CPM MagnaCut steel
CPM MagnaCut is a powder metallurgy stainless steel from Crucible. It rates 7/10 for edge retention, 8/10 for toughness and 9/10 for corrosion resistance, and is usually hardened to 61–64 HRC.
At a glance
- Type
- Powder metallurgy stainless steels
- Hardness
- 61–64 HRC
- Maker
- Crucible (designed by Larrin Thomas) (USA)
- Process
- PM
- Price tier
- Premium
- Used by
- Spyderco, Benchmade, Chris Reeve, Civivi, Tactile Knife Co., Hogue, Buck, Carothers, Bradford, Hinderer
- Also called
- MagnaCut, Magnacut, CPM-MagnaCut
Composition
| Element | Weight % |
|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 1.15 |
| Chromium (Cr) | 10.7 |
| Vanadium (V) | 4 |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 2 |
| Niobium (Nb) | 2 |
| Nitrogen (N) | 0.2 |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.4 |
| Silicon (Si) | 0.4 |
| Phosphorus (P) | 0.03 |
| Sulfur (S) | 0.03 |
Source: manufacturer datasheet. Nominal values; where a range is published, the midpoint is shown. Phosphorus and sulfur, where listed, are maximums.
What makes MagnaCut behave the way it does
CPM MagnaCut contains 1.15% carbon, enough to reach typical knife hardness; 10.7% chromium for corrosion resistance.
Its 4% vanadium forms vanadium carbides, among the hardest carbides in knife steels, which drive wear resistance and slow edge loss but also make the steel slower to sharpen; niobium (2%) forms fine, very hard niobium carbides; molybdenum (2%) improves hardenability and pitting resistance; nitrogen (0.2%) partly takes the place of carbon, which helps corrosion resistance.
It is made by powder metallurgy: the alloy is atomised into fine powder and consolidated, which keeps the carbides small and evenly spread. That is what lets a highly alloyed steel stay tough enough for a knife blade.
Released 2021. Designed so all Cr stays in solution (no chromium carbides): corrosion resistance of S110V with toughness of 4V/CruWear.
Knives in MagnaCut
| Knife | Brand | Blade | Weight | Lock | List price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero Tolerance 0562CF | Zero Tolerance | 3.5" | 5.5 oz | Titanium frame lock | $375 | Blade HQ |
| Chris Reeve Knives Large Sebenza 31 | Chris Reeve Knives | 3.61" | 4.7 oz | Reeve Integral Lock | $500 | Blade HQ |
| Hogue Deka | Hogue | 3.25" | 2.1 oz | ABLE Lock | $184.95 | Blade HQ |
| Benchmade Adamas 275GY-03 | Benchmade | 3.82" | 6.54 oz | AXIS lock | $325 | Blade HQ |
| Kershaw Link 1776OLSW | Kershaw | 3.25" | 4.7 oz | Liner lock | $209.99 | Blade HQ |
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Shop MagnaCut knives at Blade HQ
How to sharpen MagnaCut
MagnaCut is moderately easy to sharpen (5/10). Water stones and ceramics work; diamond plates speed up reprofiling or repairing a damaged edge.
Compare MagnaCut with
- M390 vs MagnaCut
- MagnaCut vs S30V
- Elmax vs MagnaCut
- MagnaCut vs S90V
- 20CV vs MagnaCut
- CruWear vs MagnaCut
- MagnaCut vs S35VN
- CPM 3V vs MagnaCut
- CPM M4 vs MagnaCut
- MagnaCut vs S45VN
- LC200N vs MagnaCut
FAQ
Is MagnaCut a good knife steel?
MagnaCut is strongest in corrosion resistance (9/10) and weakest in ease of sharpening (5/10). Its average across the four ratings is 7.2/10, and it sits in the premium price tier.
Does MagnaCut rust?
Very little. MagnaCut rates 9/10 for corrosion resistance, among the best of any knife steel, and suits salt water and humid climates.
Is MagnaCut hard to sharpen?
MagnaCut is moderately easy to sharpen (5/10). Water stones and ceramics work; diamond plates speed up reprofiling or repairing a damaged edge.
What hardness is MagnaCut?
Knives in MagnaCut are usually hardened to 61–64 HRC. Makers can run it outside that range; harder means better edge retention but lower toughness.