Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature900°C(1652°F)
Soak Time20 minutes
Tempering
Temperature200°C(392°F)
Time120 minutes
Cycles1x
Quench Medium
oil
Target Hardness
58 - 60 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness9/10
Edge Retention5.5/10
Corrosion Resistance1.5/10
Ease of Sharpening7.5/10
Overall Score23.5/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Shock-resistant tool steel - extreme toughness
- 20.55% carbon, 2% silicon for impact resistance
- 3Designed for repeated heavy impacts
- 4Less common in knives but excellent for choppers
- 5Similar niche to S7 but different composition
- 6Good for tools subject to repeated shock loading
Famous Uses
Pneumatic chisels
Heavy-duty impact tools
Custom choppers
Best For
Heavy chopping
Camp/survival knives
Axes/hatchets
Impact applications
Similar Steels
S7
Even tougher
5160
Cheaper, similar properties
Not Recommended For
- Wet environments
- Thin edges
- Kitchen
Expert Tips
- 1High silicon for shock resistance
- 2Not for fine edges
- 3Batoning-friendly
- 4Requires corrosion protection