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Blade Steel

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The blade of a knife can be made from a variety of material, the most common being Stainless Steel. Many knives are also made of carbon steel. Steel is not the only material knife makers use, some kitchen cutlery is made using ceramic material or other metals.

Stainless Steel

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Stainless steel remains a popular material for knives. It remains popular because it resists corrosion very well, it is reasonably strong, and it is generally easy to sharpen.


400 Series

The 400 series remains one of the most popular choices for knife makers because of how easy it is to sharpen and its resistance to corrosion.

  • 420, a low quality/low cost steel. Many cheap knives tend to be made of this material because of its cost. Blades made of 420 stainless tend to break, chip, or lose and edge very easily. However, all 420 stainless steel is extremely rust resistant.
  • 420HC, a higher quality of 420 stainless. The HC stands for "high carbon"[1]. It is a much better material, and should not be mistaken for regular 420 stainless. Most of the knives made by Buck Knives use 420HC.
  • 420J, extremely low quality stainless steel. Often found in fantasy knives that were made with no intention for actual use.
  • 440A, generally a low cost stainless steel, with a carbon content range of 0.60-0.75%[2].
  • 440B, almost identical to 440A, but has a higher carbon content range of 0.75-0.95%[2].
  • 440C, considered a high-end stainless. It is very resistant to corrosion and is one of the most common stainless alloys used for knife making[2]. 440C has a carbon content range of 0.95-1.20% [2].

AUS Series (Japanese Stainless Steel)

The AUS stainless series differs from the 400 series because they have had Vanadium added to them.[3]. Vanadium improves the wear resistance, toughness, and how easy it is to sharpen.[3].

  • AUS-6 (6A), comparable to 440A with a carbon content close to 0.65%[3]. It is a low-quality steel, but still beats 420J.
  • AUS-8 (8A), comparable to 440B with a carbon content close to 0.75%[3]. AUS-8 is commonly used instead of 440C. Cold Steel has made AUS-8 quite popular, especially because of their heat treatment[3].
  • AUS-10 (10A), comparable to 440C with a carbon content close to 1.10%[3]. It is slightly tougher than 440C.

CPM SxxV Series

Main Article: CPM S30V

The SxxV is an American made Stainless Steel. It is becoming quite popular because of its strength, ability to resist rust, and how well it holds an edge. It was designed by Crucible Material Corporation [3].

  • CPM S30V, on the lower end of the SxxV steels, it has a carbon content of 1.45% [4]. However, S30V is still considered to be a superior choice for knife making.
  • CPM S60V (CPM T440V), very rich in vanadium [3]. CPM S60V has a carbon content of 2.15% [3]. It is just a step above S30V. Not commonly used, although Spyderco offers some knives of this steel.
  • CPM S90V (CPM T420V), has less chromium than S60V, but has almost twice as much vanadium [3]. S90V's carbon content is also higher, resting around 2.30% [3].

Others

These are stainless steels that did not fit in another category.

  • 154CM, considered a "super steel." It is an American made steel that is considered to be of high quality. It has a carbon content of 1.05% [3].
  • ATS-34, very similar to 154 CM. However it is manufactured by Hitachi [3]. It has a carbon content of 1.05% [3].
  • VG-10, a Japanese "super steel." It is of extremely high quality, and can easily hold a sharp edge. It has a carbon content of 0.95-1.05% [3].

Carbon Steel

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Carbon steel is a popular choice for rough use knives. Carbon steel tends to be much tougher and much more durable than stainless steel. However, sharpening carbon steel knives tends to be tougher than stainless steel knives. They lack the chromium content of stainless steel, causing them to rust rather quickly.

10xx Series

The 10xx series is the most popular choice for carbon steel used in knives. They are very durable.

  • 1095, the standard choice for carbon steel knives. It has a carbon content of 0.90-1.03% [3].
  • 1084, carbon content 0.80-0.93% [3].
  • 1070, carbon content 0.65-0.75% [3].
  • 1060, used in swords [3]. It has a carbon content of 0.55-0.65% [3].
  • 1050, used in swords [3]. It has a carbon content of 0.48-0.55% [3].

Alphanumeric Series

The "alphanumeric series" is only labeled as such to help list these steels. One should not confuse them to be related other than the fact that they are carbon steels. Alphanumeric only means that they name is a single letter followed by a number.

  • A2, a steel that trades wear resistance for toughness. It is commonly used in custom made combat knives. A2 has a carbon content of 0.95-1.05% [3].
  • D2, has a high chrome content of 12%, and has been nicknamed as "semi-stainless" [3]. While not as tough as premium carbon steels, it is much tougher than premium stainless steels. Its carbon content is 1.50-1.60% [3].
  • O1, an extremely tough steel that can easily hold an edge. It rusts rather quickly, and has a carbon content of 0.85-1.00% [3].

5160 Carbon Steel

  • 5160 carbon steel is a very tough material. Many foragers tend to use it in making swords or large knives. The steel's original usage was for spring steel on truck axles. It resists wear rather well, and has a carbon content of 0.56-0.64% [3].

Other Materials

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These materials did not fit into the two steel types.

  • Ceramic, some kitchen knives use a ceramic blade instead of a steel one. They are brittle, and practically impossible to sharpen [3]. However they do hold an edge very well.
  • Titanium, used in dive knives due to their rust-resistance.
  • Damascus steel, an older metal. Known for it's durability and the way patterns are formed in it. Most have a core steel of either carbon steel or stainless steel.

References

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  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ a b c d [2] Cite error: The named reference "Azom440" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab [3]
  4. ^ [4]
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