Steel Comparison
The full steel chart,
The full steel chart,
without the marketing.
From a damascus knife steel showcase to a high carbon stainless steel knife set for the home kitchen, this is the complete knife steel chart we work from — every blade steel ranked by edge retention, corrosion, HRC, ease of sharpening and cost. No single "best knife steel" — only "best for this application at this price band."
| Steel | Origin | HRC | Edge Retention | Corrosion | Cost Tier | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3Cr13 | CN | 52-55 | Low | Excellent | $ | Promotional, entry kitchen, low-cost utility |
| 4Cr14 | CN | 54-56 | Low-Medium | Excellent | $ | Entry kitchen, gift sets |
| 8Cr13MoV | CN | 56-58 | Medium | Very Good | $$ | Mid-tier EDC, value kitchen, mid-tier outdoor |
| 9Cr18MoV | CN | 58-60 | Good | Very Good | $$ | Premium kitchen, mid tactical, hunting |
| 14C28N | SE (Sandvik) | 58-60 | Good | Excellent | $$ | Premium kitchen, marine, fishing |
| 440C | US/EU | 58-60 | Good | Very Good | $$ | Hunting, kitchen, classic American outdoor |
| AUS-8 | JP | 57-59 | Good | Very Good | $$ | Mid-premium EDC, Japanese-style |
| D2 | US/EU tool steel | 59-61 | Excellent | Good (semi-stainless) | $$ | Hunting, tactical EDC, hardcore outdoor |
| VG-10 | JP (Takefu) | 60-62 | Excellent | Very Good | $$$ | Premium chef, gift tier, premium EDC |
| S35VN | US (Crucible) | 59-61 | Excellent+ | Very Good | $$$$ | Premium tactical, collector EDC |
| M390 | AT (Böhler) | 60-62 | Outstanding | Excellent | $$$$$ | Top-tier tactical, collector, gift |
| 1095 carbon | US/CN | 56-60 | Good | Poor (rusts) | $$ | Bushcraft, traditional outdoor |
| 5160 spring | US/CN | 56-58 | Good | Poor | $$ | Chopping, machete, large bushcraft |
| 67-layer Damascus (VG-10 core) | Forge-welded billet | 60-62 | Excellent | Very Good | $$$$ | Gift-tier chef, showcase, collector |
How we'd choose for you
If a buyer asked us "which steel" with no other info, we'd ask back: what's the retail price target, and what's the use case? Below is roughly how we map answers to steel.
- Promotional / corporate gift, <USD 5 FOB: 3Cr13 or 4Cr14. Buyer never sharpens it.
- Mid-tier Amazon kitchen, USD 8-15 FOB: 8Cr13MoV or 9Cr18MoV. Defensible quality, doesn't blow the BOM.
- Premium gift chef, USD 30-60 FOB: VG-10 or Damascus with VG-10 core. Customer notices the difference, justifies the price.
- Tactical / EDC, USD 25-50 FOB: D2 or 14C28N. Performance buyers want.
- Collector / premium tactical, USD 60+ FOB: S35VN or M390. Spec it on the listing, market reads it.
- Bushcraft / traditional: 1095 carbon. Yes, it rusts. That's the point — the buyer wants the patina.