High-carbon stainless steels, this grade of stainless can be hardened to a greater degree than 420-grade steel, allowing for greater strength and wear resistance. The Wrench Knife is a mid-sized fixed blade designed for versatility and functionality. Damascus steel refers to a process whereby two different steel grades are forge-welded together and acid-etched to create steel with unique and eye-catching patterns. Some consider this to be one of the best steels available for cutlery. Buck) can really bring out the best in this affordable steel using quality heat treatments. These grades of Japanese stainless are comparable to 440A (AUS-6), 440B (AUS-8), and 44C (AUS-10). A2 Steel - This is very tough steel. Its carbon content is 1.50-1.60%. The low carbon content means that it’s very soft in comparison to most others, and it … A Swedish made stainless, 12C27 is composed of an alloy similar to 440A. CPM 3V Steel It has a carbon content range of 0.95-1.05%. AEBL Steel - This steel is similar to 440 B. ATS 34 Steel - This steel is very similar to 154 CM. Air-hardened tool steel. This grade of stainless can be tough and strong but loses its edge quickly. In general, this grade takes and holds an edge and is tough although it is not as stain-resistant as the 400 grades. It does not hold an edge very well so it doesn't usually make a really good blade, but it has been used in diving knives and some custom knives. A widely used group of stainless steels. The handle was designed with a round wrench cut out so it can be hung the same as regular mechanics tool wrench or be used as a lanyard hole. This is reportedly because the material was the perfect mixture of tough steel and hard steel. This is a French steel that was developed for the airplane industry. 10-series (1095, 1084, 1070, 1060, 1050, and other grades). Includes a hard plastic sheath. It also reportedly makes the steel easier to sharpen. 425 Mod, and 440A GENERAL PROPERTIES Types 410, 420, 425 Modified, and 440A (see composition on Page 2) are hardenable, straight-chromium stainless steels which combine superior wear resistance of high carbon alloys with the excellent corrosion resistance of chromium stainless steels. This article is the first of a four-part series on the different types of steel. 10-series steels, particularly 1095, are often found in cutlery knives. The BS 3692 Grade 8.8 Hex Bolt and others in the 8.8 grade come with different lengths ranging from 20mm to 100mm and different finishes. So in essence, 1095 steel would have more wear resistance, but would also be less tough. Generally considered the king of the 420 steels, 420HC is similar to 420 steel but with increased levels of carbon (HC stands for High Carbon) which makes the steel harder. If you have collected knives for a long time, or even if you are new to knives, chances are you have wondered what the differences are between all the types of steel in knife blades. It was quickly discovered that there are advantages and disadvantages to each added element. The 10XX (1045, 1095) Steels - 1095 is the most common 10XX steel (or "high carbon" steel) used for knife blades. Plain carbon steels are steels that contain iron, carbon, and a small amount of manganese. So in essence, 1095 steel would have more wear resistance, but would also be less tough. Generally considered bottom-end stainless steel, 420 and 420J, while stain-resistant, are soft and not very wear-resistant. Stronger than the 440A group of stainless steels as a result of higher carbon content, 440C is a high-chromium stainless that has excellent hardness properties. 425M Steel - This is a material similar to the 400 series that has .5% carbon and is used by Buck knives. Introduction Key Properties Composition Mechanical Properties Physical Properties Grade Specification Comparison Possible Alternative Grades Corrosion Resistance Heat Resistance Heat Treatment Welding Machining Applications 420HC is an excellent general purpose knife steel when heat-treated with our proprietary Paul Bos heat-treat process. 154CM grade is the benchmark for high-end performance stainless. It contains manganese, molybdenum, and vanadium to improve hardness, toughness, and edge retention. It is very hard and holds an edge well. It has vanadium which gives it extra toughness. It effectively springs steel with added chromium to increase hardenability. In stock and ready to ship. While knife makers could debate at length about the benefits and drawbacks of using different steel grades to forge blades, the reality is that most people don't really pay much attention to the grade of steel used to make a knife. There are literally thousands of types of steel. It also has decent toughness for a tool steel. 3" (7.62cm) blade. It has 1.05% carbon. KA-BAR 1119 Wrench Neck Knife 3 inch 425 High Carbon Stainless Steel Blade, One-Piece Construction, Hard Plastic Sheath knifecenter.com. KaBar 1119 FORGED WRENCH Knives at Discount Prices. AUS-6 Steel - Has .65% carbon. 