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S45VN is a stainless powder steel for a pocket knife that sees regular slicing and occasional wet use. It has slightly higher abrasive edge-retention and corrosion ratings than S35VN, with a lower toughness rating. The differences are worth understanding, but they are not a reason to overlook the design of the knife itself.
What Is CPM S45VN?
CPM S45VN is a powder metallurgy stainless steel developed to build on S35VN's balance of properties. Its specification includes more chromium, along with niobium and nitrogen. The goal was to improve wear and corrosion resistance; that does not mean every property increased together.
Our S35VN profile takes a closer look at its toughness and care.
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 S45VN |
|---|---|
| Abrasive edge retention | |
| Toughness | |
| Corrosion resistance |
Heat treatment, hardness and geometry affect actual knives.
Explore CPM S45VN’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 S45VN
- Abrasive edge retention
- 5.5
- Toughness
- 4
- Corrosion resistance
- 8
Same position; corrosion ratings may differ:
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 S45VN’s ratings are shown above. Enable JavaScript to select another steel, or browse the full ratings table.
How Long Does S45VN Hold an Edge?
S45VN's abrasive edge-retention rating is 5.5, between S35VN at 5 and S30V at 6. That places it in a useful range for ordinary pocket-knife slicing. A half-point difference is modest, so it is better treated as context than as a prediction of noticeably longer cutting life.
The edge angle, thickness behind the edge and heat treatment help determine what you get from the steel. Two knives in S45VN can feel quite different cutting the same material.
Toughness and Edge Care
S45VN scores 4 for toughness, compared with S35VN's 5. If avoiding chips is your main priority, the newer grade is not automatically the better option. Choose an edge suited to the work and keep cutting loads controlled, particularly with thin blades.
Corrosion Resistance and Sharpening
Its corrosion-resistance rating of 8 is a small step above S35VN's 7.5. That is useful for a knife carried around moisture, but it does not remove the need to clean and dry it. Salt and food residue deserve attention on the blade and around the pivot.
Diamond or cubic boron nitride (CBN) abrasives are useful options for sharpening S45VN. Start coarse enough for the amount of metal you need to remove, then refine the edge. For routine maintenance, keeping the existing bevel is generally a smaller job than changing its angle.
Choosing an S45VN Knife
For a new purchase, compare the handle, blade shape, carry size and maker support before using S45VN as a tie-breaker. If you are choosing between S35VN and S45VN versions of a model, check whether anything else changed. Their small rating differences rarely justify treating one as an automatic upgrade for every reader. For the wider range of options, see our knife steel guide.
Composition
Our steel composition guide explains what the elements do and how to read these values.
CPM S45VN: Selected nominal/typical values, mass %; not a batch certificate or complete analysis. Niagara Specialty Metals: CPM S45VN.
| Element | CPM S45VN |
|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 1.48% |
| Chromium (Cr) | 16% |
| Vanadium (V) | 3% |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 2% |
| Niobium (Nb) | 0.5% |
| Nitrogen (N) | 0.15% |
