Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature1065°C(1949°F)
Soak Time20 minutes
Tempering
Temperature315°C(599°F)
Time120 minutes
Cycles2x
Quench Medium
air
Target Hardness
58 - 61 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness6.5/10
Edge Retention5.5/10
Corrosion Resistance7.5/10
Ease of Sharpening6/10
Overall Score25.5/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Introduced in 2009 as upgrade to S30V
- 20.5% Niobium addition gives 25% better toughness than S30V
- 3Developed again with Chris Reeve's input
Famous Uses
Chris Reeve Sebenza (current)
Benchmade knives
Zero Tolerance
Best For
Custom knife makers
Production knives requiring toughness
Chip-resistant applications
General purpose cutting
Custom knife making
Production knives
Similar Steels
Not Recommended For
- Budget projects
- Bladesmiths without PM steel experience
- Extremely rough work (3V is better)
Expert Tips
- 1More resistant to chipping than S30V
- 2Slightly lower abrasive wear resistance than predecessor
- 3Better toughness than S30V
- 4For abrasive-focused S30V may be better
- 5Popular with high-end custom makers