3V High Carbon Non-Stainless Steel - an extremely tough steel. Benchmade has been testing 3V, and we have reports of getting up to 30 degrees of flex in the Boost Pry blade and straightening back to true (not all 3V blades will have the right thickness and grind for prying). Very impressive stuff. Also has excellent edge retention, which is not normal for high toughness steels.
CPM 3V is a high toughness, wear-resistant tool steel made by the Crucible Particle Metallurgy process. It is designed to provide maximum resistance to breakage and chipping in high wear-resistance steel. CPM 3V is intended to be used at 58/60 HRC in applications where chronic breakage and chipping are encountered in other tool steels, but where the wear properties of high alloy steel are required. Carbon-0.80%, Chromium-7.50%, Vanadium-2.75%, Molybdenum-1.30% Rockwell 58-60
