Surgical Steel?

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Originally posted by Gollnick
Rostfrei is German. It literally means "Rust Free" which is their way of saying Stainless Steel.
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But what if “Rustfrei” really is Swedish for "surgical steel"? :confused: ;) :)
 
Originally posted by Danbo
Now, the steel used in the Victorinox knives is a different situation altogether. No, it's not a super high tech, big dollar powder stainless. I think it is 440A.
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The Wengen And Victorinox Swiss's are 440c:).
 
No. Everyone knows that "Rustfrei-Bork-Bork-Bork," is Swedish for stainless steel.
:D
 
I've often wondered what type of stainless steel my butter knives and forks are made of. The stuff can sit around in water for monthes, sit in the drawer or rack wet and they never rust.

I have an old butter knife/ spreader that's been in our family a long time made by Ontario. It doesn't have a pit or stain on it and it's flexible like those titanium glasses that "autoflex". You can literally bend it over 2 inches either way and it returns to true. Kinda like spatula steel. I've been dying to know what kind of "stainless" it's made of for years.
 
Originally posted by PlaceKnives
I've often wondered what type of stainless steel my butter knives and forks are made of. The stuff can sit around in water for monthes, sit in the drawer or rack wet and they never rust.
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Stuff like that is usually 300 series Austenitic stainless, which is highly rust resistant, but not hardenable by heat treatment (although it can be work hardened). Unlike Hardenable Martensitic stainless, a magnet won’t stick to Austenitic steel.







- Frank
 
Sorry, neither Victorinox nor Wenger are using 440C. I have read several times that the Wenger is some kind of laminated stainless(composition unknown), and that Victorinox uses 440A.
 
It's like 'spring steel' any steel that is used for springs is by definition spring steel. So if a surgeon uses it it is surgical. Along with rostfrei there is inox ! In the old days much of surgical stuff wa s made of nickel silver.
 
On the Swiss's:

Danbo said: 440A

My info from the mid 80's: 440c

Frank K linked to a website that mention 425M

So I'm guessing they switch depending on what's cheap and handy.


On table cutlery, Frank K's right, it's usually 300 series, or 18 series. It's usually marked 18/8, 18/10, etc.... The first number is the % of Chromium, second number is the Nickel %.
 
The victronix website indcates the steel is high carbon A-grade steel hardened to ~56 Rockwell. In the FAQ they specifically don't state what steel. I would imagine that it'd probably have one of the german designations not a Japanese or US one.
 
Case makes great knives, some of the best. Case designed the mark 2 military knife, which we Lol know as the ka-bar. Case is a quality knife manufacturer.
 
Case makes great knives. Case, ka-bar, Ontario are all equally good companies. Case and Ontario offer great products for a good price. Company's like ka-bar charge you more for the same quality knife. Case actually designed the original mark 2 military knife in 1942, which we have all come to know as the ka-bar. Union cutlery (which later became "ka-bar razors" was just one of the 4 original manufacturers of the ka-bar during the war. With case, Ontario, or ka-bar you can rest assured you'll get a god quality knife. Case offers knives at a good price, but their knives can also get pretty expensive. I have an old case folder that cost 350$. Now the case xx USMC knife was made by Ontario. Case contracted Ontario to make their USMC Knife. Personally I think Ontario makes some of the best knives for the price. I mean, Ontario has been the sole contract holder and manufacturer of the u.s military for over 50 years. Most of the hype and stories you have heard about the USMC kabar are in reference to the Ontario 498. Case, Ontario, and ka-bar are all made here in the u.s, and have all been used by the military. But one thing I consider is the fact that, out of all the knife companies that have had contracts with our military, most were short lived and their contracts barely lasted the war, but every ka-bar issued by our military since the end of world war 2 has been an Ontario 498. So considering the extreme testing and standards of the military, the fact that Ontario has remained the soul Contractor of the u.s military for over half a century says alot about that quality ! I say this because case, ka-bar and Ontario are equally great knives , and some of cases knives are actually manufactured by ontario. So when buying any of the three you know your getting a great quality knife.
 
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Thanks for the good information. Not sure what all that has to do with "surgical steel" though...:confused:
 
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