Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature1090°C(1994°F)
Soak Time25 minutes
Tempering
Temperature200°C(392°F)
Time120 minutes
Cycles2x
Quench Medium
oil
Target Hardness
60 - 62 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness6/10
Edge Retention7/10
Corrosion Resistance8/10
Ease of Sharpening5/10
Overall Score26/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Bohler-Uddeholm PM stainless
- 2Similar to M390 but different carbide balance
- 3Popular 'super steel' of 2010s
Famous Uses
Benchmade
Zero Tolerance
Best For
Folding knives
Small fixed blade knives
High-performance cutting
Similar Steels
Not Recommended For
- Budget projects (expensive)
- Field sharpening (need diamonds)
- Heavy impacts (moderate toughness)
Expert Tips
- 1Production knives typically 60-61 HRC
- 2PM process improves carbide distribution
- 3Supports both coarse and polished edges