3Cr13, 5Cr15, 8Cr13 or 9Cr18, which blade material is suitable？
When you are selecting a knife, it is important to understand the material of the blade. The performance, durability, and usability of a knife largely depend on the materials used. We will introduce four blade materials: 3Cr13, 5Cr15, 8Cr16 and 9Cr18. And we will focus on their chemical composition, characteristics, and applications.
1. 3Cr13MoV: The Entry-Level Material
3Cr13 is very similar to 420B.
Chemical Composition:
- Carbon (C): 0.28%–0.35%
- Chromium (Cr): 12%–14%
- Manganese (Mn): ≤1%
- Silicon (Si): ≤0.8%
- Molybdenum (Mo): 0.5%–1%
- Phosphorus (P): ≤0.035%
Key Features:
Hardness and Wear Resistance: 3Cr13MoV material has low hardness (HRC is around 52-55), weak wear resistance and edge retention.
Corrosion Resistance: The 3Cr13 with Chromium can significantly improve the corrosion resistance, so that it is not easy to rust in daily use.
Toughness: high toughness, making it resistant to breakage under impact.
Applications:
Common in entry-level knives, decorative blades, and tools requiring high toughness but moderate hardness.
https://sboknife.com/products/3cr13mov-steel-folding-knife-fk10
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2. 5Cr15MoV: A Balance of Performance and Durability
5Cr15MoV is very similar to 420HC. They have roughly the same amount of carbon.
Chemical Composition:
- Carbon (C): ~0.5%
- Chromium (Cr): 14%–16%
- Manganese (Mn): ≤1%
- Silicon (Si): ≤1%
- Molybdenum (Mo): 0.45%–0.6%
- Phosphorus (P): ≤0.04%
Key Features:
Hardness & Wear Resistance: Higher hardness (HRC 55–57) and improved wear resistance compared to 3Cr13.
Corrosion Resistance: The 5Cr15 with Chromium can improve the corrosion resistance, which can keep its chemically stable in wet environments and reduce the risk of rusting.
Machinability: With its good machinability, 5Cr15 makes it easy to forge, harden and grind and is suitable for making tools of various shapes and sizes.
Applications:
Knife manufacturing: 5Cr15 is a commonly used material for mid- to high-end kitchen knives and outdoor knives due to its balanced properties, which can satisfy daily cutting needs as well as cope with a certain degree of harsh environments.
Other areas: In addition to knife manufacturing, 5Cr15 is also used to make a number of mechanical parts that require high hardness and wear resistance.
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3. 8Cr13MoV: The Mid-Tier Powerhouse
8Cr13MoV is close to the Japanese steel of AUS-8 grade.
Chemical Composition:
- Carbon (C): 0.75–0.85%
- Chromium (Cr): 12.8%–13.2%
- Manganese (Mn): ≤1%
- Silicon (Si): ≤1%
- Molybdenum (Mo): 0.6%–1%
- Phosphorus (P): ≤0.035%
Key Features:
Hardness and Wear Resistance: Superior hardness (HRC 58–60) and excellent wear resistance, ideal for precision tools.
Toughness: Despite its extreme hardness, 8Cr13 also exhibits excellent toughness and it is able to withstand large shock loads.
Corrosion Resistance: The 8Cr13 with high chromium can improve the corrosion resistance, which can keep its chemically stable in wet environments and reduce the risk of rusting.
Applications:
Knife manufacturing: 8Cr13 is mainly used to make high-end kitchen knives, scalpels, carving knives and other knives that require extremely high hardness and wear resistance.
Mold manufacturing: 8Cr13 is also used to make some high-precision and high-strength mold parts.
https://sboknife.com/products/8cr13mov-steel-claw-knife-ck01
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4. 9Cr18MoV: The High-End Performer
9Cr18MoV is closed to 440C, compared with 440C, the hardness and wear resistance are not as good as 440C, but the corrosion resistance is better than 440C.
Chemical Composition:
- Carbon (C): ~0.90%
- Chromium (Cr): 17.00–19.00%
- Manganese (Mn): ≤0.80%
- Silicon (Si): ≤0.80%
- Molybdenum (Mo): 0.75 –1.00%
- Phosphorus (P): ≤0.035%
Key Features:
Hardness and Wear Resistance: 9Cr18 has extremely high hardness (HRC is generally around 58-62, some of which can reach over 62) and wear resistance, making it one of the preferred materials for making top-quality cutting tools.
Corrosion Resistance: The 9Cr18 with high chromium can improve the corrosion resistance, which can keep material stable in wet environments and reduce the risk of rusting.
Retention: Excellent hardness retention allows the knives to remain sharp after long periods of use.
Applications:
Knife Manufacturing: 9Cr18 is widely used to make high-end kitchen knives, tactical knives, hunting knives and other knives that require extreme performance and durability.
Medical devices: 9Cr18 is also used to make some high-precision and high-strength medical device parts.
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Performance Ranking
Based on hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, the ranking from highest to lowest performance is:
9Cr18 > 8Cr16 > 5Cr15 > 3Cr13
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Which material is suitable for you? Here are some suggestions.
1. Affordable: 3Cr13 and 5Cr15 are affordable, versatile, and suitable for manufacturing conventional blades
2. Performance balance: 8Cr16 is an ideal choice for pursuing reliable and high-performance blades.
3. High quality: 9Cr18 has first-class sharpness, durability, and blade retention, it is the choice of professionals.
Whether you're a culinary enthusiast or an outdoor adventurer, understanding these materials will help you make an informed choice. Remember, the best blade isn’t always the hardest—it’s the one that suits your needs!
