Questions about 440C?

Just to add something to this topic, ESEE choose 440C to use for there up coming stainless steel line. If you look at what they do with 1095 I have no doubt there 440C will be the same. I dont think they would have used 440C if it wouldnt hold up enough for there warranty. I think 440C with a good HT is an awesome steel that can hang with any of the "super steels" in most catagories (edge retention not being one of them).
 
killgar said:
I'm no steel expert, but I don't know if I'd go so far as to say that changing a steel necessarily "improves" it.
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In the case of 440C < 154CM < CPM-154, there is a very clear and distinct progression in all areas of performance. It's not just the chemistry that was changed, but the entire manufacturing process.

440C and 154CM are good steels, and if one finds a knife they like made with either and using reputable HT, they should buy it. But if one is ordering custom there's no reason at all to step backwards from CPM-154.
 
great thread, and some really good postss. IMO if it is marked 440 then it is not - probably 3Cr13. 440c from China don't believe it! It would have to be imported and would really shoot the price sky hi. Folks importing knives from China marked 440 and 440C either don't know any better or are trying to fool you.
 
A. G. Russell said:
great thread, and some really good postss. IMO if it is marked 440 then it is not - probably 3Cr13. 440c from China don't believe it! It would have to be imported and would really shoot the price sky hi. Folks importing knives from China marked 440 and 440C either don't know any better or are trying to fool you.
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I was slow to catch on to this confusion. I always assumed that 440 meant 440A. Makers spending more to use 440C always made it a point to include that extra C to let us on to this fact. I couldn't understand how 440C could go from the reputation it earned decades ago to being sneered at as a low grade steel used in cheap knives (which it isn't). I had to read a bunch of threads bashing 440C before someone pointed out what was going on. I just assumed everyone knew about 440A, B, & C. I believe Crucible renamed their CPM420V & CPM440V due to these same confusions.

BTW, do you think the "Sandvik" steel folders from China are doing the same thing? I assumed it was BS but never ran across anyone better informed saying so.
 
There is Sandvic available in China and many other steels, I have bought 440C in Taiwan but I really think that it is rarely used in China. Easy to tell, any steel lab can do an analysis, try to get it done free if you can. Knowledge can be costly.
 
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