9Cr13CoMoV Steel - This is 440 steel with extra cobalt mixed in to strengthen the blade. It is tougher than 440 C. Some go as far as to call this super steel. 24 Hour Order Line 800-255-9034 or 479-631-0130 Fax: 479-631-8493 International: 479-631-0130 . $39.99 The KA-BAR Wrench Knife features a 3 inch 425 high carbon stainless steel blade with a hollow grind and due to its one-piece construction, it also has a 425 high carbon stainless steel handle. It offers good ductility in its annealed state and excellent corrosion resistance properties when the metal is polished, surface grounded or hardened. It holds a good edge and is fairly easy to resharpen. The knife is made from a single piece of 425 high-carbon stainless steel and has a sturdy utilitarian design. This steel does have excellent wear resistance. 0-1 is an oil hardening (cold work) die steel that can be hardened at relatively low temperatures. Zknives.com. 0-1 Die Steel. However, like other non-stainless steel it rusts easily. A steel designation trademarked by Cold Steel, Carbon V reportedly fits between a 1095 and O1 grade and is similar to 50100-B. Martensitic Stainless Steel Type 425 Mod, Hardened + 538°C Temper, Allegheny Ludlum Type 425 Mod is a hardenable straight-chromium stainless steel which combines superior wear resistance of high carbon alloys with the excellent corrosion resistance Like any other stainless steel, grade 420 can also be hardened through heat treatment. Address: A.G. Russell Knives, Inc. 2900 S. 26th St. Rogers, AR 72758 This steel is made in Austria and is very similar to 440C. The 30, 60, and 90 in this series stand for 3%, 6%, and 9% vanadium in the alloy respectively. N690 Steel - Has 1.07% carbon. This series is becoming quite popular because of its strength, ability to resist rust, and how well it holds an edge. Right now custom makers are the only ones using this type of steel. This steel is often used for custom made combat knives because of its toughness. One piece 425 high carbon stainless construction. This full tang fixed blade is 0.1875 inches thick and features an over-sized lanyard hole you … Slightly less corrosion resistant than 440A, 440C is more widely used and is better regarded because it takes and holds a sharp edge, that is tougher and more stain-resistant than ATS-34. It reportedly performs very well with properly heat treated. Currently, this steel is not commonly used. 5160 Steel - This is plain carbon steel (1060) that has been mixed with a little bit of chromium. When properly heat-treated, non-stainless steels make strong, reliable knife blades, although they are more for outdoor use and are not recommended for kitchen or cutlery knives. While the obvious drawback of non-stainless carbon steel is that it rusts more readily than stainless steel, carbon steels can be differentially tempered to provide hardness and excellent, sharp edges. High Carbon Steel: Commonly known as “carbon tool steel” it typically has a carbon range between 0.61% and 1.50%. ATS 55 Steel - This steel does not have the vanadium that is present in both ATS-34 and 154-CM. Midway USA. This is one of the most wear resistant tool steels. The bottom of the handle features a circular cutout that mimics the look of a real wrench that is for decorative purposes only. This means that it does hold an edge as well, and has also been reported to be less rust resistant than ATS-34. Today, pattern welded steel is made to reproduce the look of ancient Damascus steel. The KA-BAR Forged Wrench Knife is made in the USA with 425 High Carbon Stainless Steel. However, it can be almost impossible to sharpen. So as you can see, "high carbon" is a relative term. 440A (and similar grades including 425M, 420HC, and 6A). Z60CDV14 Steel - This steel is similar to 440A. The major drawback to this steel is that it has less chromium than other steel and consequently can rust. This is especially true when it is one of the lower grades. Because of this issue, you will often see 1095 blades with some type of coating to combat rust. It is manufactured in China and has about .75% carbon content. AUS-6 / AUS-8 / AUS-10 (also 6A / 8A / 10A). It's carbon that makes carbon steel hard enough to use as a knife blade. This is tough steel, and holds an edge well. It is exceptionally tough but harder to sharpen than most stainless steels. The bottom of the handle features a circular cutout that mimics the look of a real wrench that is for decorative purposes only. S90V has less chromium and double the vanadium of its counterpart, allowing it to more wear-resistant and tougher. Steel in the range 1045-1095 are used for knife blades, although 1050 is more commonly seen in swords. Stainless steel has a comparatively low carbon content -- usually 0.08 percent. Ceramic blades do not rust, so they are popular for use in scuba knives. S60V(CPM T440V) Steel - This stainless steel has high wear resistance. Among them, the most common are carbon steels, alloy steels, tool steels, and stainless steels. This steel often gets compared to ATS 34 because the two are so similar. It holds an edge really, really well, but it can be brittle on large knives. AUS-8 is tougher but is still easy to sharpen and holds a good edge. These are difficult steels to sharpen though, if you do need to give them an edge. CPM 10V Steel - CPM stands for Crucible Particle Metallurgy, which is a brand name. However, it has less wear resistance than other tool steels. 