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CPM S60V is a stainless powder steel with a wear-focused balance, also known by its former name CPM 440V. If you are reading about an older knife, that naming history is worth knowing. Its useful abrasive edge retention comes with modest toughness, so it still deserves to be judged by the cutting you want to do.
Is S60V the Same as CPM 440V?
CPM S60V was developed by Crucible and originally sold as CPM 440V. It is not 440C, and the similar names should not be used to swap ratings or composition data. S60V is a powder metallurgy stainless grade with substantial vanadium added for wear resistance.
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 | CPM S60V |
|---|---|
| Abrasive edge retention | |
| Toughness | |
| Corrosion resistance |
Heat treatment, hardness and geometry affect actual knives.
Explore CPM S60V’s Tradeoffs
Choose a steel above to highlight its position and see all three exact ratings below. The full map fits your screen.
Stainless
CPM S60V
- Abrasive edge retention
- 7
- Toughness
- 3.5
- Corrosion resistance
- 7
All 48 rated materials. Numbers group steels at identical coordinates; colors describe stainless classification, not corrosion scores. Neither direction means a universally better knife.
CPM S60V’s ratings are shown above. Enable JavaScript to select another steel, or browse the full ratings table.
How Does S60V Hold an Edge?
S60V scores 7 for abrasive edge retention, above S30V's 6 in this framework. It has a useful place in wear-focused cutting even though newer alloys receive more attention. The age of the designation does not tell you how well a particular knife will cut.
The S30V profile gives you a useful comparison, with less abrasive edge retention and more corrosion resistance.
Toughness and Edge Condition
Its toughness rating is 3.5. That is the counterpoint to its wear resistance: an edge can resist abrasion while remaining less tolerant of fracture than a tougher grade. If evaluating a used knife, inspect the edge and any repair work rather than assuming the alloy rating describes its current condition.
Sharpening and Corrosion Care
Diamond or cubic boron nitride (CBN) abrasives are useful options for sharpening S60V. Match the existing bevel if it suits your use; repairing damage or restoring a heavily altered edge may need a coarser starting grit. Remove the burr before judging whether more grinding is needed.
S60V has a corrosion-resistance rating of 7. Stainless care still means cleaning off residue and drying the knife after wet use. Check other components on an older knife as well, since their materials and condition can differ from the blade.
Is an S60V Knife Still Worth Considering?
An S60V knife can be worth considering if the design and condition suit you. For a used example, look at edge damage, sharpening history and the rest of the knife before focusing on the steel. A sound example can remain useful without needing the latest steel designation. Our knife steel guide helps compare the alternatives.
Composition
Our steel composition guide explains what the elements do and how to read these values.
CPM S60V: supplier typical; selected reported elements, not an assay of a finished knife. Niagara Specialty Metals: CPM S60V data sheet.
| Element | CPM S60V |
|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 2.15% |
| Chromium (Cr) | 17% |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 0.4% |
| Vanadium (V) | 5.5% |
