Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature793°C(1459°F)
Soak Time10 minutes
Tempering
Temperature190°C(374°F)
Time120 minutes
Cycles2x
Quench Medium
oil_fast
Target Hardness
60 - 64 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness8/10
Edge Retention2.5/10
Corrosion Resistance1/10
Ease of Sharpening9/10
Overall Score20.5/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Part of the legendary 1084/15N20 Damascus combination
- 2Popularized by 'Montana Mafia' smiths (Rick Dunkerley, Shane Taylor)
- 3Devin Thomas suggested this combo in 1995 for easy forge welding
Famous Uses
Damascus steel (with 15N20)
Forged knives
Best For
Budget-friendly blades
Pattern welding
Damascus steel layers
Traditional working knives
Budget fixed blades
Learning bladesmithing
Similar Steels
1095
Harder, holds edge better, but more difficult heat treatment
1075
Even tougher, even simpler — for complete beginners
80CrV2
Modern alternative with better hardenability
15N20
Often used together for damascus (bright layer)
Not Recommended For
- Knives for wet environments
- Kitchen knives (no corrosion resistance)
- Thin fillet blades (better to use tougher steel)
Expert Tips
- 1Carbon improves tensile strength and edge retention
- 2Requires regular maintenance
- 3Simple composition
- 4Easy to heat treat
- 5Good for beginners
- 6Moderate edge retention