LC200N vs MagnaCut

LC200N resists corrosion better and is easier to sharpen; MagnaCut holds an edge longer. Choose LC200N for easy sharpening, MagnaCut for edge retention.

LC200N vs MagnaCut ratingsLC200N: Edge retention 3/10, Toughness 8/10, Corrosion resistance 10/10, Ease of sharpening 8/10; MagnaCut: Edge retention 7/10, Toughness 8/10, Corrosion resistance 9/10, Ease of sharpening 5/10Edge retention3 / 7Toughness8 / 8Corrosion resistance10 / 9Ease ofsharpening8 / 5LC200NMagnaCut

Who wins each property

LC200N vs MagnaCut: rating differencesEdge retention: LC200N 3, MagnaCut 7; Toughness: LC200N 8, MagnaCut 8; Corrosion resistance: LC200N 10, MagnaCut 9; Ease of sharpening: LC200N 8, MagnaCut 5← MagnaCut betterLC200N better →Edge retention−4ToughnesstieCorrosion resistance+1Ease of sharpening+3

Side by side

LC200NMagnaCut
TypeStainless steelsPowder metallurgy stainless steels
Hardness57–60 HRC61–64 HRC
Edge retention3/107/10
Toughness8/108/10
Corrosion resistance10/109/10
Ease of sharpening8/105/10
Price tierPremiumPremium
MakerZapp (Cronidur 30 licensed from Energietechnik Essen)Crucible (designed by Larrin Thomas)
LC200N vs MagnaCut hardnessLC200N: 57-60 HRC; MagnaCut: 61-64 HRC55 soft60 mid65 very hard507057–6061–64

Composition

ElementLC200NMagnaCut
Carbon (C)0.31.15
Chromium (Cr)1510.7
Vanadium (V)—4
Molybdenum (Mo)0.952
Niobium (Nb)—2
Nitrogen (N)0.40.2
Manganese (Mn)10.4
Silicon (Si)0.50.4
Phosphorus (P)—0.03
Sulfur (S)—0.03
LC200N vs MagnaCut compositionLC200N: C 0.3%, Cr 15.0%, Mo 0.95%, N 0.4%, Mn 1.0%, Si 0.5%; MagnaCut: C 1.15%, Cr 10.7%, V 4.0%, Mo 2.0%, Nb 2.0%, N 0.2%, Mn 0.4%, Si 0.4%, P 0.03%, S 0.03%0%5%10%15%Carbon (C)0.31.15Chromium (Cr)1510.7Vanadium (V)–4Molybdenum (Mo)0.952Niobium (Nb)–2Nitrogen (N)0.40.2Manganese (Mn)10.4Silicon (Si)0.50.4Phosphorus (P)–0.03Sulfur (S)–0.03LC200NMagnaCut

Property by property

Edge retention

MagnaCut holds an edge longer: 7/10 against 3/10 for LC200N, a 4-point gap. Vanadium: 0% vs 4%; more vanadium carbide generally means more wear resistance.

Toughness

Both rate 8/10 for toughness. Typical hardness: 57–60 vs 61–64 HRC; harder blades trade toughness for edge holding.

Corrosion resistance

LC200N resists corrosion better: 10/10 against 9/10 for MagnaCut, a 1-point gap. Chromium: 15% vs 10.7%, though what matters is the chromium left in solution, not the total.

Ease of sharpening

LC200N is easier to sharpen: 8/10 against 5/10 for MagnaCut, a 3-point gap.

Knives in each steel

LC200N

KnifeBrandBladeWeightLockList priceBuy
Spyderco Native 5 Salt LC200NSpyderco2.95"2.4 ozBack lock$215Blade HQ
Spyderco CaribbeanSpyderco3.7"4.2 ozCompression lock$326Blade HQ

MagnaCut

KnifeBrandBladeWeightLockList priceBuy
Zero Tolerance 0562CFZero Tolerance3.5"5.5 ozTitanium frame lock$375Blade HQ
Chris Reeve Knives Large Sebenza 31Chris Reeve Knives3.61"4.7 ozReeve Integral Lock$500Blade HQ
Hogue DekaHogue3.25"2.1 ozABLE Lock$184.95Blade HQ
Benchmade Adamas 275GY-03Benchmade3.82"6.54 ozAXIS lock$325Blade HQ
Kershaw Link 1776OLSWKershaw3.25"4.7 ozLiner lock$209.99Blade HQ

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FAQ

Which is better, LC200N or MagnaCut?

LC200N resists corrosion better and is easier to sharpen; MagnaCut holds an edge longer. Choose LC200N for easy sharpening, MagnaCut for edge retention.

Which is harder, LC200N or MagnaCut?

LC200N is typically run at 57–60 HRC and MagnaCut at 61–64 HRC.

Is LC200N or MagnaCut more rust resistant?

LC200N (10/10). LC200N is a conventional stainless steel; MagnaCut is a powder metallurgy stainless steel.

Related comparisons

Full steel pages: LC200N · CPM MagnaCut