Dr. Thomas is a friend of ours here at Blade HQ, and with his help, weve worked to create this knife steel guide. So you can estimate how much a change in hardness would affect edge retention by following the slope of those lines. In general, the more carbide the steel has and the larger the carbides the lower is the toughness. The most balanced is CPM-MagnaCut which is in an area all by itself on the chart. Steel ratings are not about ranking steels in terms of what is better than another, but understanding the different balances such as toughness vs edge retention. Toughness is a measure of how much resistance a steel has to fracturing. Due to its higher Chromium content, S30v is a lot less likely to corrode/rust than the D2 Steel. This refers to the angle of your edge and the thickness of the knife behind the edge. Thanks to powder metallurgy, youll find even better edge retention on the high end. Liquid steel is sprayed through a tiny nozzle, solidifying into a powder. Tougher than D2, but less wear-resistant. I was wondering if the 14c28n sample was also prequenched like the AEB-L toughness samples? https://cedric-ada-store.creator-spring.com/listing/brickard-heritage-collectionGood gravy its bricky on thingsSubscribe and hit the bell! G10 I have a bachelor's degree in Mechanical engineering with a specialization in material science. CPM-3V is a powder metallurgy contender in this category. However, the 14c28n provides perfect edge retention with a maximum hardness of 62Hrc and the mixture of Chromium and Carbon. Heat treatment and edge geometry can mean more for knife performance than the specific steel used in the knife. second it might be of importance which way you sharpened because if against the edge the steels might have reacted differently to the contamination remaining on the edge. The steel is similar to Sandviks 13C26. D2 steel is a ordinary tool steel and knife steel. HAP40 However, in our testing there is a reduction in toughness by using the high temperature range rather than the low temperature range, such as was found with CPM-CruWear (Z-Wear) or CPM-10V. My other knives are a Real Steel E77 8cr14mov. MagnaCut has the lowest chromium of any of the below steels but all of its chromium is in solution (no chromium carbide) and the fact that it has no chromium carbide also gives it the maximum level of corrosion resistance for a given amount of chromium. It has high levels of chromium and carbon, making it extremely resistant to corrosion. Divers, sailors, and anglers need knives that will resist corrosion above all else. The steel comes with increased wear and abrasion resistance properties. Or even if they try to be more open to importance of toughness, the good reputation of the high edge retention steels means that they get inflated toughness ratings along with it. worldwide, even the chinese have an equivalent (8cr13mov). Time and use have proven this to be quite accurate. Below shows a comparison of carbide structure between D2 and CPM-D2, and then toughness measurements between the conventional and PM versions of CruWear, D2, and 154CM. and corrosion resistance than the 420HC steel. There one of the best reason that he is highly regarded as a knife designer. Instead, Vargo titanium uses a unique material called sintered titanium-ceramic alloy. The vivid patterns visible in Damascus steel come from the acid etching process in a ferric chloride solution. Diamond and CBN stones make sharpening those steels easier. Its exceedingly tough and relatively hard, but its not stainless. Each steel was tested with a knife that was produced just for the test, and then sharpened the same way for each test (15 dps 400 grit CBN sharpening). CPM-S90V is my favorite in the high edge retention category because of its decent toughness. However, even steel with the best corrosion resistance can rust without proper care. AEB-L is a non-powder steel produced by Swedish steelmaker Uddeholm. Its actually quite good, low-cost steel that performs like midprice steel. The brand designed it as a carbide replacement. AEB-L is rarely found on production knives but can be found on custom knives easily. When the blade gets messed up I just replace it. It can build a knife that sustains a sharp cutting edge for long periods and is sufficiently wear-resistant. This is a powder-metal steel also produced by Crucible. There are also hardness/toughness and hardness/TCC charts.but no tables backing this charts. Display: 24 per page Sort by: Featured View CIVIVI Voltaic Flipper Knife Stainless Steel Handle With Micarta Inlay (3.48" 14C28N Blade) $88.30 Add to cart The biggest factor for cost of knife steel is whether it is produced with conventional ingot technology or powder metallurgy. 2) you do not go into the sharpening in much detail. 