Stainless Steel
Beginner Friendly
Mid-range

N680

Heat Treatment Specifications

Austenitizing

Temperature1050°C(1922°F)
Soak Time15 minutes

Tempering

Temperature177°C(351°F)
Time120 minutes
Cycles2x

Quench Medium

oil

Target Hardness

57 - 59 HRC

Performance Characteristics

Toughness6/10
Edge Retention4/10
Corrosion Resistance9/10
Ease of Sharpening7.5/10
Overall Score26.5/40

Interesting Facts

  • 1Austrian Böhler steel with added nitrogen for corrosion resistance
  • 2Comparable to H1 but with better edge retention
  • 3Designed for meat processing industry requiring corrosion resistance
  • 4Contains 17.3% chromium and 0.2% nitrogen
  • 5Excellent for salt water environments

Famous Uses

Dive knives
Trauma First Response Tool
Marine/salt water knives

Best For

Dive knives
Meat processing industry
High corrosion resistance applications

Similar Steels

Not Recommended For

  • Extreme wear
  • Heavy work

Expert Tips

  • 1Working hardness 53-58 HRC
  • 2Designed for corrosion resistance priority
  • 3Ingot manufacturing

Track Your N680 Heat Treats

Start logging your heat treatment cycles with N680. Track what works, compare results, and repeat your best blades.

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