What Highly corrosion resistant blade steels are available?

G

GrenfellsBrutalForge

Joined
May 23, 2016
Messages
115
I was on the way back from swimming with my dogs today and I started to realize I've been leaving my carbon fixed blades home a lot lately. I don't want to have to deal with corrosion issues from water exposure.
I got to thinking about making myself something using a highly corrosion resistant steel for these occasions. The Japanese H1 immediately came to mind but after searching, it doesn't seem readily available. I saw it suggested that N680 would be a suitable alternative but I can't seem to find it either.
The only thing that's catching my eye right now is the Z-FiNit from AKS.
I'm looking for a steel that is highly corrosion resistant, fairly tough and has decent edge holding properties. I would prefer stock ~0.2" thick, 2" wide. I'm assuming I'll be making this by stock removal and sending it out for heat treat.
Also has to be available to be shipped to Canada.
Any suggestions are appreciated,
Thanks
 
H1 is supposedly among the most corrosion resistance, but I have read that it is not he ideal "high performance" blade steel. Any of the steels with nitrogen added like a couple that you have mentioned and say 14C28N would be good.
 
I think I'm leaning towards the Z-FiNit.
Anyone use this stuff and have any thoughts on it?
Can this steel be forged? Even to heat and bend it?
 
In the hardened state ABE-L is good as is CPM154CM and 154CM which you can get from Rob Ridley at Canadian Knife Maker Supply here in Canada. He and his wife are both top notch people in the knife supply business.
Frank
 
Frank,
canadian knife maker supply is the first place I checked. The AEB-L they have isn't in the thickness/ width I require. May settle for some 154 from them if I can't find what I'm looking for. The G10 for the handle on this one will be ordered there.
Thanks
 
I went through this exercise 2 years ago when I was choosing a steel for three knives I made to use on my fishing boat. I ended up with CPM154CM based on recommendations here. My boat sits in the super salty Long Island Sound where most of its "stainless" fixtures show rust at some point and it sits in the water 9 months out of the year with knives on board. The knives get pretty messy much of the time, and "once or twice" got stashed away wet and dirty. Still not a sign of rust or blemishes on any of them. Stay nice and sharp too. Worked for me!

Oh, FWIW I finished them to a mirror polish as I had heard it is harder for rust to get a foothold.
 
I have used Z-FiNit on a few knives and I'm here to tell you that it is almost impossible to make it rust. The H/T is fairly simple and straightforward but LN is a must. Edge retention and toughness are comparable to VG-10 so it makes a decent knife but nothing to brag about performance wise.
I made a knife for Surfingringo who is a member here and he uses in daily in salt water in Costa Rica and he says its the cats meow for use in and around salt water. He tested it alongside S90V and he said the S90V was speckled with rust in just a few days while the Z-FiNit was still spotless. Feel free to look him up and contact him.
Oh, I almost forgot, I have not done so but it can be forged. Chuck should be able to give you details on that.
 
will do chief. just a couple questions to help me help you: first, what do you mean by tough? are you gonna be beating it to death or just need it not to chip when using it against zip ties and stuff? second... will you be mostly in the freshwater up there or in the surf? if it's fresh water, you'll be fine... i spent 3 days fishing in your neck of the woods with a 3V fixed blade on my side and other than 2 grain of sand sized specks, i had absolutely nothing on them, and i never oiled it. just took it out of the sheath and dried it at the end of the day. if your only looking for enough for one knife to make, i have a bunch of stainless here on the shelf and i'll give it to you in the dimensions you need so you don't have to make a big purchase, then if you like it you can order more from Rob or whoever.

p.s. i did finally catch a salmon after 3 years of trying, lol.
 
Z-finit from Alpha knife supply. Love it.
 
Thanks for the offer Rusty. When I say tough, I mean I'd like to be able to chop wood with it if I need to. This blade will see mostly fresh water but as I sea kayak it will see a fair share of salt as well.
I've been in contact with alpha knife supply and I can get a piece of Z-FiNit the right size for me to make 1 full tang by stock removal shipped out to me at a good price.
I'm hopeing I can forge the stuff as stock removal is a pain for me with my equipment. I have a 4x 36 and a 1x30 sander but the few times I've done it I used an angle grinder and files. I don't have access to any kind of quality belts locally. The belts I can get for my 1x30 are dull after a few passes on steel and the 4x36 isn't really powerful enough for the job.
 
good luck with the Z-FiNit. Ben knows his stuff and if he likes it, you should be more than happy with it. post pics when ya finish.

cheers
 
Will do. May be a while before this gets finished. Have 3 in the works now at various stages. Really have to get going on a fourth which will be a trade on a post vice which I really need. With all that and work besides, it'll be sometime in September before this comes together.
Thanks for all the replies guys!
 
That what I read on he AKS site as far as what Brad at Peters had been getting out of the stuff. I am not sure that would be hard enough for me if I was making a hardcore saltwater fillet knife for a lazy man with lots of money, which is probably the only application I would use this stuff for. :D
Darrin Sanders said:
59 is about max., however I did get a couple of blades that were pretty close to 60.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top