Question about Benchmade's "440C"

3Guardsmen

3Guardsmen

Joined
Mar 16, 2005
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I have noticed, for the past few years, that on Benchmade's steel charts (which have now been update to include new, Chinese steels), their "440C" shows as having a lot less Carbon than any other source I can find. Benchmade lists their "440C" as having "0.75 Carbon," which is confusing since all the other steel spec sheets show it as having somewhere between 0.95 and 1.20 Carbon:
http://http://www.benchmade.com/images/table_blade_steels.gif

For comparison:
http://http://spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/index.php?item=3

http://http://www.agrussell.com/knife_information/steel_guide/index.html

http://http://www.ebladestore.com/steel_chart.shtml

http://http://rusticforge.com/Knives/SteelChart.htm

http://http://www.knifeart.com/steelfaqbyjo.html

Does anybody know why this is?

Regards,
3G
 
BTSOOM
Typo by the Benchmade clerk who typed up the table??

Have you contacted Benchmade to ask?

Like you, I have always seen 440C defined as having 0.95% - 1.2%% C. Never heard anyone define it as less than 0.95%C.
 
I believe it's similar steel to Spyderco's Byrd steel. According to an old post a PRC poster explained that that's their premium steel there. I believe Benchmade is taking liberties with their chart, or a monkey wrote it. They know what real 440C is. If you have a PRC made piece with 440C, this is probably it. Just an uninformed opinion I might add. Joe
 
Could someone explain to me the pros and cons of 440C vs 440B vs 440A steel for different applications?

-Amanda
 
camel said:
Could someone explain to me the pros and cons of 440C vs 440B vs 440A steel for different applications?

-Amanda
Click to expand...

From http://www.cutleryscience.com/reviews/blade_materials.html#S_440A

440A (hardness 54-59): 440A is a stainless steel generally chosen for cutlery which needs high corrosion resistance. It has a higher corrosion resistance than 12C27M and much higher primary carbide fraction and corrosponding increase in wear resistance and decrease in edge stability.

440B (hardness 56-60): 440B has an increased hardness and carbide fraction than 440A and thus offers a higher wear resistance but lower edge stability. It also has a lower corrosion resistance and toughness. It can also be consider to be a high wear resistance upgrade to 12C27M with reduced edge stability and toughness.

440C (hardness 58-62): 440C has an increased hardness and carbide fraction than 440B and thus offers a higher wear resistance but lower edge stability. 440C can be considered to be a high wear upgrade to 12C27 where a high edge stability isn't desired. However for this purpose, other alloys are generally regarded as superior such as 154CM. Dendritic 440C is focused on extended slicing aggression and as very brittle due to the retained as cast carbides.

So in summary: every iteration is significantly harder than the last, but more prone to corrosion and more brittle.
 
The Mastiff said:
I believe it's similar steel to Spyderco's Byrd steel. According to an old post a PRC poster explained that that's their premium steel there. I believe Benchmade is taking liberties with their chart, or a monkey wrote it. They know what real 440C is. If you have a PRC made piece with 440C, this is probably it. Just an uninformed opinion I might add. Joe
Click to expand...

Joe,
That's kind of what I'm starting to think, especially since BM has made corrections (N690 had the Carbon reading for a while) to their chart over the last few years, but the "440C" has never been corrected.

Regards,
3G
 
I was deciding between the 440C or 154CM version of Benchmade's Model 530... I was thinking of going with the 440C.

What do you think?
Ryan
 
Most folks feel that 154CM is an upgrade from 440C. Myself included.
 
Does the 440C have any advantages? I'm just really not pleased with the 154CM on my BM 9130 auto-stryker.
 
FliGuyRyan said:
Does the 440C have any advantages? I'm just really not pleased with the 154CM on my BM 9130 auto-stryker.
Click to expand...

Possibly superior corrosion resistance. 440C has more chromium. BM has had a reputation for doing 440C well.

_________154CM_____440C
Carbon___1.05%___0.95 - 1.20
Chr_____14.00%___16.00-18.00
Moly_____4.00%_____0.75
Nickel______—________—
Van_______—_________—
Cobalt_____--________—

Might I ask what it is about the 154CM blade on your BM 9130 that you do not like?
 
Alright knarfeng, you've got the honesty out of me at last. I've been bitter at my 9130 for awhile now, but I think it is because of the geometry and not the actual steel. I have yet to discern between the two and honestly I don't really know what it is about the knife, but I'm not too fond of it anymore. Maybe it's just prejudice against my auto-stryker - it has become a very sad day indeed...

:(

Anyone happen to have a blade reprofiler/sharpener that is being giving away as charity? ;)

Thanks for the info knarfeng...
 
Fliguy, get a $25 DMT folding hone in coarse or extra coarse. You can grind away with it.

I have a BM32, small butterfly, in 440C and it's a great steel. I use it in the kitchen, field and edc. I've cut through fish spines, bones etc with no chipping or bending. It holds an edge good enough to cut tomatoes and shave fine hair. I find BM's 440C to be easier to sharpen, more corrosion resistant and less prone to chipping than their ATS34. The ATS34 will hold the edge a little bit longer, but then I'm a knife nut so I sharpen long before it's needed anyway.
 
3Guardsmen,

Sorry for hijacking your thread... I didn't mean it to come to this...

Though, brownshoe, I will go with the 440C just because I don't have a knife in that yet... if I don't like it, I'll sell it or give it away and get the 154CM version.

Thanks...
Ryan
 
FliGuyRyan said:
Does the 440C have any advantages? I'm just really not pleased with the 154CM on my BM 9130 auto-stryker.
Click to expand...


Out of curiosity, what are the things you don't you like about the 154CM?

My first three Benchmades and two Microtechs were ATS-34 and 154CM (pretty much identical steel, AFAIK), and I've been happy with them, although I'm now trying D2 in blades that will see EDC use (BM 710 and Queen slipjoints). My AFCK is 154CM and has probably seen more years of EDC use than any other knife I own.

I have a Microtech Mini-UDT in 440C. It is a small knife that sees some light use, so I can't really compare it to the other blade steels, but I like it.

I have a few knives in VG-10 and S30V. I've used the VG-10 a bit; not so much with the S30V blade, so I don't really have an opinion on them yet. I've never had a complaint with the 154CM blades, but I'm definitely interested in others' experiences.

(I use the Spyderco Sharpmaker and some diamond stones for sharpening and don't consider any of the above steels to be troublesome to keep sharp.)

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I think 440C is less brittle than ATS34 or 154CM. Isn't that why it's used in balisongs which are more likely to be dropped on the floor? From experience, it doesn't take much to take off an ATS34 knife's tip.
 
I can never get my 154CM, ATS-34, or ATS-55 blades as sharp as I can get my other blades....H-1, S30V, VG-10, 440C, 440A, 420HC, BG-42, AUS8, AUS6, and whatever Victorinox uses.

I actually avoid 154CM and ATS-34 these days.
 
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