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What is the best steel for a knife? Characteristics of steel for knives

Whichever steel we consider, each has its own set of properties and characteristics that are suitable for specific conditions. Thanks to the professionalism of the steel manufacturers, the finished product combines both quality and optimal properties. However, it will not be possible to achieve the best characteristics in all directions at once, so you have to sacrifice something. For example, soft iron does not remain sharp for long, but it will not be difficult to sharpen such a blade. Harder material can be prone to chips. In those cases when the alloy has a complex chemical composition, its manufacture and processing become laborious and, as a consequence, the cost of the finished product increases. Thus, steel for the manufacture of knives, which meets several specific requirements, becomes more expensive in production.

Manufacturers

From what materials will be used in the manufacture of a certain product, it will depend on how often it will become blunt, how complex the grinding process will be, what its resistance to bending will be and how easily it can be broken. Here, not everything depends on the grade of steel for knives. Characteristics such as softness, the ability to bend, to be blunt and break can also be affected by heat treatment. That fact is confirmed by the fact that well-established manufacturers make high-quality knives using the 420 brand. Here are some of them:

  • Victorinox (Switzerland);
  • Wenger (Switzerland);
  • Tramontina (Brazil);
  • Magnum (Germany);
  • Beker (Germany);
  • Fortuna (Austria);
  • SOG (USA);
  • Buck (USA);
  • Chinese producers. There are quite a lot of them for today, so we will not list them all.

All manufacturers are developing their own technologies for the production and processing of steel, thanks to which they achieve their goals.

It is a mistake to believe that the blade, which has an excellent sharpness, is the best. It is much more important to pay attention to the resistance to wear, by comparing the steel grade for knives. Characteristics, such as wear resistance, directly depend on the amount of carbon in the material. In the most ordinary carbon steel, the maximum hardness is noted when the carbon in it is 0.7 percent. If you increase this percentage in production, you can achieve increased resistance to wear.

Ways to improve the quality of goods

Experienced and scientific methods, metallurgists receive alloys that meet the requirements of the market. For example, to increase the durability of the material can be due to the use of alloying additives:

  • Chromium;
  • Nickel;
  • Manganese;
  • Silicon;
  • Vanadium;
  • Molybdenum;
  • Tungsten.

Due to the introduction of small amounts of other elements, alloy steel is more durable and wear-resistant than ordinary carbon steel. However, it must be understood that the inclusion of the above additives makes sense until a certain point. If the concentration threshold is exceeded, steel begins to lose its strength properties.

The best additional element is molybdenum. The alloying of steel using this component allows to improve both strength and viscosity at the same time. An excellent example of this can serve as the notorious Japanese blades, known for their characteristics. The molybdenum content in them reaches up to eight percent.

Vanadium, chrome, tungsten improve the strength characteristics, but at the same time make the steel more fragile. Doping with chromium (over 13 percent) allows the material to be resistant to corrosion along with increased cutting properties. It is necessary to understand that for such improvements it is necessary to sacrifice resistance to kinking.

If we raise the question of which is the best steel for the knife, we can conclude that stainless steel grade 440C is the best option. Its properties include the ability to keep sharpening for a long time. Such material, however, is inferior in terms of wear resistance and elasticity, such an alloy as 154 CM steel for knives. The comparison can also be conducted with such brands as AT S-34, BG-42. Their composition does not contain as much chromium, but molybdenum contains up to 4%. Steel for the manufacture of knives of these brands is called ball bearing stainless. This name was given to these alloys due to the fact that they are favorably distinguished by wear properties in others.

Steel grades for knives: product characteristics

A knife is one that even the most peaceful people use almost every day. One of the most ancient inventions of mankind through the thickness of centuries came in the 21st century, not having changed very much in form. But alloys invented very much. Consider the popular steel grades and their characteristics in order to understand which is the best steel for the knife.

Mark 40X13

Let us consider it in more detail. If you choose the most common models of domestic kitchen knives and do an analysis of what kind of steel is used for knives, the comparison will make it clear that this is 40X13. It is great for kitchen use due to the fact that it does not rust and is perfectly sharpened. The material 420 considered above is its foreign counterpart. Steel for a kitchen knife is not its only purpose. Scalpels (along with other surgical instruments) are also made of "medical steel", and this is a well-known name.

Mark 65H13

The foreign analogue is 425. This steel makes up a good half of all Russian knives. It is unlikely that the products made of it will once rust. And all thanks to the fact that knives from this steel have high corrosion resistance. Their service life is measured in decades.

Mark 50Х14МФ

It is becoming increasingly popular in the manufacture of cutting blades. The characteristics of steels for knives of this brand are close to the parameters of the previous alloy, but they have some drawbacks. It is often used for the manufacture of medical instruments and quality knives for household purposes, as well as for industrial, and even combat knives. If you make the correct heat treatment of this steel, you can get a very strong product at the output.

