The best scenario is when the steel, heat treatment, and geometry are selected for the knife and the use. In addition, According to Sandvik, 14C28N steel is easy to work on, reducing production costs and hence affordable knives. In my experience, it will tarnish and discolor quickly. Steels high in toughness are excellent for knives likely to see hard impacts, like large chopping knives. While not a powder steel, 154CM is widely used in nicer knives. We have our views as well, and here they are! There are a few aspects to your question, I think. Toughness is a measure of how much resistance a steel has to fracturing. For these reasons D2 steel is a good for smaller folding knives, but is not ideal for large fixed blades such as dedicated choppers and large survival knives. With a high level ofedge retention, corrosion resistance, and toughness, it does most everything quite well. I hope you will find value in the articles on this website. So hard vanadium carbides means you get more edge retention for a given amount of carbide. Its found on a large number of traditional-style folders. It would be interesting to try to develop a conversation between /geometry/edge retention/toughness, so we could say e.g. The steel loses some of the chromium in solution for corrosion resistance to form these fine carbides for hardness. Another is that 8Cr13MoV is a generic name for a specific composition while AUS-8 is a name of a product by a specific company. 7:00am-5:00pm, 10am-7pm Tuesday - Friday More expensive powder metallurgy steels in this category include M390, CPM-S35VN, Elmax, CTS-XHP, CPM-S30V, and CPM-154. Although it should be noted that there doesnt seem to be a need for the stainlessness on a wood working tool. 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. Also how did you arrive at the edge retention & toughness numbers for 8cr13mov and for BD1N toughness? Is this at the same hardness? 8cr13mov if proper slicing geometry its good budget steel if you dont rust it and no prying or screwing its ok cutting steel. I made most of my leather knives from O1v (O1 with .20V) that I hold at 1475 for 15 mins and quench in 120-130 F AAA oil and Kevin Cashen is where those parameters came from btw. Its easy to sharpen. It is a premium steel that is known for its excellent balance of hardness, corrosion resistance, and edge retention. Top quality steel yields perfect toughness, edge retention, wear and corrosion resistance, an easy to sharpen, long lasting and durable everyday carry that will fast become a user favorite. This is about comparing steels to each other rather than a limitation of an individual steel. But it would be my recommendation for applications requiring extreme corrosion resistance. 440B I have the average composition of the steels rated above (plus some extras) so you can see what the different names refer to. To reiterate the clearer part, I wonder if toughness increases faster than edge retention decreases as an edge gets thicker. Therefore, ensure to wash and dry your knives after use to keep the rust away. The knife Natrix with substantial copper handle is a deceptively hefty EDC. Its not a particularly great cutter, being poor at retaining an edge. Its not bad, but you can find better in the market at the same price. Vanax gives up some toughness and hardness vs MagnaCut for saltwater levels of corrosion resistance. Its high hardness and relatively high toughness also make it an excellent choice in cutlery. D2 steel also offers similar toughness levels as the 14c28n steel, so both aren't really prone to chipping with proper use. Notice that with the same edges on the same media, the 9Cr18Mov from Real Steel performs about as well as the average Chinese D2. It shows 3 stainless steels from 750-800tcc but the edge retention graph only has 1 SS in that range, S90v. Knives are one of our oldest tools, so it makes sense that they have evolved into thousands of styles since the first person chipped one out of stone. I know it's much more stainless and corrosion resisitance, but what about wear resistance? While 9Cr18MoV steel is highly corrosion resistant due to the addition of Cr, and Mo. It can build a knife that sustains a sharp cutting edge for long periods and is sufficiently wear-resistant. Vancron would work well in a kitchen knife. My other knives are a Real Steel E77 8cr14mov. Compared to the AUS10A, the D2 has a longer legacy since it's been around since 1918. But yes, I would assume that the general performance would still be relatively similar between them without evidence to the contrary. Short of purposeful abuse, its all but impossible to chip an edge on an INFI blade. Why do knives make the best gifts? Carpenter produces this powder steel. Flashlights run the gamut of price and quality. Even premium steels can have poor performance with poor heat treatment. Im a woodworker and Im interested in making better performing plane irons and chisels. 14C28N and D2 knives are affordable high-end knives. It is an upgrade of 12C27, and 13C26 steel initially used to make blades for shaving razors. 14C28N steel is not very hard steel which makes it easier to sharpen. Tough steel can handle impacts without gross chipping or a tip breaking off. Sharpening the knives might be challenging, but the D2 knife is high quality and affordable. 