N690 steel?

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zinn1348

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Aug 5, 2003
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Has anyone determined if the N690 steel offered in the Benchmade red label knives is the same as the N690 Cobalt steel offered in the Extrema Ratio knives?

I have read that the steel is similar to or the same as 440c and am curious as to what others have experienced with either or both steel examples.

I recently purchased a Benchmade red label in plain edge, and preliminary opinions on my part are highly favorable.

Thomas
 
I think someone posted that it is, I would think so, otherwise why use the same designation? :) I'd like to hear how it does in the Benchmade knives. I have an Extrema Ratio Nemesis, and the thickness of the blade will distort my perceptions of the ability of the metal itself. Also, I haven't used it for anything at all stressful, but even the thick blade slices nicely.
 
When TK covered the ER knives they compared N690 to AUS8. I'd like to see a breakdown of alloys used to know for sure.
 
I went to A.G.Russell's Steel Guide and compared it to Extrema Ratio's BLADE STEEL (see "CLICK HERE FOR STEEL ANALYSIS at the bottom of the page) unfortunately not yet on A.G.'s list.

You can see for yourselves, this is a complicated business and I have no confidence in my ability to interpret the results. We need one of our many metallurgists to chime in. The closest match to N690 I found was VG-10.

element N690 -- VG-10 -- AUS-8

C ..... 1.07 -- 0.95 - 1.05 --0.70 - 0.75
Cr .... 17.00 --14.50 -15.50 -- 13.00 - 14.50
Co .... 1.50 -- 1.30 - 1.50
Mn .... 0.40 -- 0.50 ... ... --0.50
Mo .... 1.10 -- 0.90 - 1.20 -- 0.10 - 0.30
Si .... 0.40
V ..... 0.10 -- 0.10 - 0.30 --0.10 - 0.26
 
Esav, thanks for the link. I scrolled to the bottom to look at Extrema Ratio's steel analysis chart and as you pointed out, VG-10 does appear to be the closest match. It's interesting that Benchmade states it's comparable to 440C in performance. Benchmade's site defines N690 as: "An Austrian made stainless steel, which is comparable to 440C in performance and value. Keen edge qualities with excellent corrosion resistance."

I just received Benchmade's 2004 catalogue and on page 41 there's a steel chart which compares the common blade steels. According to the chart in Benchmade's catalogue N690 has 1.07 Carbon, 0.40 Chromium, 1.50 Cobalt, 0.40 Manganese, 1.10 Molybdenum, 0.40 Silicon, 0.10 Vanadium. You'll note however, that the chart in Extrema Ratio's site says N690 has 17.00 Chromium, but Benchmade's chart states only 0.40 Chromium for N690, however, I read on the Benchmade Forum that this was an error so it's the same as the N690 that ER uses.

I recently bought a Benchmade Monochrome with N690 steel, and aside from opening two small packages, I haven't used it that much to really give an opinion on how it holds an edge. It's a nice little framelock folder only I wish it had a satin finished blade and were slightly bigger. You can check out the Steirer Eisen site and see some of Armin Stuetz's folders and fixed blades.
 
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