440C vs 154CM steel?

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killa_concept

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May 19, 2009
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Hey guys... I'm thinking of buying a Benchmade 42 Balisong and noticed that the new revision is 154CM steel while older ones were made of 440C. Just curious what sort of difference this makes... I see a lot of cheap china blades made of "440" or "440C" steel. Does this mean Benchmade's old 42s were of this cheap steel? Or does it mean cheap chinese blades aren't actually 440C?

Thanks in advance guys and great forum you have here :)
 
No matter what the nationality, if a knife is labeled "440", it is usually "440A" (or a Chinese alloy with similar properties).

Many Chinese knives labeled "440C" are a somewhat different alloy. How good depends on the maker.

Actual 440C is an excellent blade steel, though 154CM will hold an edge longer, all other things being equal.
 
154CM is definitely a step up, but BM's 440C on their older models is NOT the same as the 440 or 440C you see on the Chinese made knives. While the newer BM's with 154CM is a step-up (& an upgrade that BM did), their 440C blades are still very good. IIRC, BM HT their 440C at 58-60 & their 154CM at the same, I believe. However, hardness isn't everything, but I'm sure the Chinese blades are no where near what BMs are at.
 
Thanks for the awesome explanation guys! Where's the +reputation button? :p
Yeah - I'm tired of buying $15-20 chinese cheapos that break after 1-2 months of decent use... I've probably already spent $80 that could have gone towards a quality balisong.

Is the benchmade 42 about as good as I'm going to get for a $120-180 balisong? It would be nice to get something cheaper, but not at the cost of quality. Also is 1SKS my best bet for getting one from a reliable source/with full warranty?
 
Check the feedback section for the best dealers. They have a list of the best dealers so you don't get scammed, not saying anything against 1SKS, I just know that the feedback section will tell you if they are good or not.
 
154CM is an improvement over 440C .This is done by adding 4 % Mo to 440C => 154CM !!...Sorry for the typo.
 
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I don't know what the China 440 or 420 is. However the 440C is 1095HC steel with 15% Chromium added to make it stainless. 154CM is the same with a lower amount of Chromium. Both steels are excellent for blades.
 
Don't forget that CPM 154 is a step above 154CM !
2009 ? I'm caught in another Time Warp !!!
 
I like both 440C and 154CM quite a bit. If you have a good HT, you would probably like both. Great steels
 
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