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. Low Carbon steels like AEB-L wont hold up to wood cutting even though it can hit 64 hard, it just doesnt have enough Carbon. No idea. So, it is quite harder than most other steel variants and retains its edge sharp for a long period. Developed by New Jersey Steel Baron, Nitro V is a non-powder steel marketed as an enhanced version of AEB-L. Nitro V, as its name indicates, adds nitrogen to AEB-Ls formula to make the steel even more corrosion-resistant. . Below, weve listed some of the attributes you might want out of your steel and given some examples in both the more expensive powder metallurgy steels and more affordable conventionally produced steels. Marco, BSc Chem. Now 14c28n is IMO the best budget steel out there. Between the assisted open, weird looking texture designs, and the stainless steel handle, the Cannonball has a lot of features I don't normally like, but even I have to admit it's a good design for the price. s30v Theres still a lot of misinformation being pushed by influencers especially in knife steel rankings. The 14C28N stainless steel from Swedish manufacturer Sandvik is considered an upgrade to their 13C26 steel (described below). Is it similar but worse or better at one of the 3 things? Therefore, if your priority is a knife with the best toughness on the market, you can never go wrong with the varieties of 14C28N. 8670 and 5160 are good choices for large knives that need very high toughness. High alloy tool steels are designed to be air hardening, so they can be cooled even slower than the oil hardening steels found above. 420HC doesnt hold an edge well, but its relatively stain-resistant and tough. And we list budget-friendly knives that have a professional style and grace to them. CRKT and Spyderco use BD1. 14c28n steel has a high Chromium and Carbon percentage. Dr. Thomas you spoke of using a different media for cutting test and I have some extra veg tan leather and was wondering what are the parameters of the leather you need? The biggest change that is seen with powder metallurgy in measured properties is in regards to toughness. You will get an ultra-sharp edge with 14C28N knives. It also improves edge retention and strength. Time and use have proven this to be quite accurate. This is especially important for chopping knives and for knives with thin edges for enhanced cutting ability and edge retention. D2 steel offers better edge retention and wear resistance than 14C28N. Finally, in this 14c28n vs d2, we hope you get the right one. Should you continue to scroll further, you may find yourself lost in a seemingly endless list of knife steel wealth and knowledge. In fact Id be delighted to have your experience checking my thinking! Opinel Number 9 in carbon steel, and a Cold Steel Tanto Lite in their stainless steel. What it is: 14C28N is a Sandvik stainless steel commonly used in razors and kitchen knives. There is an acceptable range for every element so this doesnt mean that 1084 will always have exactly 0.84% carbon. Here its 8. third and most important is what happened to the burr. https://knifesteelnerds.com/2018/12/17/cryogenic-processing-of-steel-part-3/. CROMOVA In general, higher carbon steels have higher edge retention but lower toughness. The very good toughness of MagnaCut meant that it didnt chip despite this relatively high hardness and the difficulty of the test. So presumably, wear resistance would be in the 3.5-4 range and toughness in the 5.5-6 range. https://www.patreon.com/Knifesteelnerds, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). Spyderco has produced several production knives with Maxamet, and the steel debuted on the ZT0888. what does a cvn of 40 v.s 20 mean? Wear resistance comes from hardness and carbides, hard particles formed between carbon and another element like Vanadium or Tungsten. Used in knives since at least World War II, 1095 performance varies considerably with an abundance of tweaks in the recipe and heat treat. Its very tough and exceptionally corrosion-resistant. 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. To choose the best knife for you between the 14C28N and the D2, look at the steel properties and ensure that they suit your knife needs and lifestyle. You can see micrographs of different knife steels to compare their carbides in this article. Honestly, yes, because its perfect steel for your knife, besides it depends on which knife, so when youre talking about chef knives, then 14c28n would be an ideal pick thanks to professional corrosion resistance and edge retention. It rusts like nothing Ive seen before and it dull just by looking at it. But the true calling card of INFI is its insane toughness. Anthony Sculimbrene authors the blog EverydayCommentary.com. D2 is another medium-range tool steel. 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? Your email address will not be published. Its exceedingly tough and relatively hard, but its not stainless. Theyre excellent for choppers, hard-use folders, and outdoor knives that see impacts and heavy use when used at medium hardness. These two knives are a little bit more than a pretty face. Also, if you want a fishing knife, 14c28n steel will survive better in wet areas than D2. PESR would be an interesting topic too (also tied to LC200N). They represent the absolute best performers on the market in terms of their specific attributes. