Comparison of the main brands of steel for knives, which one is better and stronger

If you are reading this article, then you are probably going to choose and buy a knife, but you want to study the theoretical part first, because the purchase is not on the budget.

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What do you think is the key parameter when choosing a knife? His appearance? Design? Or maybe the size? No. A knife starts with steel. The quality, functionality and durability of the future blade depends on it. It is she who determines its value. We have tried to briefly outline the main types of steels, their comparison and characteristics.

From a physicochemical point of view, steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, to which special alloying components are added. They allow you to give the metal the desired properties and, in essence, determine the type of steel. Its performance characteristics also depend on manufacturing processes, rolling and hardening.

Key material characteristics

1. Hardness _ This parameter demonstrates the ability of a material not to deform under force or pressure. It is measured according to the Rockwell scale (HRC).
2. Durability . This characteristic reflects the material’s resistance to chipping and cracking when used in difficult conditions. It also shows how much the blade can bend without becoming completely deformed.
3. Corrosion resistance . A parameter characterizing the resistance of steel to rust, pitting and other corrosive damage caused by environmental influences.
4. Wear resistance . A characteristic that determines the resistance of a material to adhesive and abrasive effects. It depends on the chemical composition of the steel and its hardness.
5. Holding the cutting edge . An important parameter that determines how long the blade will remain sharp with regular use. There is no standardized way to measure this parameter. It is determined by the subjective feelings of users.

It is worth noting that the highest HRC value does not indicate high quality steel. This material will hold the cutting edge perfectly, but cracks and chips will appear on it quite quickly. Moreover, a blade that is too hard can break like glass. But steel that is too soft cannot be considered high quality - it will hardly cut most materials.

Strength has no standard school of measurement. It's also worth considering that harder steel will likely have lower strength, and vice versa.

Oddly enough, steel that is almost completely protected from corrosion reduces the overall performance of the blade. Therefore, the corrosion resistance of the working knife should be moderate.

When considering two blades with the same hardness value, the one with more carbides in its composition will be more wear-resistant.

It would seem that in order to buy the perfect knife, you need to choose a model whose blade has the maximum performance of all the characteristics described above. In practice, everything is more complicated, because if the hardness of the blade is maximum, then it will turn out to be very fragile and will not be able to withstand even minimal interaction with hard materials. If the strength is maximum, the blade will not hold an edge. Therefore, only a knife in which all of the specified parameters are balanced can be considered ideal.

Hunting knife parts

Regardless of the chosen steel grade and manufacturer, all hunting knives have components with common names:

1. The blade is the cutting part of the tool.
2. Shank - steel base for attaching the handle.
3. The blade is a part of the blade with a sharp sharpening.
4. The butt is the unsharpened part of the blade. Located on the back side of the blade.
5. The point is the place where the butt meets the blade.
6. The heel is the area at the base of the handle.
7. Valleys are narrow grooves along the ribs. They are designed to give the blade rigidity. Another of their tasks is to reduce the weight of the blade.
8. Handle - used to wrap your hand around when performing any actions with a knife.

Types of steels

Three types of steel are actively used in knife production today:

• instrumental _ It is used in the manufacture of cutting tools and is characterized by high hardness. Examples of tool steel are alloys D2, O1, CPM 3V and M4;
• carbonaceous _ This is a strong and durable material that is suitable for use in difficult conditions. Indispensable in the production of machetes, various knives for work and survival in difficult conditions. It is susceptible to corrosion, but is easy to sharpen and retains its sharpness for a long time. The most popular example of such steel is alloy 1095.
• stainless steel A type of carbon steel that contains at least 13% chromium and other additives that improve the performance properties of the material, but reduce its strength. Steels of this type include alloys Sandvik, VG, 400, SxxV, MoV, AUS, 154CM, CTS, etc.

Review of modern steels used in knife production

Budget steels

Mid-level steels

Quality steels

1. 14 C28 N is a stainless steel that is an improvement on 13C26 steel (corrosion resistance has been increased). In its composition, the amount of carbon was reduced and the proportion of chromium was increased, and nitrogen also appeared. The steel is produced by the Sandvik brand from Sweden and is distinguished by the ability to sharpen to a razor-like finish. The Kershaw brand is very fond of this steel.
2. 8 Cr13 MoV . Chinese material, the characteristics of which are similar to those of AUS-8 steel. But steel from China contains more carbon. Valued for its balanced price-quality combination, it is actively used by Spyderco and other well-known brands.
3. CTS- BD1 . Material developed by the American brand Carpenter specifically for Spyderco. Similar to AUS-8 and 8Cr13MoV materials, but superior to them in terms of cutting edge retention. Moreover, the steel in question, due to its high chromium content, better resists corrosion. It is easy to sharpen (it contains small carbides), although the sharpening time is inferior to materials with large carbides (for example, G-10).
4. AUS-8 . Durable Japanese steel, similar in properties to 440C material. It differs from the latter in lower hardness and greater corrosion resistance. Effortlessly sharpens to a razor-sharp state, although it retains the cutting edge worse than its older comrades, which contain more chromium.
5. 440 C. _ A universal material that has long been considered the leader among knife steels. It lost its position only with the advent of super steels. Today it is used to produce tools of average cost, characterized by exceptional corrosion resistance (contains the maximum carbon and chromium among steels in this subgroup), fairly high wear resistance and hardness. It keeps the cutting edge sharp better than 420HC steel, and is no less easy to sharpen.

