Stainless to go to 63+ HRC

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gadgetguy9000

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Jan 10, 2009
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Hello Guys,

I know that people have taken steels like AEB-L into this territory, but the approaches seem proprietary and closely-held. ZDP is not available here and I am hoping to find an alternative. This is for kitchen use, so it doesn't need a lot of toughening additives.

Any thoughts (other than "why would you want to go that hard")?

John
 
My research shows Cowry-X is essentially equivelent to ZDP-189 in both composition and performance, but I haven't worked with it at all.
 
Supposedly hardens up to 68 HRC, though I imagine without laminating would be pretty brittle? Still, I want to try some!
 
A local shop-owner/designer designed a "honyaki" ZDP Gyuto @ 65+ - he says it is just amazing and he is using it in a pro kitchen environment.
 
There are many good steels that will be at or above HRC 63 as quenched. They are usually tempered back below HRC 63 to reduce chipping issues. But in a kitchen knife that will be for a dedicated use and never touch anything hard like bones, I think HRC 63 would probably be OK. AEB-L is an excellent steel for kitchen use.
 
M390 can be hardened to Rc 62 and mirror polished. You can get it from Alpha Knife Supply in Kent, WA.
 
As well as M390, Elmax is another steel you can take to 63- 64 and find very reliable unless you want to go chopping stuff. Frank
 
i took cpm154 to 63 rc no problems and im now working with car-tec and there XHP and working on max usable hardness (right now im at about 62 )

most of the PM steels can go a point or 2 higher then the std. grades in hardness but still have good toughness
another steel i want to play with is carpanter steels update/mod of the classic BG42 (its PM and has a little bit of alloy changes i have tested jsut one blade inn it so far tho )
 
3rd generation PM is no joke. Elmax and S30 are somewhat close in chemistry...and worlds apart in performance.
 
Why no mention of s90V? Do any of you have experience with S90V in the Rc62-64 range?
 
to have s90v at that kind of hardness, you would be looking at doing a hardening cycle and no temper... the target hardness of s90v is under 60. To try and have a blade untempered would be an epic failure.

Personally I'm not impressed with s90v... IMHO. I know lots of people love it. Elmax all the way.
 
TheSlacker said:
to have s90v at that kind of hardness, you would be looking at doing a hardening cycle and no temper... the target hardness of s90v is under 60. To try and have a blade untempered would be an epic failure.

Personally I'm not impressed with s90v... IMHO. I know lots of people love it. Elmax all the way.
Click to expand...
Thank you for explaining that, I learned something today.
 
i have a folder in cpmS125v (thanks phil ) and ran it to the 63-64 range and that was the spec for it it has crazy edge holding but will not suport thin edges. kelly loves it and never worries about sharpening it ever (was shocked by how well it dressed deer and split the ribcage )
 
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