Top 10 best knife steels: rating 2021-2022 and which one to choose

Cutting and chopping food, going for mushrooms, a simple picnic is not without a good knife. A sturdy and reliable blade will be glad and a housewife, and a huntsman, and even a diver.

But how to choose the right blade? It is worth paying attention to the steel and its properties - all the main indicators of the knife depend on the metal.

In our article we have selected the best steels for the production of knives. We took into account alloy compositions, experts' opinions, feedback from experts and ordinary buyers, as well as statistical data on the use of different steel grades in the production of modern knives, including premium branded ones.

Rating TOP 10 best knife steel grades for 2021-2022

This ranking table contains the best steel grades according to experts and users.

Place	Name	Price
Top 10 knife steels by price/quality for 2021-2022
1	D2
2	Sandvik 12C27
3	M390
4	Elmax
5	440C
6	VG-10	Check price
7	CPM-S30V
8	AUS-8A
9	95Х18
10	1.4116

How to choose a steel grade and what to look for?

In many ways, the mechanical properties of steel depend on the alloying additives - vanadium, cobalt, tungsten. Even at minimal levels, they greatly increase the quality of blades.

Therefore, the first thing to pay attention to is the composition:

• Carbon - increases the hardness and strength of the steel, increases the resistance of the blade to wear and the appearance of chips and cracks, but a large amount in the composition significantly reduces the overall corrosion resistance;
• chromium - increases the hardness and density of the blades, is responsible for the resistance to corrosion and the ability to polish the blade. It is found in all modern stainless steels. In addition, the chromium content gives the blades a characteristic polished sheen, adding to their aesthetic component;
• Manganese - increases the toughness and hardenability of steel and increases resistance to lateral deformation, but its high content in steel makes it brittle. Steels with high manganese content are mainly used to make rails, safes, and in the manufacture of knives, manganese steel is rarely used;
• molybdenum - An alloying element that gives the steel its ductility and density, and improves its hardenability and strength. It is a carbide element that prevents brittleness of the blade, increases resistance to high temperatures, and gives the blade the necessary rigidity;
• vanadium - Another alloying element which increases toughness and strength of the blade, improves wear resistance and enhances hardenability. It is mainly used in tool steels, particularly surgical steels. It imparts metal inertness to aggressive chemical reagents;
• Nickel - Prevents rust and oxidation of the blade;
• silicon - increases the wear resistance of the alloy, makes it more reliable and stable;
• phosphorus - Its content in steel is undesirable, it makes the metal brittle while increasing its strength. The maximum phosphorus content should not exceed 0.045%;
• sulfur - Another "harmful" element that reduces the resistance to lateral deformation but increases the strength of the metal when exposed along the axis of the metal lattice. High sulfur content significantly reduces mechanical and physicochemical properties of steel alloys: ductility, impact toughness, corrosion resistance. The sulfur content in good steel should not exceed 0.06%.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the following parameters:

• corrosion resistance - if the knife frequently comes into contact with water, blood or other liquids, its corrosion resistance is the leading factor in choosing a good knife. Any liquid, especially blood, badly affects the overall quality of the material, reduces its resistance to pitting, deteriorates the cutting edge as it dries;
• ability to hold a sharpening - Factory sharpening holds exactly until the first use, but the working phase directly depends on the composition and properties of steel. Knives will have to be sharpened in any case, but blades made of high quality steel keep sharpness of cutting edge longer and are less demanding to abrasive materials for dressing;
• hardness - the harder the steel, the better it resists external loads, but softer metal is easier to sharpen. At the same time, soft blades blunt much faster;
• durability - No knife will last forever, no matter how good the steel is, but certain additives in alloy prolong the life of blades by increasing the strength or resistance to chipping, side pressure and deformation.

Top 10 knife steel grades by price/quality for 2021-2022

D2

Abrasion-resistant steel, stable, time-tested and inexpensive due to low processing costs. More is stable due to the small number of components and their percentage.

Used mainly for the forging of multi-speed cutters. It is the most corrosion-resistant material and outperforms many other grades in this respect. Contains very small amounts of chromium, silicon, nickel and manganese.

