Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Data not available
Tempering
Data not available
Quench Medium
Check manufacturer recommendations
Target Hardness
58 - 60 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness9/10
Edge Retention7/10
Corrosion Resistance4/10
Ease of Sharpening6/10
Overall Score26/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Proprietary steel developed 2005 by Busse Combat
- 2Jerry Busse started making knives in 1970s to pay for college
- 3Hardened to 58-60 HRC but 'have yet to chip an edge'
- 4Heat treatment takes 60+ hours with deep cryogenic treatment (-300F)
- 5The 'magic' is the proprietary treatment process, not secret composition
- 6Better salt spray test results than ATS-34 and D2
- 7Original pre-2002 formula had nitrogen, post-2002 removed nitrogen and cobalt
Famous Uses
Busse Combat knives
Swamp Rat Knife Works
Best For
Combat and tactical fixed blades
Heavy-duty field use
Hard-use knives
Similar Steels
CPM 3V
PM alternative, similar properties
52100
Simpler, cheaper
Not Recommended For
- Budget
- Fine cutting work
- Kitchen
Expert Tips
- 1Proprietary heat treatment protocol
- 2Dense grain structure
- 3Outstanding durability