Columbia River Knives
BLADE STEEL FACTS
We select blade steels to achieve a balance of properties
based on the anticipated use of the knife.
Steel is an alloy of iron, other metals and carbon.
Stainless steel is a generic term for a family of corrosion-resistant
alloy steels which contain 10.5% or more chromium. “Stainless”
does not mean that these alloys will never stain or
corrode, but that they “stain less” than steels
which do not contain chromium.
Each alloy imparts different properties to the stainless
steel. The chart at the bottom of the page shows in
detail what each alloy element contributes.
All CRKT blades are either stamped, fine blanked, or
laser cut from one of the high carbon stainless steels
below. In selecting the appropriate steel, we look at
the performance requirements of the blade, the knife
price range, and our manufacturing and finishing methods.
There are trade-offs. While higher levels of carbon
and final hardness levels keep an edge longer, they
also make it more difficult to field-sharpen a blade.
Some premium alloys are low in nickel, and will stain
if not kept clean and occasionally oiled after use.
Consequently, we now feature AUS 118 as our premium
alloy, which is equal in characteristics to ATS 34,
but offers the added benefit of increased corrosion
resistance due to higher chromium content.
Consider these examples: A mechanic who gives his CRKT
M16 Zytel hard daily use, in contact with all types
of solvents and moisture, will benefit from the durability,
stain resistance and ease of sharpening found in AUS
6M steel. In contrast, the buyer of a CRKT M16 Carbon
Fibre expects a premium steel, such as AUS 118, with
its exceptional combination of hardness and stain resistance.
Each steel has the right properties for the application.
The blade steel and hardness range of each CRKT knife
are now included with its catalog specifications to
make the information easier to locate.
Stainless Steel Alloy Specification
|
|
AUS
6M |
|
Z60CDV14
|
|
AUS 8 |
|
AUS 118
|
| Carbon
% |
|
0.55 to 0.65 |
|
0.60 to 0.65 |
|
0.70 to 0.75 |
|
0.90 to 0.95 |
| Chromium
% |
|
13.00 to 14.50 |
|
14.00 |
|
13.00 to 14.50 |
|
17.00 to 18.00 |
| Manganese
% |
|
1.00 |
|
0.45 |
|
0.50 |
|
0.50 |
| Molybdenum
% |
|
0.10 to 0.30 |
|
0.55 to 0.60 |
|
0.10 to 0.30 |
|
1.30 to 1.50 |
| Nickel
% |
|
0.49 |
|
0.15 |
|
0.49 |
|
-- |
| Phosphorous
% |
|
0.04 |
|
0.02 |
|
0.04 |
|
0.04 |
| Silicon
% |
|
1.00 |
|
0.35 |
|
1.00 |
|
0.50 |
| Suphur
% |
|
0.03 |
|
0.01 |
|
0.03 |
|
0.03 |
| Vanadium
% |
|
0.10 to 0.30 |
|
0.15 to 0.20 |
|
0.10 to 0.25 |
|
0.10 to 0.25 |
| Hardness
HRC |
|
55 to 57 |
|
55 to 57 |
|
57 to 58 |
|
59 to 60 |
And remember, if you don't see what you are looking
for email us at
customerservice@dragonflyproducts.com.
Thank you for visiting www.DragonflyProducts.com |
