| We use the term Knife Steel in this article. | | | | steels. |
| However, most of the information applies to steel | | | | Copper: Copper is added to increase the corrosion |
| in general. Steel is iron with no more than 2% | | | | resistance. |
| carbon in it. The higher the carbon in knife steel | | | | Manganese: Manganese is added to knife steel as |
| the harder the blade can be made. The harder | | | | it aids the grain structure and increases the ability |
| the steel the sharper the edge the knife can take. | | | | to harden the steel. It also increases the strength |
| The quality of the heat treatment on knife steel | | | | and wear resistance. Manganese is present in |
| has a big impact on blade strength. When lesser | | | | most cutlery steel. |
| quality steel is properly heat treated the result | | | | Molybdenum: This element helps prevent |
| can be a blade that is stronger than a blade made | | | | brittleness in knife steel and helps the steel |
| from higher quality knife steel that had been | | | | maintain strength at high temperatures. It makes |
| improperly heat treated. Most knife steel is | | | | the grain size in the steel smaller which improves |
| tempered martensite which has a fine grained | | | | the hardness and toughness. Nickel: Nickel is put |
| crystal structure with lattice irregularities that | | | | into knife steel to increases the strength, |
| make it hard. Several elements can be added to | | | | corrosion resistance and toughness of the steel. |
| steel to produce different traits. What follows is a | | | | The term corrosion resistance is used because all |
| list of elements commonly added to knife steel | | | | steel will eventually corrode if it is not cared for |
| and their purposes. | | | | properly. Nitrogen: Nitrogen can be used in place |
| Carbon: This is the most important element to be | | | | of carbon in knife steel. The Nitrogen atom works |
| added to steel for hardening the steel. Knife steel | | | | similar to carbon but offers the advantage of |
| should have greater than ½ % carbon, | | | | corrosion resistance. Silicon: Contributes to the |
| which would make it high carbon steel. Carbon | | | | strength of knife steel. |
| steel usually means few or no alloy ingredients | | | | Tungsten: Tungsten is added to knife steel to |
| have been added. Knife steel with a high carbon | | | | improve the strength, toughness and hardenability |
| content but low chromium content is prone to | | | | of the knife steel. Vanadium: Increases the wear |
| rusting and pitting if not kept dry and oiled. | | | | resistance and ability to harden knife steel. Like |
| Chromium: This is added for hardening, and to | | | | Molybdenum it makes the grain size in the steel |
| increase wear and corrosion resistance. Knife steel | | | | smaller which improves the hardness and |
| with at least 13% chromium is considered | | | | toughness of the steel. |
| stainless steel. | | | | There are several types of steels that are |
| Cobalt: Cobalt is added to knife steel to increase | | | | commonly used by the major manufacturers to |
| the strength and hardness. It permits quenching at | | | | make their knife blades. D-2, 420, 440, 425, AUS. |
| higher temperatures and intensifies the individual | | | | These types of knife steel and others will be |
| effects of other elements in more complex | | | | discussed in another article. |