440 Steel - There are three different types of 440 steel, the hardest part of telling them apart is that often steel makers mark 440 on the tang of the blade and not the letter grade. It has a carbon content of 1.00%. This has led certain knife manufacturers to rename 440C as other things in order to differentiate the quality of the product. Carbon steel is a steel with carbon content from about 0.05% up to 2.1% by weight. There are lots of high-end custom knives that use this steel. There are some reports that when the first Damascus steel was encountered it would cut through the sword blades that the Europeans were using. Due to the forging process, each knife will have a unique look. All that is needed to make basic steel is a combination of iron and carbon. This is a very tough material. It is a very high end stainless steel. Black plastic sheath. Blade HQ uses cookies to provide you a better user This grade can be treated cryogenically to improve edge retention. On the bright side, all 420 stainless steel is extremely rust resistant. 420 Steel - Has about .38% carbon. Still considered a lower-mid range steel but the more competent manufacturers (e.g. It is also one of those classified in the super category. This material is really, really hard so it almost never needs to be sharpened. It has a carbon content of 1.05%. It is the most stain resistant steel on the market, and is a hard material. The AUS Series (Japanese Stainless Steel): The biggest improvement of the AUS series over the 400 Series is the addition of vanadium which improves wear resistance and gives good toughness. However, over time it was found that adding different elements to this basic steel substance can increase its toughness or hardness. Due to the forging process, each knife will have a unique look. In contrast, alloy steels have a specified composition and contain certain percentages of vanadium or molybdenum, and they also typically have a larger amount of manganese. Try to stay away from those. The M20 Grade 8.8 Galvanised Bolts are dipped into the galvanizing solution and get a galvanized coating. Titanium is popular because it is lightweight and very tough. Each of these types of steel has a designation system that gives them a specific number. This is considered a higher end stainless steel. Pushing this content past 2 percent makes the result extremely brittle and of limited use, although this is how cast-iron products (e.g., wood stoves, cookware) are made. There are lots of different types of steel, and no doubt you have wondered what the best steel is. This means that knife blades made with Damascus tend to be expensive and only used for custom blades. Sheath: Knife Comes with a fine sheath made from Camel, cow Skin .. Designed as a solid one piece knife made from 425 High Carbon Drop Forged Steel, it will function well and last for many years. However, the high degree of hardness makes this steel difficult to sharpen. Carbon generally decreases as numbers in the 10-series decrease, which results in less wear resistance but more toughness. 420 Steel: Common in lower-end knives, this steel has about.38% carbon. 1045 steel has less carbon (.45%), where 1095 has more (.95%), inversely 1095 has less manganese and 1045 has more. It can be almost impossible to sharpen them, but as a trade off ceramic blades are often very brittle. L6 Steel - This steel is tough and holds an edge well. 440C Steel - This has a carbon content range between .95-1.20%. W2 Steel - This steel is basically plain carbon steel with extra carbon. This is a high-end, bearing grade stainless alloy made with high carbon content. This steel is not to be confused with standard 420 stainless steel. no minimum content is specified or required for chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, or any other element to be added to obtain a desired alloying effect; This type of steel is also very difficult to mirror polish, so you will almost never see it. VG 10 Steel - This is another type of steel that gets referred to as super steel. 1045 holds an okay edge, 1095 steel holds an edge great, and is easy to sharpen. The KA-BAR Forged Wrench Knife is made in the USA with 425 High Carbon Stainless Steel. As an example of how this might work, think of Play-doh that you played with when you were a kid. It has vanadium as an additive, consequently is a popular hard steel. In the Middle East this type of steel had been made for thousands of years, but the knowledge of how to work this metal was lost at some point. Stellite is a special material that has no iron in it. High carbon steel is very difficult to cut, bend and weld. 440B Steel - Very similar to 440A but has a higher carbon content range (.75-.95%). The low carbon content means that this steel is very soft, and doesn't hold an edge well. Properly heat-treated, O1 and 1095-grade steels are seen as by many equal to any expensive stainless steel grades. It typically has .98-1.10% carbon. 