If you are a knife collector or knife enthusiast you must be knowing about the 440 steel, which is a common and popular steel series used in the knife industries. The 440 steel is a family of various steels such as 440A, 440B, 440C and the not so common 440F. All these are considered perfectly stainless, but 440A is considered the best when it comes to corrosion resistance.
So the million dollar question for every knife enthusiast is the 440 steel good for knives and are there any flaws that it possesses? Let’s understand this in detail:
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What exactly is the 440 steel?
The 440 stainless steel is a high carbon martensitic steel. It is used to make blades, knives, surgical tools and even cutting tools./p>
It is popular due to its corrosion resistance properties and also for its wear resistance both are great for knives. Also it is extremely hard which combined with all the above mentioned properties make it the most coveted material for making knives.
The Chemical composition of 440A Stainless steel:
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It contains 0.75 % Carbon: This is helpful in increasing the corrosion, wear resistance and also improves hardness. The important point here is that if increased from this percentage it can decrease the overall strength of the knife.
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It contains 0.6 % of Nickel: Nickel improves the toughness of the knife.
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It contains 18% of chromium: The chromium enhances the wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the steel and also gives edge retention and tensile strength.
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Has 0.75 % of manganese: Improves brittleness and hardness
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Contains 0.1 % of silicon: Enhances strength
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Consists of 0.04% of Phosphorus: improves strength
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It contains 0.03% of Sulfur: Improves machinability, decreases strength
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Has 0.09% of Molybdenum:Increase strength and machinability
What are the 440 Steel Properties?
The true nature of the steel can be guessed by its properties. The 440 steel can be confusing at times, as there are many ways to get the 440 steel. There are 440A, 440B, 440C and more. Of these the 440A is the most popular and most corrosion resistance.
Edge retention:
The 440A steel has a highest HRC of 58, which makes it a hard knife with good edge retention.
Machinability:
The 440A stainless steel has a great machinability. In Fact in the steel industry the 440A is said to have the best machinability.
Toughness:
The 440A has a decent toughness. It has nickel and chromium which makes it one of the toughest low end steel.
Corrosion resistance:
The 440A is at its peak when it comes to corrosion resistance. This is due to the fact that it has a high presence of chromium in it, 18% to be precise. This percentage is high as compared to the other steels. This makes it probably the best corrosion resistance knife.
Sharpness:
This steel is very easy to sharp and grind, and if you have a grinder machine then all the better. Although it is a hard and robust steel still it easily sharpens.
Wear resistance:
The 440A contains 0.75% of carbon which makes it a good show against wear resistance. It may not be the best in the category but is still good. So using it in a damaging way must be avoided.
So is the 440A stainless steel good for knives?
With all the above stated points going in its favor, yes it is one of the prefect steels for knives. It has amazing corrosion resistance and decent wear resistance which is a perfect prerequisite for a kitchen knife.
It also has a 58 HRC which gives it high hardness. It is also very affordable and fairly priced, which also makes it a great choice in knives.
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It is strong:The 440A steel has high carbon which makes it stronger than most of the other knives.
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It is corrosion resistance:The presence of chromium in the 440 Steel makes it one of the best corrosion resistance knives in the world.
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It is easy to sharpen:This 440A steel is very easy to sharpen and grind. Which makes it really a great choice in knives.
What are the possible downsides of 440A steel?
With so many great properties of 440A stainless steel, it is really hard to find a flaw. But still there are some flaws that haunt this great steel also.
The 440A is not so great when it comes to wear resistance. It is also not great for prying, although they make a great choice for replica weapons. Also it tends to rust when used long in salt water.
Conclusion:
Well we now know that 440A stainless steel makes great knives. It is an excellent quality steel which makes great knives.
It is awesome when it comes to corrosion resistance and the price is also very cheap when compared to other steels. Overall if you are a knife lover then you should go for and try the 440 steel knives, you would not regret it.
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