Damascus steel. These types of steel give out the appearance - the blade of the knife has a special pattern, which is formed as a result of the combination of three different types of steel. Knives can be made of twisted, end, torn, rifled, mosaic Damascus, as evidenced by a pattern characteristic of each type. Such steel is famous for its very high cutting edge resistance, wear resistance and excellent cutting properties.

Types of steel for knives for various purposes

Beta-tiAlloy is the steel used to make diving knives and kitchen knives.



Blue Paper Super is the steel grade used to make chef's knives. Its high quality characteristics are provided by a combination of alloyed additives.



N690Co is an Austrian analogue of steel 440C. The alloy contains cobalt and vanadium - these elements provide the blades with high hardness and resistance to rust formation. At the same time, N690Co steel has a high resistance to impact loads. It is used for the production of tourist knives.



ELMAX is the third generation steel produced in Sweden, which is manufactured using powder technology. Leading manufacturers use this alloy for the entry of high-end knives. Such blades combine hardness, strength, resistance to wear and corrosion processes, they retain their sharpness for a long time and lend themselves very well to polishing.



Carbon V is a non-carbon steel that is used to make throwing knives.



INFI is a steel grade developed by Busse. Knives, for which this steel is used, are distinguished by high hardness, strength, resistance to wear and corrosion processes. The unique combination of characteristics allows you to create high-quality knives for tourism from this steel.



U10A, U12A, EN-515 - Russian types of steels that are used for the production of scalpels and other sharply cutting medical instruments.



40X13, 65X13, 95X18, 110X18 - Russian analogues of steel grades 420 and 440. Most often, steel 95X18 is used to make blades. Knives made of this steel are easy to sharpen and are characterized by good resistance to rust.



65G - steel grade, which is used for the production of knives designed for chopping tasks. This alloy has good toughness, but it is not resistant to corrosion, so it requires proper maintenance.



U7-U16 - steel grades for knives, which are characterized by high hardness and vulnerability to rust.



XB5 - the so-called "diamond steel", known for its very high hardness, cutting edge stability, resistance to crumbling.



100X13M - an alloy containing additives in the form of molybdenum and chromium, this steel is used for the production of medical instruments.