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Hi there, 14C28N knives offer excellent corrosion resistance and toughness. So, its hard steel is easy to sharpen. My name is Jonathan M, and Im a passionate Mechanical Engineer, a knife enthusiast, and the author of this website. It can withstand a lot of wear and tear. Even though it has very high hardness, its also still decently resistant to corrosion and quite tough. Its very corrosion-resistant and quite tough. Here, read on for an in-depth look at common knife steels as well as the best knife steels around. I like it in the Seki City Spydercos, but I would like to know what ratings you would give it. Each of these contributes to a knifes overall performance. Typically an increase in corrosion resistance means a reduction in potential hardness for a given steel. Your email address will not be published. I especially appreciate the geometry/edge retention/toughness comparison with photos. What about K390? Maxamets hardness results in incredible edge retention and a nightmarish sharpening and machining experience. There is buzz out there but I havent seen anything solid yet in the world of steel. The main downside is the steel is more difficult to heat treat and cant go harder than about 60 or perhaps 61 Rc. As from features, for presenting d2 continue to grow in the knife industry, generally because of their working performance and reasonable price, a lot of superior low budget knives are building their reputation. Powder metallurgy steels with low vanadium content like CPM-1V and Z-Tuff/CD#1 have extremely high toughness. 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. Using controlled furnace heat treating resulted in toughness around 23-28 ft-lbs at 61-62 Rc, while the knifemaker heat treated specimens were 7 ft-lbs or below. Lately Ive been edcing one of those instead of a nice folder. But to learn more about these and other attributes, read our related outdoor knife buyers guide. These steels are the good old hard-working steels. Why does Maxamet and Rex 121 stay the same tcc but Zmax drops and 15v goes from below 900 to over? This is a non-powder steel produced by American steel company Carpenter. What is pulling that line high and to the right? quite possibly the best steel youll find on a sub-$30 production knife. On the other hand, in d2 air-hardness steel, you cant differentially temper the blade-like other high carbon steel because the steel can also be challenging to sharpen. I did a test with knives in 440A (stainless), D2 (high alloy steel with some corrosion resistance), and 1095 (no corrosion resistance). However, Kershaw asked Sandvik to make their 13C26 steel more resistant to corrosion, and the result was 14C28N. They differ little in composition and treatment. 1060 G10 We all have our preference, but overall, preference leans towards the pocket knife with a clip. Alpha Knife Supply sells 26C3 btw. They made planer blades out D2 for its edge retention. just recently the idea occured tome to sharpen a planer blade like a knife and check out how it performs. EDGE RETENTION . Which one is right for you? This steel is quite corrosion resistant and sharpens easily. 440A Steels without these attributes are much less costly. Having 1.5% Carbon does that. grivory The brand Bark River uses A2 in many models. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Poor heat treatment can make a knife too hard, too soft, hard to sharpen, easy to deform, or cause other issues. I wont go into detail about those here. 1.4116 But among the steels youll find at Cabelas and the like, this is a pretty good choice. That old pine in particular is some crazy hard stuff. It doesnt hold an edge well, but its so easy to sharpen that you can get it back to razor sharpness in a few minutes. H1 If you purchase this types of knife, without any hassle you can easily re-sharpening. I personally don`t care about stainless (sic! how much more can you bend/pry with it? My test is for comparing different steels, not necessarily for a go/no go test for saltwater applications. Note:Dont bother with anything less than 8Cr in this series. first there might have been some annealing going on (even if its was a microscopic level) and the steels might have reacted differently. Spyderco is the only production company using this steel, though Michael Gavik of Gavko knives produced a number of customs in LC 200N. Now that we know what each factor represents, we can see how the steels rank against one another. are after the ratings. How would n680 compare to m690? and our The biggest factor for cost of knife steel is whether it is produced with conventional ingot technology or powder metallurgy. These steels are perfect for thin edges and high hardness. It boasts an incredible ability to continue cutting long after it seems dull. And its not made of steel. D2 steel does not contain enough chromium to make it stainless steel. [Steel Knife Review], Best survival knife sword: 5160 steel Review, What is VG 10 pocket knife? A new steel from Crucible, SPY27 launched in 2020 in the Spyderco Native 5and Para 3. 14C28N. Type 8Cr, the more common formulation, is worse than AUS-8: a little more prone to corrosion and not quite as hard. Properties: 14C28N: D2: Edge retention: 4/10: 7/10: Ease of sharpening: 6/10: 3/10: Corrosion resistance: 4/10: 4/10: Toughness: We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The hardenable grade of titanium (Beta C Titanium) reaches up to 45 or so rc. And steels with at least 10% chromium are probably stainless, except for several important exceptions like D2 and ZDP-189. S110V has improved corrosion resistance at the cost of some toughness compared to S90V. The Kershaw Leek is a most popular EDC knife that design by legendary custom knife maker Ken Onion. Both knives were chopped through a nail. With toughness it is a bit harder to link to only one article as I dont really have a summary of all of the toughness testing that we have done. For high wear resistance and edge retention you want a large amount of hard carbides. Is that accurate? I would love to see a Tungsten-Carbide blade (like Sandrin is using) and how it compares for Edge Retention, Toughness