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Stainless Steel Chart


We posted our online knife steel chart in 1998 and have done our best to keep it up to date since then. We intend to provide an authoritative guide for researching and appreciating the different blade steels that a knife can be made with. While no two people may agree on the best knife steel, the information in this guide can be used as a starting place for comparison.

 

Steel Carbon (C) Manganese (Mn) Chromium (Cr) Nickel (Ni) Vanadium (V) Molybdenum (Mo) Tungsten (W) Cobalt (Co) Typical Hardness
1.4116 0.45-.050 0.40 14.50-14.80 0.10 0.60 55-57
14-4CrMo 1.05 0.50 14.00 4.00 60-62
154CM 1.05 0.5 14.0 4.0 58-62
19C27 0.95 0.70 13.50 61-62
20CV 1.90 .30 20.00 4.00 1.00 .60 60
3Cr13 0.32 1.00 12.00-14.00 54-56
4034 0.42-0.5 1.00 12.50-14.50 54-55
420J2 0.15-0.36 1.0 12.00-14.00 1.00 49-53
420HC 0.40-0.50 0.8 12.00-14.00 0.18 0.6 56-58
425 Modified 0.40-0.54 0.50 13.50-15.00 0.10 0.60-1.00 57-59
440XH 1.60 .50 16.00 0.35 0.45 0.80 60-62
440A 0.65-0.75 1.0 16.00-18.00 0.75 55-57
440B 0.75-0.95 1.00 16.00-18.00 0.75 57-59
440C 0.95-1.20 1.0 16.00-18.00 0.75 57-59
5Cr15MoV 0.45-0.50 0.40 14.50-15.00 0.10 0.60 55-57
7Cr17 0.60-0.75 ≤1.00 16.00-18.00 ≤0.60 ≤0.75 54-56
8Cr13MoV 0.80 0.40 13.00 0.20 0.10 0.15 58-60
9Cr13CoMoV 0.85 1.00 13.50 0.20 0.20 1.00 58-60
9Cr18MoV 0.85-0.95 0.80 17.0-18.0 0.60 0.07-0.12 1.00-1.30 58-60
Acuto+ 0.90-0.95 0.50 17.0-18.0 0.10-0.25 1.30-1.50 59-60
ATS-34 1.05 0.40 14.00 4.0 59-61
ATS-55 1.00 0.50 14.00 0.60 0.40 59-61
AUS-4 0.40-0.45 1.00 13.00-14.50 0.49 55-57
AUS-6 0.55-0.65 1.0 13.00-14.50 0.49 0.10-0.25 55-57
AUS-8 0.70-0.75 0.5 13.00-14.50 0.49 0.10-0.26 0.10-0.30 57-59
AUS-10 0.95-1.10 0.50 13.00-14.50 0.49 0.10-0.27 0.10-0.31 58-60
BG-42 1.15 0.50 14.50 1.20 4.00 59-61
Bohler K110 1.55 0.35 11.80 0.95 0.80 58-60
Bohler M390 1.90 0.30 20.00 4.00 1.00 0.60 60-62
Steel Carbon (C) Manganese (Mn) Chromium (Cr) Nickel (Ni) Vanadium (V) Molybdenum (Mo) Tungsten (W) Cobalt (Co) Typical Hardness

 

Steel

Carbon (C) Manganese (Mn) Chromium (Cr) Nickel (Ni) Vanadium (V) Molybdenum (Mo) Tungsten (W) Cobalt (Co) Typical Hardness
BOS-S30V 1.45 14.00 4.00 2.00 59-61
CPM-125V 3.20-3.40 0.40-0.60 13.75-14.25 0-0.40 11.5-12.25 2.25-2.75 0-0.50 0-0.50 59-61
CPM-154 1.05 0.60 14.00 4.00 59-61
CPM-20CV® 1.9 20.00 4.00 1.00 0.6 60-62
CPM-S30V® 1.45 14.00 4.00 2.00 59-61
CPM-S35VN® 1.40 14.00 3.00 2.00 59-61
CPM-S45VN® 1.48 16.00 3.00 2.00 59-61
CPM-S60V® 2.15 0.40 17.00 5.50 0.40 58-60
CPM-S90V® 2.30 14.00 9.00 1.00 56-59
CPM-S110V® 2.80 0.40 15.25 9.00 2.25 0.20 2.50 58-61
CPM-SPY27 1.25 0.50 14.0 2.00 2.00 1.50 60-61
CTS-40CP 0.90-1.20 1.0 16.00-18.00 0.75 59-60
CTS-BD1 0.90 0.60 15.50 0.10 0.30 58-60
CTS-BD1N 0.85-0.95 1.0 15.00-17.00 0.10-0.15 0.50 60-63
CTS-XHP 1.60 0.50 16.00 0.35 0.45 0.80 58-60
ELMAX 1.70 0.30 18.00 3.00 1.00 58-62
G-2 0.90 0.60 15.50 0.30 56-58
GIN-1 0.90 0.60 15.50 0.30 56-58
H-1 0.15 2.00 14.00-16.00 6.00-8.00 .50-1.50 **
LV-02 0.68 0.6 13.0
LV-03 0.95 0.65 13.5 58-60
LV-04 0.90 0.7 18.0 0.10 1.15 59
M390 1.90 0.30 20.00 4.00 1.00 0.60 60-62
MBS-26 0.85-1.00 0.30-0.60 13.00-15.00 0.15-0.25
MBS-30 1.12 0.50 14.00 0.25 0.60
N680 0.54 0.40 17.30 0.50 0.10 1.10 53-58
N690 1.07 17.00 0.10 1.50 60
N695 1.05 0.40 16.70 0.50 57-59
Niolox 0.80 12.70 0.90 1.10 59-61
Nitro-B 0.5 0.55 14.7 0.1 0.6 59-61
Nitro-V 0.68 0.65 13 0.8 59-61

RWL-34

1.05 0.50 14.00 0.20 4.00 59-64
Sandvik 12C27 0.60 0.40 13.5 57-59
Sandvik 12C27Mod 0.52 .60 14.50 55-57
Sandvik 13C26 0.68 0.60 12.90 57-69
Sandvik 14C28N 0.62 .60 14.0 57-60
T5MoV 0.50 14.0 0.15 0.35 56-58
T6MoV 0.60 14.2 0.23 0.10 0.65 56-58
VG-10 0.95-1.05 0.50 14.50-15.50 0.10-0.30 0.90-1.20 1.30-1.50 59-61
X-15 TN 0.42 0.46 15.55 0.30 0.29 1.70 58-60
ZDP-189 3.00 0.50 20.00 1.40 0.60 64-66
Steel Carbon (C) Manganese (Mn) Chromium (Cr) Nickel (Ni) Vanadium (V) Molybdenum (Mo) Tungsten (W) Cobalt (Co) Typical Hardness