420 Stainless Steel Knife
Generally considered bottom end stainless steel 420 and 420j while stain resistant are soft and not very wear resistant.
420 stainless steel knife. Common in lower end knives this steel has about 38 carbon. The hc in 420hc stands for high carbon and can be brought to a greater hardness than the 420. You still don t want to stick a wet knife in the sheath and forget about it but with the gerber it should be able to withstand such for a considerably longer time than 1095 steel can. This stainless steel is commonly used in knife blades and offers good corrosion resistance at a low cost.
440 series has three types 440a 440b and 440c. The low carbon content means that it s very soft in comparison to most others and it doesn t hold an edge well. A hard strong blade steel. A european powder metal steel used in higher end knives elmax has an advanced formula and the result is a very good all around steel a generation ahead of formulations like 154cm.
This high chromium content provides it with its amazing stainless steel properties. 420a 420j1 and 420b 420j2 are economical highly corrosion resistant stainless steel grades. 420hc stainless steel holds a higher carbon intake than the 420. Unlike a high carbon blade 420 steel will not rust and corrode over time as quickly.
And in comparison with other low end stainless steel the 420hc comes in a good place so owning a 420hc knife would be a smart decision for the money. 440a and similar grades including 425m 420hc and 6a. 440a is a relatively a low cost highly corrosion resistant stainless steel. This grade of stainless can be tough and strong but loses its edge quickly.
Knife manufacturers use this material in budget knives also in diving knives due to its high resistance to corrosion. Not to mention 420 steel is a forgiving knife that won t rust and corrode like other knives. Because it can be sharpened to a very precise cutting edge and doesn t rust easily 420hc stainless steel is the preferred grade in the commercial knife making industry for. 420 420j stainless knife steel.
Decent edge holding capabilities and fairly easy to resharpen this steel is a good balance of the most desirable traits for knife steel.