Knife Blade Steel Grades

Most steel types themselves can be hardened or softened up a bit but the actual material composition of the steel usually dictates a specific range that steel performs well inside of.

Knife blade steel grades. The 10xx 1045 1095 steels 1095 is the most common 10xx steel or high carbon steel used for knife blades. A cpm s30v blade hardened at 60hrc will handle very differently to a cpm s30v blade at 57hrc. Blade steel myth 3. However if manufacturers go over the top with too much carbon it can make the steel brittle and also increases proneness to corrosion.

This stainless steel is commonly used in knife blades and offers good corrosion resistance at a low cost. The steel may be the soul of the blade but the ergonomics are the heart. Fairly easy to resharpen. Almost all consumer grade pocket knives edc knives fixed blade knives etc will be in the range of a rockwell hardness rating of 54 to 65 hrc.

Why steel grade matters. Blade steel is totally a super important factor to consider when buying a knife but wait a second it isn t the be all end all. Knife steels are typically described as high carbon if they contain more than 0 5 carbon and these generally what you want to look for in a knife steel. Common in lower end knives this steel has about 38 carbon.

Alongside edge geometry and design blade steel is a critical element that determines how a knife performs. If you spend any time in the kitchen or outdoors you ll understand the value of having a strong knife blade that retains a sharp edge. In choosing the best pocket knife you should pay particular attention to the type of steel used in the blade. We posted our online knife steel chart in 1998 and have done our best to keep it up to date since then.

Heat treat blade geometry the job at hand and the sharpening of the blade all play a massive role in the performance of the steel. Blade steel myth 4. Steel in the range 1045 1095 are used for knife blades although 1050 is more commonly seen in swords. In recent years this steel has made a resurgence in the knife industry offering good blade toughness edge holding capability and corrosion resistance.

A hard strong blade steel. The low carbon content means that it s very soft in comparison to most others and it doesn t hold an edge well. A mix of carbon and iron that is often enriched with other elements to improve certain characteristics depending on the desired application. 1045 steel has less carbon 45 where 1095 has more 95 inversely 1095 has less manganese and 1045 has more.

The grade of steel as well as how it s made determines everything from the blade s hardness and durability to its ability to take and hold a sharp edge and its corrosion resistance. Check out ankerson s steel rankings for real world testing.