Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature829°C(1524°F)
Soak Time15 minutes
Tempering
Temperature204°C(399°F)
Time60 minutes
Cycles2x
Quench Medium
oil
Target Hardness
58 - 60 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness9/10
Edge Retention2/10
Corrosion Resistance1/10
Ease of Sharpening9/10
Overall Score21/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Originally used in automotive leaf springs
- 2Popular steel on 'Forged in Fire' TV show
- 3Traditional Nepalese kukris often use 5160 or similar spring steels
- 4Low alloy content makes it extremely forgiving for smiths
- 5Chrome addition gives slightly better corrosion resistance than 1084
Famous Uses
Kukris
Large choppers
Forged in Fire knives
Automotive leaf springs
Best For
Larger blades requiring toughness
Swords
Kukri knives
Forged blades
Large fixed blades
Kukris
Heavy-use chopping tools
Similar Steels
80CrV2
Similar composition, but 80CrV2 is harder
1084
Simpler composition, but less tough
6150
More vanadium, finer grain
L6
Even tougher, ideal for swords
Not Recommended For
- Thin kitchen knives (too tough)
- Razor sharpness (doesn't hold thin edge)
- Wet environments without maintenance
Expert Tips
- 1Performs well over wide hardness ranges
- 2Exceptional toughness when properly hardened
- 3Versatile hardness range
- 4Low 50s HRC for swords
- 5Near 60 HRC for knives
- 6Chromium improves hardenability