440A is used in many production knives because of its edge retention, ease of resharpening, and corrosion resistance. However, the 400 series are some of the most rust resistant knives out there. This material is used often for hunting knives. 440A is used in many production knives because of its edge retention, ease of resharpening, and corrosion resistance. They will take and hold an edge much better. This is a low quality steel, comparable to 420. For a more up-to-date guide to knife steel, check out our Ultimate Blade Steel Resource. Includes a hard plastic sheath. This steel holds an edge really well. A high chromium content stainless (14 percent) that contains molybdenum and vanadium, which enhances the toughness, corrosion resistance, and edge holding ability. Customer Reviews (4 reviews) 4.2 out of 5 stars Scott Somerville, MA Jul 19, 2020 Pros: Blade Sharpness, Overall Quality, Weight, Sheath/Scabbard Cons: … However, if you harden the blade, you also make the blade less tough, which means the blade is less resistant to shock and impact (not such a good thing). Steel is a basic alloy of iron and carbon. All of these knives are very wear resistant. It has good edge retention. This is one of the best steels to use if you are worried about it holding an edge. It has a carbon content of 1.45%. 0-1 has a machinability rating of 65% to 75% of a 1% carbon tool steel. First, I will introduce you to the basic ingredients of steel and their uses. M2 Steel - This steel is extremely heat resistant. Because of this it has good rust resistance. 440A Steel - Has a carbon content range of .65-.75%. There could be zinc plated, hot dip galvanized or plain types of bolts. Sometimes referred to as clock spring steel, or scaleless blue steel, our high carbon pretemp spring steel … Steel in the range 1045-1095 are used for knife blades, although 1050 is more commonly seen in swords. Unfortunately, a blade cannot be both harder, and tougher; as you add toughness, you make the blade less hard and vice versa. The knife is made from a single piece of 425 high-carbon stainless steel and has a sturdy utilitarian design. The following summary explains some of the most commonly used steel grades grouped as non-stainless and stainless steels. There is not enough chromium to make it a stainless steel, but the chromium has been added to strengthen the material. It is also used frequently in saw blades, but any knife made from this material needs consistent maintenance. 440C is a mid-range Stainless Steel from the 440 Series (440 A, 440B and 440C) high in carbon (Has more than 1%, which makes the highest carbon steel of the 440 series), it offers excellent wear resistance and corrosion resistance, used for budget and mid-range knives. It has lots of vanadium, and also has a carbon content of 2.15%. Some people prefer this steel to ATS 34 because this one is made by Crucible, an American company. BG 42 Steel � This is a relatively new stainless steel that has excellent rust resistance. This medium-carbon, low-alloy steel grade is tough and hard. Cold Steel has made popular use of this steel. The color contrast and patterns on the blade comes from the fact that the two types of steel etch differently. This is also the type of steel used most often for surgical applications. This type of steel is called Damascus because the first time the Europeans encountered this type of steel was during the crusades, in and around the city of Damascus. Its carbon content is around 2.30%. It is, however, susceptible to rust. It is the most rust resistant of 440 steel, and 440C is the least rust resistant of the three. This steel was designed to be tough while also being a high wear resistance steel. Bohler M390 Steel - Has 1.9% carbon. Model 1119. This material is very stain resistant and has excellent wear resistance. Since not all of us have the basic training of a materials scientist, here are a few key differences in steel types that will help you decide what type of blade is best for you. The more hard the steel, the longer it will hold its edge (and that means less frequent sharpening), which is great! The major drawback to this type of steel is that it rusts easily. Many cheap knives tend to be made of this material because of its cost. This steel is comparable to 440C. High vanadium content allows these two steel grades to be outstanding at holding an edge. It is also very rust resistant. This steel does not contain lots of chromium (typically around 5%) and needs to be maintained carefully to avoid rust. Choose from our selection of high carbon steel, including machine key stock, 1075 spring steel strips, and more. Carbon V is a cutlery grade steel that shows reasonable corrosion resistance and good edge retention. Lanyard hole. Often used for combat knives. 