This thread will take awhile to build out.
I will put the european steel name/number here and with the AISI equivalent.
Voestalpine (div of Bohler) STEEL GRADES:
20c15 is 52100 good forging steel, takes a bit of heat treating practice and knowledge to get it to it's peak performance level. Many forging guys settle on this as their main steel of choice.
N540 is 420ss typically used in import and domestic consumer kitchen cutlery. It's strength is corrosion resistance and it's easy to sharpen
20c is 1095 forging steel, can be finicky to heat treat properly but it can really hold an edge.
K720 is 01 01 is good all around knife steel that seems to be used in stock removal and forging at about the same rates. Not difficult to heat treat and can be re-heat treated if it needs to be.
AEB-L is a stainless steel that is rapidly gaining favor in the custom cutlery market, especially in the kitchen. It's not just for the kitchen. It's a good user steel with decent corrosion resistance. I am seeing more and more knives with AEB-L all the time.
I will put the european steel name/number here and with the AISI equivalent.
Voestalpine (div of Bohler) STEEL GRADES:
| Grade | Carbon-C | Silicon-S | Manganese-MN | Chromium-Cr | Other |
| | | | | | |
| AEB-L (Razor) | 0.67 | 0.4 | 0.065 | 13.00 | |
| 20C15 (52100) | 1.00 | 0.3 | 0.35 | 1.45 | |
| N540 (420 SS) | 0.46 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 13.00 | |
| 15N20 | 0.75 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.11 | Ni-2.0 |
| 20C | 1.00 | 0.3 | 0.45 | 0.15 | |
| K720 | 0.9 | 0.25 | 2.00 | 0.35 | V-0.10 |
20c15 is 52100 good forging steel, takes a bit of heat treating practice and knowledge to get it to it's peak performance level. Many forging guys settle on this as their main steel of choice.
N540 is 420ss typically used in import and domestic consumer kitchen cutlery. It's strength is corrosion resistance and it's easy to sharpen
20c is 1095 forging steel, can be finicky to heat treat properly but it can really hold an edge.
K720 is 01 01 is good all around knife steel that seems to be used in stock removal and forging at about the same rates. Not difficult to heat treat and can be re-heat treated if it needs to be.
AEB-L is a stainless steel that is rapidly gaining favor in the custom cutlery market, especially in the kitchen. It's not just for the kitchen. It's a good user steel with decent corrosion resistance. I am seeing more and more knives with AEB-L all the time.