14C28N vs. D2. For more information see our. The biggest change that is seen with powder metallurgy in measured properties is in regards to toughness. I actually dont recommend that enthusiasts spend all that much time analyzing the exact composition of different steels and trying to guess their properties. Sandvik later came out with 14C28N which is a slightly improved version of 13C26. There is one exception: Bucks 420HC (Buck and onlyBuck) is produced using a proprietary heat treatment. Take a look at this edge retention test. Each of these contributes to a knifes overall performance. This is a non-powder Japanese steel used primarily in Spyderco knives. How do its properties compare to other steels? Or, is this perhaps a historically useful practice that made sense on softer/less tough steels, but would make less sense on some newer steels that can be used at higher hardness and thus higher edge stability? Continue with Recommended Cookies. So, it is quite harder than most other steel variants and retains its edge sharp for a long period. Thank you for the accurate data. Hi Larrin, thanks so much for writing this blog and putting so much reliable information into such an accessible form. Jeff I worked at a company that heat treated D2 (1.55% C) planer blades for a company that built wood working equipment for commercial shops. High Alloy Tool Steel and High Speed Steel Ratings. The big difference in properties vs the low alloy steels, however, are the harder carbides that are found in these steels. What it is: 14C28N is a Sandvik stainless steel commonly used in razors and kitchen knives. AEB-L and 14C28N are the best in the high toughness group. 14c28n steel has a high Chromium and Carbon percentage. On the other hand, edge stability in terms of micro chipping and edge folding is also good. However,M390, CTS-204P, and CPM-20CV are all pretty difficult to resharpen, so maintain that edge! With a high level ofedge retention, corrosion resistance, and toughness, it does most everything quite well. D2 at 58 hard will cut much more rope than AEB-L at 62. Thanks to Bill Smutz, Alex Topfer, Florian Bachler, Brunhard, Art, Rod H, Sach, Jinny Koh, Jon Duda, Cory Henderson, and UPKnife for becoming Knife Steeel Nerds Patreon supporters! CPM 3V Typically an increase in corrosion resistance means a reduction in potential hardness for a given steel. I forgot, I got the higher carbon steels will have higher edge retention from this website. Cool! Plus the charts get messier, and I dont always have data for a wide range of hardness values. If you have a favorite steel, rock on! That says to me theres a measurable abrasive quality to wood for sure. It confirms what I always suspected and what anyone could have figured out by reading the technical data. This showed that XHP and ZDP-189 have significantly lower corrosion resistance than other stainless steels. Is it similar but worse or better at one of the 3 things? CPM 4V Ive not seen these used on non-kitchen knives, though, and it seems that if they had real utility they would be used in other knives as well although perhaps on the thinner edges of kitchen knives they are more effective than they would be elsewhere? Most of these steels are carbon steels, except for CPM MagnaCut (the fancy steel cooked up specifically for knives by Dr. Thomas), which has excellent corrosion resistance. I have a Spyderco K390 knife and I cut leather with it as it is only .090 thick and I seldom have to strop it on 1 micron diamond compound on leather. Thanks! Goes to show that science not marketing or conjecture is what determines a good steel, 51shitty? Because of the material difference, the blades differ in toughness, edge retention, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening. But then if you look at an increase of 100 mm in the CATRA test from Maxamet to Rex 121 the toughness only drops 1-2 ft-lbs. The benefit of this, of course, is that the steel holds an edge for a very, very long time. By that I dont mean that a better heat treatment is not possible, but that major mistakes in heat treating are avoided. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. : at a given toughness, magncut will have better edge retention in real life applications than s90v if it has optimal geometry (or maybe it wouldnt, just an example). Almost all of the knives in my EDC rotation are Spydercos, in exotic steels. Pretty interesting that regrinding a knife you already have can seemingly take its performance to that of significantly better steels. Any thoughts how Sleipner might fare in the ratings? Its a costly and challenging process, but it makes extremely fine-grained steels, some of the best for knives, and makes some processes that were previously impossible a reality. And while it can be hard depending on the heat treat, I have found it easily chips, causing microscopic dings in the edge when hardened to a high level on a thin blade. If you want a sharp knife for outdoor or indoor use, D2 knives will not disappoint you. Most of the user loves this one that has received a lot of attention on this site. I wrote an article about knife steel ratings available online in 2018, where I concluded that none of them were very good. I love reading through all the data youve gathered and making note of all the trends (Im a physical organic chemist). 440A has more chromium in solution along with a small addition of Mo, but has significant amounts of carbide so the two are an interesting comparison. No mainstream companies use SM100, and the niche makers that do usually charge more than $1,000 for knives with SM100 blades. AR-RPM9 14c28n steel and D2 steel are both high-quality knife steels. On the positive side, they are very easy to forge and grind. Then we could say, e.g. It rusts like nothing Ive seen before and it dull just by looking at it. Youre right I had to check my spreadsheet. Steels without these attributes are much less costly. 