What is the deal with N690 steel?

ginshun

ginshun

Joined
Apr 6, 2004
Messages
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I see it used in the $35 Benchmade Monochrome, and also in the $250 Extrema Ratio Fulcrum.

This just seams odd to me.

Would you guys cosider N690 to be a premium steel? What are its strenghts and weaknesses?

Some of you steel experts need to give me the lowdown here.

Thanks.
 
Found this on BMs sight

N690- An Austrian made stainless steel, which is comparable to 440C in performance and value. Keen edge qualities with excellent corrosion resistance.
Click to expand...
 
Composition

AFAIK it is made only by Bohler so if you consider it advantage (compared to chinese and spanish 440Cs). Not bad but not a premium IMHO.
 
Austrian stainless is widely used here in Argentina, I have a couple of fixed blades made out of N690 and I'm quite happy with them. Edge retention is very good, and it seems to be quite tough (I pound the crap out of on of those knives on a regular basis), although I didn't do any torture tests it's held up to a few years of good use.
 
It is not really a "premium" steel, but it does a good job for most cutting. It holds a decent edge. I would compare it to VG10.

Steel Chart
 
I'ts like 440C plus cobalt. Many people think that VG-10 is such a good steel because of cobalt. Whether that's true or not I don't know, but I do know that Bohler is an excellent steel company.
 
Try a search.

N690's performance is generally considered to be somewhere between 440C and VG-10 and my own experiences back that up. So yes, it is a premium steel.
 
Daniel said:
It is not really a "premium" steel, but it does a good job for most cutting. It holds a decent edge. I would compare it to VG10.

Steel Chart
Click to expand...

VG-10 not really a premium steel?
Curious what you consider to be premium steels (other than non stainless).

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(not hijacking the thread, but if N690 compares to VG-10, is it premium?)
 
rifon2 said:
VG-10 not really a premium steel?
Curious what you consider to be premium steels (other than non stainless).

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(not hijacking the thread, but if N690 compares to VG-10, is it premium?)
Click to expand...

I guess I'm no longer a connoisseur. VG-10 is one of my favorite knife blade materials. No, I take that back. It is my favorite. When will I ever learn?
 
S30V, S90V, RWL34, CPM3V, CPM10V, ZDP189 I consider "premium" steel. I consider the price as the premium.

N690Co and VG10 are less expensive.

I am not saying that anything is wrong with them, but I think of the term premium as "special". They are both good steels and perform well for most cutting tasks.
 
You will find even wider extremes of prices for knives with 440C blades. You will find cruddy Chinese knockoffs and elegant customs made out of 440C. Done right 440C can be very good and takes a pretty polish. The N690 will be more consistent in quality since it comes from one source. I consider the inexpensive knives made with N690 to be an extremely great value.
 
Daniel said:
S30V, S90V, RWL34, CPM3V, CPM10V, ZDP189 I consider "premium" steel. I consider the price as the premium.
Click to expand...

If that's your sole criterion, you probably think that 420J2 is more of a premium steel than 52100...
 
Daniel said:
S30V, S90V, RWL34, CPM3V, CPM10V, ZDP189 I consider "premium" steel. I consider the price as the premium.

N690Co and VG10 are less expensive.

I am not saying that anything is wrong with them, but I think of the term premium as "special". They are both good steels and perform well for most cutting tasks.
Click to expand...

How do you know that? N690 is available in Europe, VG-10 is available in Japan. How do you go about comparing steel prices when they are compared in different countries with different currencies and not used in the same countries? Just curious.

I like S30V too but that's an American steel. You won't find it in Japan or Europe. Personally, I think VG-10 and S30V are close enough in terms of performance you would have a hard time telling them apart in use. I know I do. I would think of them as competitors not occupants of different levels in a "quality" matrix.
 
hardheart said:
I think the easier it is to sharpen, the less 'premium' it is ;)
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Why is that? You can heat treat many steels to a level at which they are harder and more difficult to sharpen but take on other unpleasant characteristics like brittleness. Some applications need toughness more than hardness. The more "premium" steel (whatever that means) may not be the best choice for the application. I wouldn't think ZDP189 would make a very good axe head, as an example. It would make a very expensive one, however, that is really difficult to sharpen.
 
You can consider VG10 and S30V the same, but I don't. You have your opinions and I have mine.:yawn:

Yes, the use is important. The heat treatment and hardening are also important. You go boy!
 
If you see enough of a difference in performance between the two to consider one a premium steel but not the other, may I politely suggest that you post some knife reviews? You sound like a very capable reviewer.
 
Quiet Storm said:
If that's your sole criterion, you probably think that 420J2 is more of a premium steel than 52100...
Click to expand...

It is one of the definations of the word which means simply "higher priced". Like all english words it has other definations, "exceptional quality/performance" is another. That, unqualified, is a fairly useless defination to apply to steel though. 420J2 for example is far tougher, more ductile, easier to grind/polish and has a higher corrosion resistance than S30V. You can define a more productive steel in a given knife if you know the tasks and the judgement criteria, just like leather is a more productive sheathing material for some conditions but Kydex is for others.

-Cliff
 
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