Stainless steels for knives
Conventional (ingot) stainless steels with enough free chromium, roughly 12% or more, to resist rust in everyday use.
| Steel | Type | HRC | Edge | Toughness | Corrosion | Sharpening | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC200N | Stainless steels | 57–60 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 8 | Premium |
| 14C28N | Stainless steels | 57–60 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 9 | Budget |
| Nitro-V | Stainless steels | 59–62 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 9 | Mid-range |
| AEB-L | Stainless steels | 59–62 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 9 | Mid-range |
| 420HC | Stainless steels | 56–58 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 9 | Budget |
| AUS-8 | Stainless steels | 57–59 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Budget |
| N690 | Stainless steels | 58–60 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 6 | Mid-range |
| VG-10 | Stainless steels | 59–61 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 6 | Mid-range |
| 8Cr13MoV | Stainless steels | 56–59 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | Budget |
| 154CM | Stainless steels | 58–61 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | Mid-range |
| 440C | Stainless steels | 57–59 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | Budget |
Edge retention vs toughness
Comparisons with stainless steels
- 14C28N vs D2
- 440C vs D2
- D2 vs Nitro-V
- 8Cr13MoV vs D2
- 154CM vs D2
- D2 vs VG-10
- AUS-8 vs D2
- 14C28N vs 154CM
- 154CM vs S35VN
- 154CM vs S30V
- SG2 (R2) vs VG-10
- Nitro-V vs S35VN
- 14C28N vs 8Cr13MoV
- 14C28N vs S35VN
- S30V vs VG-10
- M390 vs N690
- 14C28N vs AEB-L
- 14C28N vs Nitro-V
- 8Cr13MoV vs AUS-8
- LC200N vs MagnaCut