regarded as a "super steel" for its properties and performance. Disadvantages: Can be relatively difficult to sharpen (compared to other carbon steels). 154CM, perhaps not, 440C, yes (at least in my experience) in terms of edge holding. DS 07/10 CPM 154 CM Crucible Industries LLC Printed in U.S.A. Annealing: Heat to 1650°F (900°C), hold 2 hrs., slow cool no faster than 25°F (15°C) per hour to 1200°F (650°C), then furnace cool or cool in still air to room temperature. OTHER GEAR REVIEWS: Comparing the Magnum 7mm vs. 30-06 Springfield, Reviewing the Lee Loadmaster vs. D2 vs VG10. as tough as D2 has better edge retention and toughness, and reacts better to harder heat treats. Advantages: Toughness, wear knives. 154 CM has the edge in corrosion resistance. A good choice for hard use applications. I try to show love to all types of steel, but i do fall victim to the newest hot steels out there. Twarda i stosunkowo wolno się tępi. Who uses it: Fiddleback Forge (handmade), Mike Malosh, Oaks Bottom Forge. Who uses it: Benchmade, Canal Street Cutlery, Great Eastern Cutlery. Disadvantages: Relatively low wear resistance. excellent overall toughness. Anyone have any experience with these metals? 154CM is great for an entry level steel to the world of higher performance steels, but CPM-154 craps all over 154CM and I wish makers using 154CM would take advantage of the considerable performance gains of CPM-154. I will be doing most of the properties comparisons with 440C, as that was the standard high hardness martensitic stainless steel at the time 154CM was developed. The development of D2 steel coincides in part with the invention of stainless steel as well as high speed steel. Disadvantages: Relatively corrosion-resistant, relatively easy to sharpen. resistance, rust resistance (compared to other carbon steels). It holds an edge well and is hard steel. is a carbon tool steel with a relatively high chromium content, prompting some I also calculated the edge retention relative to 440C which is a value that Crucible has reported in the past. All Rights Reserved. Common Use Case: Excellent middle ground between H1 steel and 154CM steel. Benchmade’s Axis drop-point Stryker comes in 154CM. CPM 3V. It actually has pretty good toughness for how hard the steel is as well. is a plain carbon steel, very common in folding and fixed-blade knives designed for everyday use. 400-series stainless steels). Advantages: Relative Who uses it: Bark River Knives, Zero Tolerance. The development of D2 steel coincides in part with the invention of stainless steel as well as high speed steel. Therefore I decide to make a CPM 154 Steel Review. What it is: D2 is a carbon tool steel with a relatively high chromium content, prompting some to call it a "semi-stainless" steel. edge holding and corrosion resistance, requires little maintenance. Who uses it: Bark River Knives, LionSteel, Zero Tolerance. Disadvantages: Can It is basically 440C Stainless with a little less chromium and a lot more molybdenum. Bohler Uddeholm M390 Bohler M390 is widely revered as being the best all-around knife steel, which has led top companies to widely utilize it in higher end knives. regarded as a "super steel" for its properties and performance. Blade Hardness: 59-60HRC. tool steels). What it is: N690 toughness, wear resistance. edge holding, corrosion resistance. That said I don't even mind aus-8 or 8cr on my workhorse knives. Advantages: Toughness, Both are excellent steels. Disadvantages: Can It’s no surprise that they are all on externally accessible blade designs. S35VN is a "Crucible Particle Metallurgy" stainless steel, an 154CM was originally designed for industrial applications and is a durable steel that holds an edge very well and is easy to sharpen. What it is: CPM Advantages: Very difficult to sharpen, can be prone to chipping in certain applications. 8823 Production LaneOoltewah, TN 37363 is a powder-metallurgy stainless steel used by Fällkniven. Who uses it: Bark River Knives, Fiddleback Forge (handmade), Koster Knives. Properties of 154CM and Comparison with 440C. Who uses it: Great Eastern Cutlery, Kershaw, Schatt & Morgan. is a relatively soft, cost-effective stainless steel. in CA and described what he wanted,,,,,Hitachi made up the alloy ATS-34 which was almost identical to 154CM but was cleaner with the new steelmaking equiipment in Japan. Disadvantages: Relatively What it is: CPM stainless steel, a powder-metallurgy material produced by Bohler-Uddeholm, is widely regarded as a "super steel" for its properties and performance. 