20? The unique process used to make LC 200N results in a fine-grain structure. The ESEE had significant edge damage while the MagnaCut knife did not. Corrosion Resistance: D2 steel has a higher chromium content than 8Cr13MoV, which makes it better at resisting corrosion and wear. Socould you please clarify which steel is the outlier and which is the line>. Vanax and LC200N are unique in reaching 59-60 Rc while being very stain resistant. MagnaCut Where did it come from? Chris Reeves version, which is about two points less hard than others, is quite good. He is the mind and writer behind Knife Steel Nerds, the go-to source for all knowledge about knife steel. rex 121 In my experience, it will tarnish and discolor quickly. ZDP-189 can tarnish, though not as easily as 3V. Not to sound like a ship, but these two knife inspiration makes this an eye-catching knife. Rex 45 I've heard d2 is miles better and i dont want to pay 90 for the p135 and get a significantly inferior blade to paying 110 for the D2 Rat. Keeping in mind that I have a well rounded Set of sharpening skills. Now that we know what each factor represents, we can see how the steels rank against one another. Its in the same class as Vanadis 8 and 10V. If you want to learn more about a specific steel, you can click it in the sorted listings below. [Steel Knife Review], What is 14c28n steel? does 1.4116 deserve the title of title of ultimate trash steel? This particular steel grade allows for the highest attainable hardness without. Why do knives make the best gifts? EDGE RETENTION . That comes with an excellent return of experience that makes it ideal for the manufacturer of outdoor and tactical knife blades. Which one is right for you? I did a test with knives in 440A (stainless), D2 (high alloy steel with some corrosion resistance), and 1095 (no corrosion resistance). The edge retention numbers are normalized to the hardness of the closest toughness test. I was recommended the Rat 1 in D2 and I also found that I really like the design of the Ruike p135 and p128. Most vintage tool blades seem to have been made of 1084/1095 or similar, presumably at some <60 Rc hardness that gave the required toughness, and the rules of thumb for sharpening angles are based on those assumptions. Yes its very easy to sharpen but it doesnt hold an edge at all. 14c28n vs D2 Steel. Properties: 14C28N: D2: Edge retention: 4/10: 7/10: Ease of sharpening: 6/10: 3/10: Corrosion resistance: 4/10: 4/10: Toughness: 6/10: 6/10: CIVIVI Knives Elementum Folding Pocket Knife 2.96" D2 Satin Blade . But yes, I would assume that the general performance would still be relatively similar between them without evidence to the contrary. Sandvik 14C28N steel is better than D2 steel in corrosion resistance and toughness. In particular, I have found the ESEE/Rowen 1095 to be less likely to chip and better at holding an edge than the KA-BAR version even in knives with the same role, thickness, and blade length. Uddeholm lists it as somewhat worse in toughness than A2 but somewhat better in wear resistance. Alloying elements are an important ingredient vital in getting the best steel for the job. The performance of these blades are equally admirable. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It improves wear resistance and hardenability. Now 14c28n is IMO the best budget steel out there. Manage Settings Sorry, most of my previous comment was borderline word salad. High toughness steels can be produced without powder metallurgy and also have low wear resistance for lower manufacturing costs. The 14C28N, on the other hand, is tougher. D2 steel also resists chipping better than most stainless steel types. I am particularly interested in researching knife steel, knife properties, and brands. Why do you give a coin with a knife as a gift? This is one of the fundamental tradeoffs in steel. Ruike Sandvik 14c28n vs D2 looking at getting a nice larger flipper for a little under 100 AUD. Its very hard, tough, and corrosion-resistant. So youre right that a D2 blade will cut more CATRA cards than an AEB-L blade *when theyre both sharpened to the same angle* but AEB-L has much better toughness and can therefore handle being sharpened to a more acute angle without chipping, and a more acute angle is more important to continuing cutting ability than wear resistance is. 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. Kershaw, Spyderco and Schrade are among some of the popular users of this steel.. 14C28N. Spyderco is the only production company using this steel, though Michael Gavik of Gavko knives produced a number of customs in LC 200N. Below shows pictures of a 61 Rc knife that was impacted with a 3/16 rod at different energy levels. Vancron would work well in a kitchen knife. One is certainly anti-China bias, as you pointed out. The value being slightly different doesnt mean its an outlier or measurement error. Read more. Sandvik 14C28N steel offers excellent corrosion resistance, exceptional toughness, good edge retention, and is easier to sharpen. With conventional steels this limited vanadium additions to about 4-5%, and this was greatly expanded when powder metallurgy was developed. The knife does dull faster. Also Mo additions improve corrosion resistance for a given amount of chromium. However, Kershaw asked Sandvik to make their 13C26 steel more resistant to corrosion, and the result was 14C28N. When it comes to handle material, both knives have options available in either plastic or metal. This is good for ease in heat treating in large batches and for even cooling that greatly reduces warping and size changes. Many steel ratings articles pay lip service to the importance of heat treatment without providing examples. Is 440A really that much better than 420HC, or have you found a narrower gap? Even metallurgists can have a difficult time estimating properties just based on the elements. the following is not a critique, just a few thoughts to maybe put the relationships into a wider perspective and point to additional dimensions.