Which knife steels have the most chromium or vanadium? Which knife steels have the most carbon? Find out below with these knife steel composition charts. These charts are categorized by steel type: Carbon steel, tool steel, and stainless steel.
Click the top of each column to sort by steel names, percentage of a particular element, or by Rockwell Hardness Ratings.
Please note: The charts below do not list certain elements rarely used in knife steels, like sulfur, niobium, and nitrogen.
Carbon Steel Compositions
| Steel | Carbon | Chromium | Molybdenum | Vanadium | Cobalt | Nickel | Manganese | Silicon | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1084 | 0.84 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.75 | - | 45 - 66 |
| 1095 | 0.90 - 1.03 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.3 - 0.5 | - | 56 - 60 |
| 1095 CroVan | 0.95 - 1.1 | 0.4 - 0.6 | 0.06 | 0.15 - 0.25 | - | 0.25 | 0.3 - 0.5 | 0.15 - 0.25 | 56 - 60 |
| 52100 | 0.98 - 1.1 | 1.3 - 1.6 | - | - | - | - | 0.25 - 0.45 | - | 58 - 62 |
Tool Steel Compositions
| Steel | Carbon | Chromium | Molybdenum | Vanadium | Cobalt | Nickel | Manganese | Silicon | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-2 | 0.95 - 1.05 | 5 | 0.9 - 1.4 | 0.15 - 0.5 | - | 0.3 | 1 | 0.35 | 58 - 60 |
| O-1 | 0.85 - 1 | 0.5 | - | 0.3 | - | 0.3 | 1 - 1.4 | 0.5 | 56 - 58 |
| D-2 | 1.4 - 1.6 | 12 | 0.7 - 1.2 | 1.1 | - | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 57 - 61 |
| CPM-15V | 3.4 | 5.25 | 1.3 | 14.5 | - | - | 0.5 | - | 61 - 63 |
| M-2 | 0.95 - 1.05 | 4 | 4.75 - 6.5 | 2.25 - 2.75 | - | 0.3 | 0.15 - 0.4 | 0.2 | 61 - 63 |
| CRUWEAR | 1.1 | 7.3 | 1.6 | 2.4 | - | - | - | 1.2 | 60 - 65 |
| CPM-3V | 0.8 | 7.5 | 1.3 | 2.75 | - | - | - | - | 58 - 60 |
| CPM-4V | 1.35 | 5 | 2.95 | 3.85 | - | - | 0.4 | 0.8 | 62 - 64 |
| MagnaCut | 1.15 | 10.7 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 62 - 64 |
| CPM-M4 | 1.4 | 4 | 5.25 | 4 | - | - | - | 0.55 | 60 - 62 |
| MAXAMET | 2.15 | 4.8 | - | 6 | 10 | - | 0.3 | 0.25 | 67 - 70 |
| K390 | 2.5 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 2 | - | 0.4 | 0.55 | 64 - 65 |
| CPM-10V | 2.45 | 5.25 | 1.3 | 9.75 | - | - | 0.5 | - | 58 - 60 |
Stainless Steel Compositions
| Steel | Carbon | Chromium | Molybdenum | Vanadium | Cobalt | Nickel | Manganese | Silicon | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZDP-189 | 3 | 20 | 1.4 | 0.1 | - | - | 0.5 | 0.4 | 64 - 67 |
| CPM-20CV | 1.9 | 20 | 1 | 4 | - | - | 0.3 | 0.3 | 59 - 62 |
| CTS-204P | 1.9 | 20 | 1 | 4 | - | - | 0.35 | 0.6 | 60 - 62 |
| M390 | 1.9 | 20 | 1 | 4 | - | - | 0.3 | 0.7 | 60 - 62 |
| LV-04 | 0.9 | 18 | 1.15 | 0.1 | - | - | 0.7 | - | 59 |
| ELMAX | 1.7 | 18 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 0.3 | 0.8 | 58 - 62 |
| N680 | 0.54 | 17.3 | 1.1 | 0.1 | - | - | 0.4 | 0.45 | 56 - 58 |