High quality steel

Premium steel

Ultra premium steel

1. CTS- XHP is a material from an American brand that appeared on the market not so long ago. It has a hardness of 61 HRC and the ability to hold an edge confidently - better than S30V material. This steel is produced from powder with very fine grains. In many ways it is similar to D2 material, but it resists corrosion much more effectively. Sharpening requires some effort.
2. Elmax . Another powder steel, which contains a high content of molybdenum, chromium and vanadium. It is not afraid of oxidizing substances, is characterized by exceptional wear resistance and long-term edge retention. Steel belongs to the class of stainless steel, but its properties are in many ways similar to carbon materials. Sharpening is relatively easy. Elmax is rightfully considered one of the best steels in the world. It is used by many premium manufacturers, including Bohler.
3. ZDP-189 is a Hitachi steel with a very high percentage of chromium and carbon in the alloy. Its hardness reaches 64 HRC, as a result, the cutting edge is held perfectly. But sharpening requires considerable effort, as does corrosion protection - the resistance of this material to oxidative processes is significantly lower than that of S30V.
4. M390 is a third generation steel containing tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium and chromium. It holds the edge confidently and resists corrosion, is wear-resistant and hard. After heat treatment, the last parameter can reach a value of 60-62 HRC.
5. CPM S90 V is an expensive material with a high carbon content. Also includes vanadium, which is three times more than S30V and Elmax. The steel is incredibly resistant to abrasions and wear, and holds the cutting edge perfectly. But it is not easy to machine it, just like other steels of this class.

Composition and additives

Pieces of high carbon 1095 steel and 15n20 steel with a lot of nickel.
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. The rigidity of the material depends on the last element.

The following types of steel are distinguished:

• low carbon;
• medium carbon;
• high carbon.

Knives made of unalloyed steel (without additives) are flexible, but are susceptible to corrosion and are not resistant to damage. To improve the characteristics of the metal, impurities are added to the alloy. The table provides a list of additives used (brief explanations of their functions).

Sulfur and phosphorus are considered technological impurities. The first element reduces the hardness and strength of the metal; in high-quality alloys the percentage does not exceed 0.065. Phosphorus increases the brittleness of steel. This element is present in all alloys, but the maximum level of the substance in the alloy is 0.045%.

A few words about powder steel

In the descriptions above, you probably noticed the abbreviation CPM in the names of some steels. This abbreviation can be translated into Russian as Crucible powder metallurgy. Crucible is the name of an American brand that produces tool steels of exceptional quality.

The company uses a special technology, as a result of which molten steel is processed into fine powder. It is pressed into forms prepared in advance, in which it is subsequently baked. It is easy to introduce various additives into such powder, which makes it possible to produce steel with certain operational parameters.

Sharpening knives

Over time, even the highest quality steel becomes dull. In this regard, the blade needs periodic sharpening. The approach to this operation is largely determined by the shape of the blade. It is most convenient to work with a shape in the form of a double wedge with uniform bevels of the blade on both sides. This type of knife is suitable for any operation and is the easiest to sharpen.

When performing work, it is important to maintain the original sharpening angle. The smaller it is, the more filigree work can be done with a knife. For delicate operations, blades sharpened at 9–16 degrees are suitable. A 20-degree sharpening is considered universal. For rough operations you will need an angle of up to 30 degrees.

Sharpening is carried out using a sharpening stone with a not very rough surface. Typically, 20-centimeter flat and wide stones are used for this. Before starting work, they are moistened with oil (vegetable or even technical oil will do). If there is no oil, you can use a soap solution.

The blade is positioned at the required angle. Next, with decent pressure, they begin to move the knife towards themselves on the stone. 5-6 movements are enough, after which the blade is turned over and the same amount of friction is performed on the stone again.

A shiny stripe will appear along the entire length of the metal being sharpened. It should be the same width across the entire blade. If the blade is not sharp enough the first time, the work is repeated. However, this time they put in a little less effort. For the second sharpening, it is recommended to use a stone with a fine-grained structure.

The final operation is to correct minor defects in the metal surface and polish the pointed area. A properly sharpened blade of a hunting knife should cut a sheet of newspaper without any effort.

Special devices are used to sharpen difficult-to-grind blades. On a horizontal board, ceramic sharpening sticks are installed in the holes provided for this purpose. With their help, you set the desired sharpening direction. Blade movements go from top to bottom.

Let's sum it up

As you can see, perfect steel does not exist. But for each task there is its own optimal version of the metal alloy. This is the one that should be chosen. We also advise you to pay attention to other characteristics of the finished product: its design, construction, workmanship, etc. After all, in fact, all modern knife steels fully satisfy the needs of the average user. The difference is noticeable only to professionals.

This article covers the topic at hand, however, if you still have additional questions, please contact us for advice and help with your choice by phone or leave a request on the website.

Recommendations for use

To ensure that a kitchen knife with a steel blade lasts a long time, follow simple rules of operation and care:

1. Do not heat the blade - high temperatures will dull the cutting edge.
2. Do not leave the blade dirty or wet - always wash and dry with a paper towel or non-woven cloth to remove lint.
3. Store knives separately from other utensils, preferably vertically in a special stand. A modern solution is a stand with a filler, the choice of which we have already talked about. When stored this way, the blades are securely isolated from each other.
4. If rust appears, do not rush to look for chemicals; try wiping the stain with a microfiber cloth.

It is possible to advise what steel to buy a knife from only after identifying the tasks that will be assigned to it. If this is a butter knife, then there is no point in looking for the hardest and most durable brand, since the load in this case is minimal.

Another thing is the choice of a tool for cutting meat; here you need increased hardness and sharpness. You shouldn’t save money when buying chef’s three-piece kitchen knives, because they are used in the kitchen every day, which means the blade runs the risk of becoming dull.