Niobium!!.......S35VN reveals it's secret ingredient

Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
3,154
Well fellas, you might as well melt your BG42 Regulars down for scrap metal ;).......after doing a little research, it's "Niobium or Nothing" for this guy. :D

Niobium. This element is the major difference between S30V and S35VN. It turns out that there is a lot to learn about Niobium and it's effect on stainless steel.


If you can ignore that required "mad scientist" get-up, this guys presents some very interesting history, but the important info is at 3:00 where the effect of Niobium on strengthening the steel crystal matrix is discussed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ciPAsVTq6c

And this Niobium steel strength test is interesting. Not quite one of those goofy rope-cut tests, but an interesting display of what is achieved by adding Niobium to steel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYZaBuF-ejA

And if you are truly bored (talks a bit about how Niobium increases corrosion resistance and toughness):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbktdDVO-RM

There you go..........
 
Ok Cody you need to come clean! That is you playing the nutty professor isn't it? You can't fool me, good try.........................you come up with some of the best post. Thanks. I will not melt my BG 42 no matter what you say! :)
 
Last edited:
I knew Niobium was in there, but did not know its properties. Thanks for the info, will have to read up on it.

I personally still like S30V the best, but S35VN is growing on me as I use it more.
 
For the end user it's all about the carbides in a steel alloys like that, Niobium (formely known as "Columbium" as well IIRC) does some cool things though. It "slows" the crystaline formation in the steel and helps with refining the grain structure, basically helping to make the steel alloy thougher amongst other things. It's actually used in a number of steel alloys and "superalloys" for a number of applications...... it even sounds cool. :p
 
I find it fascinating how a small amount of an element can change the property of steel so much! Thanks for posting the videos.
 
Nice thanks for the vids, Kid Congo!

Fwiw, the titanium I've been messing with is beta alloyed with 10% niobium. It has many wonderful effects on the titanium as an alloying element.
 
If it has been used in stainless steel for 80 years, I'd like to know if there is Niobium in any of the other "stainless " steels like SV30? Or if it is in CRK parlance strictly only in SV35?
 
Cool post Cody! This was fun to read and I enjoyed the videos as well. I always thought Niobium was an interesting component in S35VN but this definitely cleared up some questions for me.
 
If it has been used in stainless steel for 80 years, I'd like to know if there is Niobium in any of the other "stainless " steels like SV30? Or if it is in CRK parlance strictly only in SV35?

S30V has no Niobium. In general, S35VN is S30V with Niobium added (The "5N" in S35VN is for .5% Niobium). What other cutlery steels contain this element is not something I know off hand. Crucible has a good website that breaks down the content of the steels they make here:

http://www.crucible.com/Products.aspx?c=DoList

with data sheets like this:

http://www.crucible.com/PDFs%5CDataSheets2010%5CdsS35VNrev12010.pdf
 
I might be challenged but I can't find/feel much of a difference in my everyday use between the two. Elmax feels really similar to me as well whether in use or sharpening.
 
Niobium has been used for years to make Carpenter 20, a 320 series stainless that is used to construct the chambers in which Sulphuric acid is made. It is added at the 1% level to the stainless to prevent interstitial corrosion along the grain boundaries.
It is present in CPM S-110-V at the 3.5% level and forms a harder carbide than Vanadium carbide, which isn't too shabby at 82 HRC.
 
Thanks for sharing this info! I am always looking to understand why certain elements make a difference in the final product.
 
Back
Top