Aeb-L stain resistance

JoeBusic

JoeBusic

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Jan 21, 2020
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Is it better than 420HC?
I had a mishap recently while anodizing Ti knives. Draft changed it course and some alkali vapor landed over... everything. So I could easily see what resists and how much. 1060 knives are braun orange and rust is set firmly. Tools are in need of a lengthy cleaning. :( D series have a dusty orange layer, D2 least, D6 moderate and D3 the most. Less than D6 but still visible, 420HC (throwing knives) had a dusty orange layer. What was intact to my surprise was a few blades from M398. I'm willing to pay more for a tough stainless if it's better than 420HC at stain resistance and can get it in 6mm minimum (1/4"). Aeb-L seems to fit. But couldn't find any info with numbers.
 
Too expensive for throwing knives. No need for edge retention. Toughness and stainlessness is the goal. And min 57HRC ability.
 
JoeBusic said:
I would really like that one. But it doesn't come thicker than 4mm.
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I think Nitro-V has about the same chemistry. I think it's available in more thicknesses... assuming there is actually some in stock. It does seem to have better availability in the US, overall, than 14c28n.

Unfortunately, I'm no help on the 420hc v. AEB-L in the stain resistance department.
 
I think I'll get samples from several steels and check it my self. Salt, acids and alkalis should test them very fast. :)
 
Thinking about LC200N (Bohler N360). Seems costly but buying directly is usually half the price or lower. Bohlers data against 420HC (N540)is reveling enough to make it a very interesting option.
Corrosion resistance
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Toughness
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JoeBusic said:
Thinking about LC200N (Bohler N360). Seems costly but buying directly is usually half the price or lower. Bohlers data against 420HC (N540)is reveling enough to make it a very interesting option.
Corrosion resistance
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Toughness
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LC200N is good stuff, just pricey. And the lower attainable hardness shouldn't be a problem for a throwing knife. Not sure if it's available in thicker steels.

Bohler n680 could be good for you, which is supposed to be much less expensive than LC200N for a very high stain resistant steel. I've only used bohler n680 in a benchmade H2O griptilian.
 
I think I'll contact Bohler directly. In the catalog max thickness is 12mm for knife steels. They have good pricing for small plates and are in driving range.
Data I've seen today suggests 420HC is not really on the high stainless side. It's mid range. Pricing related I could go 5€ more per knife without rising my prices.
Interesting how some damage can induce a need to fix things.:)
 
JoeBusic JoeBusic Throwing knives? 420. Not 420HC. 420 with .38% carbon will let you get up to 57-58 RC, and it has excellent corrosion resistance and toughness. And it probably costs a tenth what LC200N does.
 
scarysamcary said:
I love my AEB-L blades, but I think I remember David Mary David Mary saying that LC200N is an all around better steel.
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LC200N is practically rustproof. It is also outstandingly tough, tougher than many carbon steels. AEB-L is also outstandingly tough, marginally tougher than LC200N, in fact. It gets less tough as it is hardened higher, though, while edge retention takes a significant boost, without too much increase in sharpening difficulty. LC200N cannot be hardened beyond 60-61 or so. AEB-L can be hardened to 65 and possibly higher. So it's not a simple matter of "all around better" at all. I have stated in the past that LC200N is my favorite steel.
 
David Mary said:
JoeBusic JoeBusic Throwing knives? 420. Not 420HC. 420 with .38% carbon will let you get up to 57-58 RC, and it has excellent corrosion resistance and toughness. And it probably costs a tenth what LC200N does.
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I can get .22%C and .46%C ones and only the latter comes in thickness I want. Seems like I'll stick to 420HC and go for a finer surface to get more stain resistance. Will reserve LC200N for high end models.
 
Jantz, AKS and NJSB all have AEB-L in a variety of thickness, from 3mm to 6mm

Nitro-V, iirc, is NJSB exclusive, they also have many thicknesses.
 
PMQ said:
Jantz, AKS and NJSB all have AEB-L in a variety of thickness, from 3mm to 6mm

Nitro-V, iirc, is NJSB exclusive, they also have many thicknesses.
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Yes, that's the reason for the ask. I'm in EU so to pay additional costs in shipping and customs, there has to be certainty that the product is better. LC200N here costs less than in US so the gap is smaller in cost to Aeb-L but the product is better. Math wins in the end. Sum of all things will decide.
 
JoeBusic said:
Yes, that's the reason for the ask. I'm in EU so to pay additional costs in shipping and customs, there has to be certainty that the product is better. LC200N here costs less than in US so the gap is smaller in cost to Aeb-L but the product is better. Math wins in the end. Sum of all things will decide.
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I'm not in the US, I'm from Vietnam, the only steels I can buy locally are D2, 5160 and 8670. I have a relative living in the US, lets just say they have a way to send me stuffs that would cost much less than what a shipping company charge.
 
Nobody pointed to larins article on Knife steel nerds. My phone won't c/p the link but it should be easy enough to find via Google.

14c28n is readily available in EU and shows good results in larins article. Eurotechni has good prices on it and as well as on 1.4034 (420HC). Unless you are throwing your knives to kill flying fish and wash them in salt water after I don't see how the corrosion resistance should be a problem with any stainless steel.

Surface finish is a thing as well, in theory mirror finish will give you the best corrosion resistance.
 
FredyCro said:
14c28n is readily available in EU and shows good results in larins article. Eurotechni has good prices on it and as well as on 1.4034 (420HC). Unless you are throwing your knives to kill flying fish and wash them in salt water after I don't see how the corrosion resistance should be a problem with any stainless steel.
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14C28N max thickness is 4mm. 420HC at rough finish has the same resistance as D6 and D6 is bad. There is an issue with hardness. Harder is more resistant. So D6 @65HRC for a weird reason resists as 420HC @57HRC. That's why I am looking at steels that can go for 60HRC. Dipping knives in oil over winter is to be avoided. I want them clean in the spring just as when stored.
 
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