Knife steel comparisons

50 head-to-head comparisons, most-searched first. Each page has the composition side by side, overlaid ratings and a verdict.

ComparisonEdgeToughnessCorrosionSharpening
14C28N vs D23 – 68 – 38 – 49 – 4
M390 vs MagnaCut8 – 74 – 89 – 93 – 5
MagnaCut vs S30V7 – 68 – 49 – 75 – 4
Elmax vs MagnaCut7 – 75 – 88 – 94 – 5
MagnaCut vs S90V7 – 98 – 39 – 75 – 2
20CV vs MagnaCut8 – 74 – 89 – 93 – 5
440C vs D24 – 63 – 37 – 46 – 4
CruWear vs MagnaCut7 – 77 – 83 – 95 – 5
MagnaCut vs S35VN7 – 68 – 59 – 75 – 5
D2 vs Nitro-V6 – 33 – 84 – 74 – 9
S30V vs S90V6 – 94 – 37 – 74 – 2
8Cr13MoV vs D23 – 65 – 36 – 48 – 4
M390 vs S90V8 – 94 – 39 – 73 – 2
CPM 3V vs MagnaCut5 – 79 – 83 – 96 – 5
154CM vs D25 – 64 – 36 – 46 – 4
D2 vs S30V6 – 63 – 44 – 74 – 4
S30V vs S35VN6 – 64 – 57 – 74 – 5
D2 vs VG-106 – 53 – 44 – 74 – 6
AUS-8 vs D23 – 66 – 37 – 48 – 4
14C28N vs 154CM3 – 58 – 48 – 69 – 6
S30V vs S45VN6 – 64 – 57 – 84 – 5
Elmax vs M3907 – 85 – 48 – 94 – 3
154CM vs S35VN5 – 64 – 56 – 76 – 5
M390 vs S30V8 – 64 – 49 – 73 – 4
154CM vs S30V5 – 64 – 46 – 76 – 4
20CV vs S30V8 – 64 – 49 – 73 – 4
SG2 (R2) vs VG-107 – 54 – 47 – 74 – 6
1095 vs D23 – 65 – 31 – 49 – 4
S35VN vs S45VN6 – 65 – 57 – 85 – 5
CruWear vs S30V7 – 67 – 43 – 75 – 4
CPM M4 vs MagnaCut8 – 75 – 82 – 93 – 5
1095 vs 80CrV23 – 35 – 81 – 19 – 9
14C28N vs 8Cr13MoV3 – 38 – 58 – 69 – 8
14C28N vs AEB-L3 – 38 – 98 – 69 – 9
14C28N vs Nitro-V3 – 38 – 88 – 79 – 9
14C28N vs S35VN3 – 68 – 58 – 79 – 5
20CV vs M3908 – 84 – 49 – 93 – 3
20CV vs S35VN8 – 64 – 59 – 73 – 5
8Cr13MoV vs AUS-83 – 35 – 66 – 78 – 8
CTS-XHP vs S30V6 – 64 – 47 – 75 – 4
D2 vs S35VN6 – 63 – 54 – 74 – 5
Elmax vs S35VN7 – 65 – 58 – 74 – 5
HAP40 vs CPM M48 – 84 – 52 – 23 – 3
LC200N vs MagnaCut3 – 78 – 810 – 98 – 5
M390 vs N6908 – 54 – 49 – 83 – 6
M390 vs S35VN8 – 64 – 59 – 73 – 5
MagnaCut vs S45VN7 – 68 – 59 – 85 – 5
Nitro-V vs S35VN3 – 68 – 57 – 79 – 5
S30V vs VG-106 – 54 – 47 – 74 – 6
SG2 (R2) vs ZDP-1897 – 94 – 27 – 54 – 2

Numbers are the first steel's rating – the second steel's rating (1-10).