Knife Steel Comparison Tool

Choosing between two blade steels? Compare how they hold an edge, resist chipping and handle moisture, then check the sharpening and care tradeoffs for your kind of cutting.

Interactive comparison requires JavaScript. Browse all 48 ratings in the table below.

All 48 Knife Steel Ratings

Interactive selection needs JavaScript. You can still browse every published rating below, or read a steel profile or guide summary.

Ratings by Dr. Larrin Thomas, Knife Steel Nerds. Compare each property separately.
Steel	Edge retention	Toughness	Corrosion resistance
1.4116	2.5	2.5	8
1095	1.5	4.5	0
14C28N	3	9	8.5
154CM	4.5	3.5	7
420HC	2.5	9	8
440A	3.5	3.5	8.5
440C	4.5	3.5	7.5
5160	1.5	9.5	0.5
52100	2	8.5	0.5
80CrV2	1.5	8	0
8Cr13MoV	3	6	7
A2	2.5	6.5	3
AEB-L	3	9	7
AUS-8	3	6	7
Böhler K390 Microclean	7.5	6	4
Böhler M390	6.5	3.5	9
Böhler M398	9	2.5	8
Böhler N690	4.5	3.5	8
CPM 10V	8.5	5	4
CPM 154	4.5	5	7
CPM 15V	10	3.5	4
CPM 20CV	6.5	3.5	9
CPM 3V	4.5	9	5.5
CPM 4V	5	7	4
CPM CRU-WEAR	5	8	5.5
CPM M4	6	6.5	4
CPM MagnaCut	5	7	9.5
CPM REX 121	12	1	3.5
CPM S110V	8	3	9
CPM S30V	6	4	7.5
CPM S35VN	5	5	7.5
CPM S45VN	5.5	4	8
CPM S60V	7	3.5	7
CPM S90V	9	3.5	7.5
CTS 204P	6.5	3.5	9
CTS BD1N	3.5	3.5	8.5
CTS XHP	5.5	5	6.5
D2	5	3.5	4.5
Elmax	5.5	4	8
LC200N	3	8.5	10
Micro-Melt Maxamet	11	2	4.5
Nitro-V	3	7.5	7
O1	2	4.5	0.5
Super Gold 2	5	4	7.5
Vanax SuperClean	5.5	5	10
VG-10	4.5	4	7.5
ZDP-189	8	2	5
MagnaMax	7.5	6	9.5

Sources and Update Notes

Performance Ratings and Research

MagnaMax development and testing; numerical ratings supplied by Dr. Thomas in his October 9, 2026 feedback.

The three performance ratings are reproduced with permission from Dr. Larrin Thomas of Knife Steel Nerds. These are his research-based property ratings, not new KnifeInformer test results.

The original collection was checked against the published tables. On October 9, 2026, we incorporated Dr. Thomas’s direct corrections: MagnaMax 7.5 / 6 / 9.5 and K390 toughness 6. His written feedback also supplied Erasteel MagnaCut toughness 8.5; the tool continues to display original Crucible MagnaCut at 7. He also confirmed that the SG2 and Nitro-V ratings follow his testing. Shared source rows remain identified with the results.

The source framework generally runs from 0 to 10, with some edge-retention ratings above 10. Zero is a rating, not missing data. Half-point differences are described cautiously as an editorial choice, not a statistical significance test. Compare properties separately; do not average the numbers.

For background, read the controlled edge-retention research and the guide’s rating methods and limitations.

Material Specifications and Sharpening Guidance

Composition comes from the linked producer and supplier references. Values may be typical specifications, ranges or maximums. Missing values are not zero. Exact material sources appear in the selected comparison.

Sharpening guidance and the practical explanations are KnifeInformer editorial interpretations, not an additional measured rating. Other linked research was last checked September 24, 2026; source-page and rating-table URLs were checked October 4, 2026.

Editorial Method and Update Notes

This tool compares materials, rather than testing two finished knives. KnifeInformer did not perform new physical testing for it. Research and drafting used AI assistance; claims and recommendations were checked against the linked sources. Permission to reproduce Dr. Thomas’s ratings does not imply his approval of the tool.

For broader context, visit the knife steel guide or steel directory A–Z. Suggest a correction with the steel name, claim and source. About KnifeInformer.