It has excellent strength and sharpness indicators of the cutting edge of knives and cutters, all products made of this steel keep the level of sharpening for a long time and do not need regular sharpening.

The products are also resistant to deformation even under the influence of very high temperatures, which makes the model ideal in the production, where cutting and high heat are combined.

Knife composition:

• chromium 11-13%;
• carbon 1.55%;
• molybdenum 0.9%;
• vanadium 0.9%;
• silicon 0.45%;
• manganese 0.35%.

Sandvik 12C27

A low alloy steel with a homogeneous composition to minimize manufacturing defects. of the steel itself as well as in the manufacture of blades and cutting parts.

The hardening is carried out with liquid nitrogen, which increases the strength and hardness of the blades while maintaining flexibility and elasticity. The medium carbon content provides good wear resistance, and manganese together with silicon improve the overall technical characteristics of the metal.

Alloying elements in the form of vanadium, cobalt and tungsten add toughness and density. The presence of niobium somewhat limits the metal's machining, but provides an extra plus in strength.

Knife composition:

• carbon - 0.6%;
• chromium - 13.5%;
• silicon 0.4%;
• manganese 0.4%.

M390

The Austrian knife steel has held a leading position in terms of popularity and quality for several years in a row due to due to its market availability and quality marketing: knives using this steel are produced by many well-known brands.

Due to the peculiarities of its chemical composition, the steel is quite difficult to heat treat, and proper hardening has a significant impact on the final result. Uneven processing or insufficient hardening leads to product damage during use and difficulty in sharpening, while overdried material leads to prickliness and pitting.

In addition to iron, steel contains carbon, a high percentage of chromium, silicon, tungsten, manganese, vanadium and molybdenum.

Composition of the knife:

• carbon, 1.9%;
• chromium - 19-21%;
• vanadium - 3-4%;
• molybdenum - 1%;
• silicon - 0.8
• manganese - 0.3%;
• tungsten 0.5-0.7%.

Elmax

Powder stainless steel of Austrian-Swedish origin was originally designed for cutting elements of plastic processing machines.

The products are characterized by high resistance to corrosion, long preservation of cutting edge, easy sharpening and overall durability. The steel consists of chromium, vanadium and molybdenum.

The steel has one of the best cost-to-quality ratios and largely outperforms comparable grades in terms of production costs and consumer properties. It holds sharpening angles well, grinds well, but is weakly resistant to lateral and impact loads.

It is used in the production of knives of the middle and premium classes, the latter at the same time have a slightly inflated cost.

Composition of the knife:

• carbon 1.72%;
• chrome 18%;
• vanadium 3%;
• molybdenum 1%;
• silicon 0.8%;
• manganese 0.3%;
• nickel 0.15%;
• tungsten 0.11%.

440C

A chromium steel with very low phosphorus and sulfur content, it is resistant to pressure along the rolling axis and is therefore often used in the manufacture of blades for steel knives. The cutting edge is additionally resistant to chipping, has a good resistance to blunting, and is easy to sharpen and straighten.

The steel is considered one of the most balanced in composition and cost, but is also the most expensive in its group of steels. The hardness of the steel makes it suitable not only for knife blades but also for the cutting parts of many conveyors and machine tools.

The high chromium content makes it possible to get a mirror shine of branded knives. The low cost makes the knives available to a wide range of customers.

Composition of the knife:

• carbon 0.75-1.2%;
• chrome 16-18%;
• molybdenum 1%;
• silicon 1%;
• manganese 1%;
• phosphorus and sulfur 0.03%.

VG-10

High carbon steel alloyed with cobalt and molybdenum. The toughness of the material permits hardening to 60-63 Ngs while maintaining the optimum cutting edge properties.

The use of cobalt in the steel, which is rarely used because of its high cost, gives it greater hardness and toughness, so the material is used in the production of premium branded knives, mostly by Japanese manufacturers. This also makes the products very resistant to lateral force and fracture resistance.

The products are characterized by resistance to corrosion - the knives are extremely rarely rusted, easy to sharpen to a razor, long holds the sharpening of the main phase of the work use.