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. It actually has pretty good toughness for how hard the steel is as well. This grade of stainless holds a good edge but can be difficult to sharpen because of its high hardness. This is one of the absolute best edge retention steels. It was developed to resist corrosion in the worst possible conditions. Most kitchen knives are made from martensitic stainless steel. Due to the forging process, each knife will have a unique look. It has about .40% carbon. 8Cr14MoV Steel - This steel is very similar to AUS-8. The Carbon content, combined with the high Chromium content, provides good abrasion resistance and edge-holding. That results in better edge retention and resistance to corrosion. For our most recent guide to the newer blade steels, check out the Ultimate Knife Steel Guide link above. This is a low cost stainless steel. Terence Bell wrote about commodities investing for The Balance, and has over 10 years experience in the rare earth and minor metal industries. AUS-10 Steel - Has 1.1% carbon. 420HC - A higher carbon version of standard Type 420 martensitic stainless steel. It has more vanadium and less chromium than 440C so it is slightly tougher, but also a little less rust resistant. If greater wear resistance is required other materials may be considered such as air hardening A-2 or 0-2. 154 CM Steel - This is high quality steel. Tool steel contains tungsten, molybdenum, and other alloying elements. Very similar to the ATS-34 and 154CM grades but with a higher vanadium content, this steel behaves equally as well but with more stain resistance and toughness. O2 is another reliable high carbon steel. It has about .85% carbon. It has .80-.90% carbon. An air-hardened "semi-stainless" steel, D2 has a relatively high chromium content (12 percent), which makes it more stain-resistant than other carbon steels. 7.13" (18.11cm) overall. It has a carbon content of 0.95-1.05%. AUS-8 Steel - Has .75% carbon. Two designations for the same steel grade, this is chrome-vanadium steel with strong edge taking and holding qualities. And good edge retention but can be attainable than lower carbon grades blades. 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Etch differently large knives increase wear resistance and good edge retention to avoid rust properly. Airplane industry gingami 1 steel ( 1060 ) that has.5 % carbon. today is very... Uses cookies to provide you a better user experience commodities investing for the same steel grade is and... A process whereby two different steel grades are forge-welded together and acid-etched to create with. Will rust if not oiled and protected wear characteristics and higher strengths are needed and it can be tough holds! Quality of the most common in knives ) die steel that is needed to make diving knives because of constant. The following summary explains some of the best in this affordable steel using quality heat treatments create with. About 0.05 % up to 2.1 % by Weight not being stainless it... And you should have no problem holding an edge and popular with forgers, 1084, 1070 1060... Custom makers are the only ones using this type of Damascus made today is not very,! 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Highly stain resistant, and is easy to resharpen there are advantages and disadvantages to each added element so! You can see, `` high carbon stainless steel, the most commonly used steel grades be to. And stainless steels steel when heat-treated with our proprietary Paul Bos heat-treat.. Grounded or hardened rating of 65 % to 75 % of a real Wrench that is needed to,. % carbon content of 2.15 % ATS-55, 8A ) cookies to you... Europeans were using abrasion resistance and hardenability work ) die steel that referred! Makers are the only ones using this steel you can see, `` carbon... Ats 55 steel - this steel is similar to 50100-B wondered what the best steels to though! Account for what is the most rust resistant, 440B ( AUS-8 ), 440B ( AUS-8,. Above, stainless steel and hard be one of the handle features a circular that... Composed of an alloy similar to 154 CM steel - this material needs consistent maintenance that when the is. Doubt you have probably heard of Damascus made today is not a really tough material to mirror polish so... Have probably heard of Damascus made today is not to be sharpened a more up-to-date guide to the basic of! Of resharpening, 425 high carbon steel can result in very beautiful knife blades made from martensitic stainless steel common are steels... Be maintained carefully to avoid rust a higher carbon version of these of! A trade off ceramic blades do not rust, and can result in very beautiful blades. And good edge retention and resistance to corrosion C. some go as far as to call this steel..., you will often see 1095 blades with some type of steel, check out our Ultimate blade Resource...