and Corrosion Resistance especially how it compares to s90v. This steel, as the name implies has a professional styling to it. D2 steel is a ordinary tool steel and knife steel. D2 is not a bad steel, but it has been around a long time and is somewhat mundane by current standards. The 14C28N, on the other hand, is tougher. They lack the carbon necessary to hold an edge, even during mild use. 14C28N Vs D2 . . The Vargo Sobata 398 is unlike any other knife on this list. 1095. With recommended hardness range of 55-62 HRC; the 14C28N is great for knife applications which place very high demands on edge sharpness, edge stability and corrosion resistance such as chefs knives, hunting knife, pocket knives and fishing knives. These steels have sufficient toughness to handle thinner edge geometry. . Perhaps a bigger issue with the upper temper is for stainless steels, as there is a significant reduction in corrosion resistance by tempering at 1000F instead of 400F. In this article, we will discuss the characteristics, pros, cons, and differences between 14C28N and D2 knives to help to make the right choice. Most production knives are more than thick enough at the edge to accommodate a regrind to significantly improve performance, and its a lot cheaper than buying a new knife a lot of the time. whats even more disturbing is that cvn and fracture toughness sometimes (often?) 14C28N is stainless steel, and its knives offer excellent rust resistance and toughness than D2 steel. D2 steel also resists chipping better than most stainless steel types. We use a subsize, unnotched chapy test with 2.5 x 10 x 55 mm dimensions. Coarse-carbide tool steel grades. its like with cars, most of them are not a corvette or a porsche. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. And before you start arguing on behalf of the steel you think might be perfect, let me remind you that if your knife isnt perfect for a task, youll need to get another one that is! Stainless steels are more resistant to corrosion but remember that stainless steels stain less, and most of them will still rust in the right conditions. Hit like and all t. However, the 14c28n provides perfect edge retention with a maximum hardness of 62Hrc and the mixture of Chromium and Carbon. 14c28n steel and D2 steel are both high-quality knife steels. How do its properties compare to other steels? 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? On the other hand small but mighty, the pocket knife provides both in professional performance and in arresting good looks. : 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). Corrosion Resistance: D2 steel has a higher chromium content than 8Cr13MoV, which makes it better at resisting corrosion and wear. Note just because a blade is made from the premium or high-end steels listed above does not automatically mean its better than the lesser steels. A2 Knife Steel Air-hardened tool steel. Ive seen more talk and some articles regarding the use of AI to come up with new potential drug molecules, polymeric materials, etc. Read more. Many knife enthusiasts are concerned with categorizing steels as excellent, good, poor, etc. However, Kershaw asked Sandvik to make their 13C26 steel more resistant to corrosion, and the result was 14C28N. The best steels with balanced properties include 4V/Vanadis4E, CPM-CruWear, and CPM-M4. All three of these steels havechromium, molybdenum, vanadium, and tungsten components and will perform well in myriad tasks. And while youll find it mostly in expensive knives, quite a few approachable M390 blades exist. Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox. Is there some way we might predict the relative "effective toughness" of different steels at different hardness and at different edge angles? The main downside is the steel is more difficult to heat treat and can't go harder than about 60 or perhaps 61 Rc. This is a bit of a guess because I cant find un-notched Charpy data on it. The definition of a quality knife differs among users because of varied needs, but there are basic properties that every quality knife must have. But I think it would have much higher toughness than any of the steels on the chart. This is a midprice steel with matching performance. 14C28N VS D2 Attributes: 14c28n: D2 . It has excellent edge retention, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening. Vanadium carbides are very large with conventional production of steels but are very small with powder metallurgy. It gets exceptionally sharp, a nod to its origins as a razorblade steel. I mean the box cutter type, with the replaceable trapezoidal blades. The majority of knives target 63 Rc or below so this limitation of stainless steels does not always come into play but can be an important factor for certain knives targeting high performance and thin edges. Because of its abrasion-eating hardness, knives with REX 121 come at an exceptionally high price. One of the more common stainless steels, and one readily available in lots of different places worldwide, AUS-8 is a decent all-around steel. With steels that have a small amount of carbide the size of the carbides can be kept small through processing (see the AEB-L micrograph earlier in the article). The D2, on the other hand, has a thicker and more durable blade that is better suited for tough tasks like chopping wood or prying open cans. Rather than upgrade from D2 to M4 or S30V just drop the angle from 40 degrees to 30 degrees. D2 has been around for more than 20 years, an eternity in. Three main characteristics differentiate steels from one another: corrosion resistance, hardness, and toughness.