Mark 95X18

Stainless steel, with some features on the processing requirements. If you take into account all the nuances in the production, you can get a strong and flexible knife. Sharpening such blades succumbs badly, but they will not be dulled for a long time. It is possible to show signs of corrosion, but only with prolonged exposure to moisture.

Mark 65G

Refers to the type of spring steel. If you have thought about how to make a knife, you probably know it, because it is considered very popular in various forums for self-made production. Kitchen tools are made of it very rarely, as it is prone to corrosion. Resistance to rust trying to increase due to different coatings, but this is not a panacea.

Mark 420

The most budgetary and most common in the world option. Perhaps, thanks to this, most Chinese manufacturers use it. This steel is considered to be 100% stainless. Correct heat treatment allows to achieve excellent characteristics for blades from this steel, which is confirmed by the choice of popular foreign manufacturers mentioned above. Using the example of this material, it is perfectly clear that the chemical composition plays far from the main role. The service life, despite the low cost, is quite large.

Mark 420 НС

This high-carbon steel is widely used for making knives. Many famous manufacturers prefer this particular steel because it is easy to process and has good anti-corrosion properties. Often blades of it will be blunted. However, in order to restore their sharp cutting edge, it will not take much effort.

M390

Knives from steel M390 can boast high cutting and wear-resistant properties. It is very popular with blade manufacturers. Such steel, in addition to the production of knives, is used for the manufacture of surgical instruments, to which high demands are made. Due to alloying with chrome, such steel is not covered with rust. It should be noted that not only knives made of steel M390 are produced. Such steel is very popular in the industrial production of apparatuses and machines for working with solid materials.

Mark 440

A few of its varieties, designated A, B and C, are distinguished. Note the 440C brand, which is considered high-tech steel. Each of the species has its own percentage of carbon content: 0.75%, 0.90% and 1.20%.

AUS Brand

The Japanese analogue of alloy 440. As well as the previous version, has several varieties, which also differ in the amount of carbon: AUS-6, -8, -10.

Mark X12MF

Steel punching of this type has a very high wear resistance and strength. Knives made of steel X12MF are susceptible to corrosion, which is why their use in the kitchen is undesirable. Such knives can boast good cutting properties and the ability not to lose their sharpness for a long time. Knives made of steel X12MF in a special account of hunters, who can not do without a quality tool.

Brand ZPD-189

This is the highest category of steel produced in Japan. It combines high strength and toughness, along with hardness, which has no analogues in the world. It is used by several manufacturers to produce their own best knives. Accordingly, the price of the finished product is very high. Therefore, in the domestic market of such products are very few.

Brand S30V

The developers of this alloy are Dick Barber and Chris Reeve. For the production of steel, vanadium carbides are used. Due to their application, it is possible to achieve a better grain of steel and greater strength. This development was adopted by many modern manufacturers of knives.

Mark Н-1

Widely used for the manufacture of knives used in the sea, where the constant action of salt water can cause rust. It is not very convenient in processing. A well-known manufacturer Spyderco widely uses this steel grade for its knives. What is the best steel for a knife used by sailors? Certainly - H-1.

Brand АТ S-34 and 154 СМ

Is on the list of the most high-tech materials. Steel 154 - the original American development, which has high characteristics and the same price. AT S-34 is a product of Hitachi. It is the Japanese equivalent of 154 steel. It is believed that these brands occupy a leading position in the world.

Damascus and Damascus

If you ask the professionals what is the best steel for the knife, you will be answered - damask or damask steel. Since ancient times, to indicate the excellent qualities of the blade, it was simply said that he was of Damascus steel. The quality of knives from bulat depends on the professionalism of the blacksmith, the correct heat treatment, grinding. If you compare Damascus blades with bulat, you can note the superiority of the first in strength. If we talk about cutting properties, then they are equal.

It is interesting that the lost secret of damask steel was found in 1841 by PI Anosov, a Russian metallurgist. Thanks to him, the production of arms from this steel at the Zlatoust factory was revived. Even in our time, the blades produced there are called the best. During the Soviet Union, the production of quality knives ceased to exist as such due to the policy of the state. Officially produced then the products were of poor quality, and could hardly satisfy the requirements of the hunter. Only thanks to folk craftsmen who knew how to make a knife qualitatively, you could get a good blade.

Bulat "Lusia"

Metallurg, who developed this material, called it so in honor of his wife. At one time, about 8 tons of this steel were produced. After the master's death, the secret of this damask with unique characteristics was lost.

So, we found out what kind of knives they make-the centuries-old companions of man.

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