SAK Steel

[Rigson]

Hi folks
Does anyone know what the blade steel of the SAK is made from? I know it is stainless steel, but what kind?

Cheers!

 

[refnulf]

http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1986_July_August/The_Care_and_Feeding_of_the_Swiss_Army_Knife

There's something about the steel there, not much info though

 

[Chris "Anagarika"]

Try this: http://www.victorinox.ch/newsite/downloads/medien_e.pdf
There's info on the blade material, hardness, etc.

 

[Bartleby]

This is one of the great unknowns. The only info I've come across is that Victorinox imports the stuff from France or Germany, beyond that I've just heard speculation.

 

[Rigson]

Thanks for the replies! Very interesting...

Here's a selection from the pdf that Chris provided:

A special blade steel is used for both cutting
blades, made of stainless chromium
and molybden-alloys. After hardening at
1,040 degrees and tempering at 160 degrees,
the blades have a hardness of RC
56 (RC = Rockwell C, unit of hardness).
The wood saws, scissors and nailfiles have
a hardness of RC 53, the screwdrivers, tinopeners
and reamers RC 52, and the
corkscrews and springs RC 49.
The metal saw and file is case-hardened
and hard chrome-plated, so that even iron
and steel can be sawn or filed.

Cheers!

 

[stevekt]

The correct answer is "Victorinox Switzerland Stainless Rostfrei". It says so right on the blade of my SAK.

 

[Rigson]

My Swiss ain't very good...
"Rostfrei", would that be "rust free"?

 

[FK]

Here is a link to a steel designation chart.

http://www.canit.se/~griffon/knives/text/steel-designations.html

Scroll down to INOX and it gives data on chemical composition and % content for Victorinox blade steel.

Regards,
FK