Composition of the knife:

• carbon 1.05%;
• chromium 15.5%;
• vanadium 0.3%;
• molybdenum 1.2%;
• cobalt 1.5%.

CPM-S30V.

American-made martensitic steel with high vanadium and chromium content. This results in high strength and cutting properties of the maker's blade. Strength and cutting properties of the produced knives and cutting machine parts.

Blades made of this steel have several times higher fracture resistance compared to other models. Cutting edge perfectly resists chipping and crumbling, keeps sharpness for a long time.

According to many experts it is one of the best available steel for blades. It is used in the production of both mass-produced and piece models of medium and premium classes.

The high impact toughness and corrosion resistance of the steel makes it suitable for survival knives and knives for mushroom cutters. Also, the cutting edge of the steel is excellent for straightening when necessary.

Composition of the knife:

• carbon 1.45%;
• 14% chromium;
• vanadium 4.0%;
• 2.0% molybdenum.

AUS-8A

Corrosion-resistant steel from a Japanese manufacturer with high chromium and molybdenum content. It is one of the most widely used in the production of Japanese knives because of its excellent cutting and corrosion resistance. It has a relatively low production cost, it is not capricious to the production technology, small errors do not have a strong impact on the characteristics.

Knives made of this steel do not require frequent sharpening, and they can be straightened with most abrasives and even improvised means. The addition of chromium and nickel allows you to achieve a mirror shine when polishing the blades. The low sulfur and sulfide content reduces the ductility and lateral resistance of the steel, while increasing resistance to rolling axis stresses.

Knife composition:

• carbon 0.7-0.75%;
• chromium 13-14,5%;
• vanadium 0.1-0.26%;
• molybdenum 0.1-0.3%;
• silicon 1.0%;
• manganese 0.5%;
• nickel 0.49%;
• phosphorus 0.04%;
• sulfur 0.3%.

95Х18

Simple stainless steel of Russian production. It belongs to the budget segment, martensitic grade, has a high Carbon and chromium as well as manganese and silicon. It is used in forged or rolled form, in the production of knives and parts having contact with abrasives, as well as in the manufacture of axles, bushings, rods and bearings.

With the exact observance of the heat treatment process it has good strength, wear resistance and resistance to corrosion. Products made of this steel do not withstand the stresses of fracture. At the same time the cutting edge keeps sharpness for a long time and is perfectly amenable to grinding and sharpening. The steel's wear resistance is enhanced by the addition of chromium carbides, and chromium increases resistance to pitting.

Composition of the knife:

• carbon - 0.95%;
• chromium - 18%;
• nickel - 0.6%;
• silicon - 0.8%;
• manganese - 0.8%;
• copper - 0.3%.

1.4116

German steel is most often used in industries with high hygienic requirements - food, medical, pharmaceutical, so it becomes an excellent option for kitchen knives as well.

The excellent ratio of carbon to chromium provides both high resistance to corrosion and resistance of the cutting edge to damage. Knives keep their sharpening for a long time and do not darken even in contact with aggressive detergents, they are hardly exposed to oxidation, keep the working phase of sharpening for a long time, and if necessary can be easily corrected practically with any abrasives.

The alloying elements, which are molybdenum and vanadium, increase the strength of the blades and allow them to sharpen at a smaller angle, which is especially important for kitchen knives.

Composition of the knife:

• carbon - 0.50%;
• chrome - 14-15%;
• molybdenum - 0.5-0.8%;
• silicon - 0.8%;
• phosphorus - 0.04%;
• sulfur - 0.015%;
• vanadium - 0.1-0.2%.

What grade should I choose?

The choice of steel grade depends on the purpose of the knife.

For a kitchen knife, the best grades are those used in the manufacture of surgical tools - VG-10, AUS-8 or 40X13. For a hunting knife, the best steel for hunting knives today is S390, a more budget variant is X12MF. For a universal knife, the best choice would be S30V, S35VN or D2/X12MF.

For those who do not want to devote a lot of time to the care of the knife, it is better to buy 65X13, but it requires frequent dressing. If you want to use the knife only for cutting, the ZDP-189 is not bad and affordable option.

Useful video

What steel to choose for a knife: