What stainless steels are knives made from?

For the production of knives for various purposes, different types of stainless steel are used with a certain content of elements and properties. The cheapest material for blades is considered to be 65G steel, which is widely used in this industry and you can find a lot of products made from this metal. Such a knife will not serve for a long time, and with regular contact with moisture, it will simply rust.

A stainless steel such as 40 X 12 steel is soft, so inexpensive kitchen knives are made from this material, and this metal can also be found among souvenir products. This grade of stainless steel is difficult to harden and this material bends easily, so the service life is very short. But on the other hand, a knife made of 40 X 12 steel will not be covered with rust and you can use it in the kitchen, periodically sharpening it. For sharpening, you can use ordinary musat, which is available in almost any kitchen and mild steel 40 X 12 lends itself well to it.

Domestic rolled metal still produces rather strong stainless steel 95 X 18, which has a decent hardness, but it is also difficult to temper, but even more difficult to process. But you may have some problems when sharpening knives made of 95 X 18 steel, but if you succeed in this procedure, the sharp surface will remain for a long time. If a knife made of this stainless steel is overheated, it may break or pieces of metal crumble from the blade. Also, steel 95 X 18 may not withstand prolonged contact with water and salt, and areas of rust will appear on the surface of the knife. Still, this stainless steel is one of the best domestic options used in the manufacture of knives.

Well-known manufacturers who keep their brands and make expensive products most often use stainless steel 50 X 14 MF, since with a professional approach and heat treatment, a hard and durable blade can be obtained from it. Knives made of this steel can be operated for a long time at full load without losing the quality of sharpening. If 50 X 14 MF turns out to be under-heated, then it will be soft and therefore wear out quickly. To purchase a knife with a stainless steel blade that has undergone high-quality heat treatment, you need to buy products from large and well-known manufacturers who carefully control their products. And it is better not to buy knives made of such steel with long and narrow blades, because they can break at a certain angle of application of the load.

Of the imported stainless steels, which are the most popular, AISI 420 can be distinguished. And mainly Chinese companies produce their products from this steel grade, but if the manufacturer is engaged in his business professionally, then you can find good knives from AISI 420. This brand of stainless steel can be compared in quality and appearance with the domestic 40X12, it also does not rust, but at the same time it is too soft and the blade needs to be sharpened periodically.