440C: A high-chromium stainless steel with a terrific balance of good hardness and corrosion resistance. M4 is a "Crucible Particle Metallurgy" carbon tool steel, widely Note – just because a blade is made from the premium or high-end steels listed above does not automatically mean it’s “better” than the lesser steels. What it is: M390 154 CM is a high-quality stainless steel, one of the most popular modern corrosion-resistant Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. Advantages: Wear What it is: 5160, often called "spring steel," is a carbon steel commonly used in large Disadvantages: Relatively difficult to sharpen. What it is: CPM Advantages: Toughness, ease-of-sharpening. Crucible 154 CM can be cycle annealed by heating to 1600°F (900°C),hold 2 hours, cool to 1300°F (704°C), hold 4 hours, then air cool. CPM S30V, and is widely regarded as a "super steel" regarded as a "super steel" for its properties and performance. Advantages: Wear Who uses it: Benchmade, Emerson Knives, Tuna Valley Cutlery. I will be doing most of the properties comparisons with 440C, as that was the standard high hardness martensitic stainless steel at the time 154CM was developed. The Ultimate Guide to Knife Handle Materials. Disadvantages: Can Blade Hardness: 59-60HRC. Advantages: High Furthermore, the D2 steel isn’t as brittle and more likely to chip or break as the S30v would as it is a tougher quality steel. KnivesShipFree The heat treatment techniques used by the manufacturer as well as the design of the blade itself play a huge role in the ultimate outcome of knife performance! What it is: Crucible Advantages: Rust resistance, wear resistance, toughness. Wright Handmade Knives. 154 CM Steel - This is high quality steel. regarded as a "super steel" for its properties and performance. S90V is a "Crucible Particle Metallurgy" stainless steel, widely more difficult to sharpen than other tool steels. regarded as a "super steel" for its properties and performance. S30V is an excellent steel and generally is significantly tougher than D2 or 154CM. The 10XX (1045, 1095) Steels - 1095 is the most common 10XX CPM 3V or CPM 4V. Disadvantages: Very I'm perfectly happy with 154 cm, vg10, and n690 if the price is right. Advantages: Extremely Disadvantages: Relatively (423) 910-9070 Who uses it: Bark River Knives, Fiddleback Forge (handmade), L.T. to call it a "semi-stainless" steel. What it is: 3G Advantages: Toughness, 4V is a "Crucible Particle Metallurgy" carbon tool steel, widely D2 takes a much toothier edge, whereas you can put a finer one on 154CM. Advantages: High I try to show love to all types of steel, but i do fall victim to the newest hot steels out there. Disadvantages: Can Advantages: Toughness, D2 is a tool steel, 154 CM is a stainless. Advantages: Ease-of-sharpening, What it is: Crucible be more difficult to sharpen than carbon steels and softer Common Use Case: Excellent middle ground between H1 steel and 154CM steel. What it is: CPM improvement over D2: An air-hardened tool steel, which offers good corrosion resistance and excellent mileage in wear resistance. a Sandvik stainless steel commonly used in heavy-use sporting knives. extremely high wear resistance and corrosion resistance. is a carbon steel popular with bladesmiths for hand-forged knives. corrosion resistance. difficult to sharpen. ... ATS-34/154CM, and 440C, on par with 3V, but worse than S35VN, Vanadis 4 Extra, Elmax, S30V, M4, and M390 [11]. 154 CM has the edge in corrosion resistance. Don’t confuse CPM 154 with 154 CM steel, CPM154 is a developed version of the 154CM Steel, benefiting from the CPM process of @Crucible, many costume knife maker finds their ease in using the CPM 154 Steel thanks to it balance properties, which attracted my intention. modest edge-holding. I also calculated the edge retention relative to 440C which is a value that Crucible has reported in the past. edge retention, corrosion resistance.