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Maxamet is a non-stainless powder steel with very high abrasive edge retention and a low toughness rating. It is aimed at readers who want a long-lasting working edge for controlled slicing and accept the sharpening and rust-care demands that come with it. It is a specialized balance, rather than a universal upgrade for every knife.
What Is Micro-Melt Maxamet?
Micro-Melt Maxamet is Carpenter's powder metallurgy high-speed steel containing tungsten, cobalt and vanadium. It is steel, not a solid tungsten-carbide blade material. The composition snapshot here shows selected elements; Carpenter's source provides additional chemistry values.
Performance Ratings
For the science, we turn to Dr. Larrin Thomas of Knife Steel Nerds, who has kindly allowed us to share his ratings here.
| Property | Micro-Melt Maxamet |
|---|---|
| Abrasive edge retention | |
| Toughness | |
| Corrosion resistance |
Heat treatment, hardness and geometry affect actual knives.
Explore Micro-Melt Maxamet’s Tradeoffs
Choose a steel above to highlight its position and see all three exact ratings below. The full map fits your screen.
High-alloy steel
Micro-Melt Maxamet
- Abrasive edge retention
- 11
- Toughness
- 2
- Corrosion resistance
- 4.5
All 48 rated materials. Numbers group steels at identical coordinates; colors describe stainless classification, not corrosion scores. Neither direction means a universally better knife.
Micro-Melt Maxamet’s ratings are shown above. Enable JavaScript to select another steel, or browse the full ratings table.
How Much Edge Retention Does Maxamet Offer?
Maxamet scores 11 for abrasive edge retention in Thomas's framework. That number is intentional: the edge-retention scale is not capped at 10. It places Maxamet above CPM 15V at 10, though REX 121 is higher still.
Its wear resistance is most relevant to repeated abrasive slicing. That does not guarantee a set number of boxes or cuts before sharpening. The edge geometry, hardness and material being cut all remain part of the result.
Low Toughness Sets the Limits
Its toughness rating is 2. Maxamet deserves particular attention to the edge's support and the way it is used. Controlled cutting is a better fit than work that twists the edge or repeatedly strikes hard objects. If your main problem is chipping, a tougher steel is likely to address that need better than more wear resistance.
Our K390 profile covers a non-stainless alternative with more toughness and less abrasive edge retention.
Sharpening and Rust Care
Diamond or cubic boron nitride (CBN) abrasives are useful for sharpening Maxamet. Choose a grit that can handle the work, especially if a chip or major bevel change requires substantial metal removal. High wear resistance does not make it unsharpenable, but appropriate abrasives and a consistent angle help make the job practical.
Maxamet is not stainless and has a corrosion-resistance rating of 4.5. Clean and dry it promptly after wet use and use appropriate protection for storage. Choose a food-safe oil if the blade will contact food, and do not rely on a coating to protect the exposed edge.
Who Is Maxamet Best Suited To?
Maxamet suits someone with a clear preference for abrasive edge life, suitable sharpening equipment and cutting tasks that do not repeatedly damage the edge. For general use around moisture or uncertain cutting conditions, a tougher or more corrosion-resistant steel may be easier to live with. Choose around the cutting you plan to do and the care you are willing to give the blade. Our knife steel guide puts those tradeoffs side by side.
Composition
Our steel composition guide explains what the elements do and how to read these values.
Micro-Melt Maxamet: Carpenter nominal Micro-Melt Maxamet type analysis; selected defining elements. Carpenter Technology: Micro-Melt Maxamet.
| Element | Micro-Melt Maxamet |
|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 2.15% |
| Tungsten (W) | 13% |
| Cobalt (Co) | 10% |
| Vanadium (V) | 6% |
| Chromium (Cr) | 4.75% |
