Stainless alloys according to toughness?

G

gomipile

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Apr 17, 2010
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We usually rank stainless according to edge taking, edge holding, corrosion resistance, etc. I haven't seen a ranking according to springiness, resistance to cracking, spine whack shock, and general toughness in recent memory, though.

So, which(stainless) steels would you go to for a knife that needs to be stainless(for whatever reason) and also needs to survive a long period of hard use batoning, chopping, prying, may risk being dropped repeatedly, or what have you?

Edit: of course chip resistance is a factor as well, especially chip resistance in winter temperatures down to possibly forty below.
 
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I'd probably go with Bohler's third generation powdered stainless steels, specifically Elmax. I've heard that their PM process does a great deal in aiding toughness. IIRC, one knife maker bent a blade 90 degrees without breaking it.

Here's the post:
Chuck Bybee said:
No one will know the answer to this question until Uddeholm releases Vanax 35.

The billets I had were from a prototype run using first generation particle metallurgy process. The production steel will use the third generation process which produces a very fine powder. In other words the steel granule size will go from granulated sugar to flour. The finer granules result in a tougher steel. The tiny granule size is one of the reasons Elmax is so tough.

I've been told of two Elmax experiences by knifemakers that demonstrate its toughness.

1) Elmax was heat treated to a finished HRC of 61. When used for chopping the steel would not chip. There was some plastic deformation but no chipping.

2) A knifemaker noticed his blade was bent after heat treating was complete and the blade was cool. He put the blade in straightening dies and bent the blade to almost 90° and the blade did not break.

In my opinion, Elmax is the toughest stainless blade steel available. It may become the CPM 3V of stainless steels.
Click to expand...

Next would probably be S35VN. Not sure where CTS-XHP stands, but Rick Hinderer uses it in his XM-18, so I would like to think it's up there as well.
 
Tempering is going to make the real difference here as a good Heat Treater can really temper a steel to do pretty much anything they want if they work with it enough.
 
How do the more common stainless steels rank then? From AUS6 and 8CR13MOV through 14C28N to S30V, say?
 
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