| CPM-S60V | 2.15 | 17 | 0.4 | 5.5 | - | - | 0.4 | 0.4 | 58 - 60 |
| N690 | 1.07 | 17 | - | 0.1 | 1.5 | - | - | 0.4 | 58 - 60 |
| 9Cr18MoV | 0.95 | 17 - 19 | 1 | - | - | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 58 - 60 |
| 440A | 0.65 - 0.75 | 16 - 18 | 0.75 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 55 -57 |
| 440B | 0.75 - 0.95 | 16 - 18 | 0.75 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 57 - 59 |
| 440C | 0.95 - 1.20 | 16 - 18 | 0.75 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 57 - 59 |
| CPM-S45VN | 1.48 | 16 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 59 - 61 |
| CTS-XHP | 1.6 | 16 | 0.8 | 0.45 | - | 0.35 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 60 - 64 |
| CTS-BD1 | 0.9 | 15.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | - | - | 0.6 | 0.37 | 58 - 60 |
| X-15 TN | 0.42 | 15.6 | 1.7 | 0.29 | - | 0.3 | 0.46 | 0.23 | 58 - 60 |
| G-2 | 0.9 | 15.5 | 0.3 | - | - | - | 0.6 | 0.35 | 56 - 58 |
| GIN-1 | 0.9 | 15 - 17 | 0.3 | - | - | - | 0.6 | 0.35 | 56 - 58 |
| CPM-S110V | 2.9 | 15 | 2.25 | 9.1 | 2.5 | - | 0.4 | 0.6 | 60 - 64 |
| X50CrMoV15 | 0.55 | 15 | 0.8 | 0.2 | - | - | 1 | 0.5 | 54 - 55 |
| VG-10 | 0.95 - 1.05 | 14.5 - 15.5 | 0.9 - 1.2 | 0.1 - 0.3 | 1.3 - 1.5 | - | 0.5 | - | 59 - 61 |
| 5Cr15MoV | 0.45 - 0.5 | 14.5 - 15 | 0.6 | 0.1 | - | - | 0.4 | - | 55 - 57 |
| BG-42 | 1.15 | 14.5 | 4 | 1.2 | - | - | 0.5 | 0.3 | 61 - 62 |
| T6MoV | 0.6 | 14.2 | 0.65 | 0.1 | - | 0.23 | - | 1 | 54 - 56 |
| H1 | 0.15 | 14 - 16 | 0.5 - 1.5 | - | - | 6 - 8 | 2 | 3 - 4.5 | 57 - 58 |
| 14-4CrMo | 1.05 | 14 | 4 | - | - | - | 0.5 | 0.3 | 60 - 62 |
| ATS-34 | 1.05 | 14 | 4 | - | - | - | 0.4 | 0.35 | 59 - 61 |
| CPM-154 | 1.05 | 14 | 4 | - | - | - | 0.6 | 0.8 | 59 - 61 |
| CPM-S30V | 1.45 | 14 | 2 | 4 | - | - | - | 0.5 | 59 - 61 |
| CPM-S35VN | 1.34 | 14 | 2 | 3 | - | - | 0.5 | 0.5 | 59 - 61 |
| CPM-S90V | 2.3 | 14 | 1 | 9 | - | - | 0.5 | 0.5 | 56 - 58 |
| ATS-55 | 1 | 14 | 0.6 | - | 0.4 | - | 0.5 | 0.4 | 59 - 61 |
| T5MoV | 0.5 | 14 | 0.35 | 0.15 | - | - | - | - | 56 - 58 |
| CPM-S125V | 3.3 | 14 | 0.2 | 11.85 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 0.25 | 0.9 | 62 - 64 |
| 14C28N | 0.62 | 14 | - | - | - | - | 0.6 | 0.2 | 55 - 62 |
| 154CM | 1.05 | 13.5 - 14 | 4 | 0.4 | - | - | 0.5 | 0.3 - 0.8 | 58 - 62 |
| 9Cr13CoMoV | 0.85 | 13.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 58 - 60 |
| 12C27 | 0.6 | 13.5 | - | - | - | - | 0.4 | 0.4 | 57 - 59 |
| 19C27 | 0.95 | 13.5 | - | - | - | - | 0.7 | 0.4 | 61 - 62 |
| LV-03 | 0.95 | 13.5 | - | - | - | - | 0.65 | - | 58 - 60 |
| 8Cr13MoV | 0.8 | 13 - 14.5 | 0.15 | 0.1 | - | 0.2 | 1 | 1 | 58 - 59 |
| 8Cr15MoV | 0.75 | 13 - 14.5 | 0.15 | 0.1 | - | 0.49 | 0.5 | 1 | 58 - 59 |
| AUS-10 | 0.95 - 1.1 | 13 - 14.5 | 0.1 - 0.31 | 0.1 - 0.27 | - | 0.49 | 0.5 | 1 | 58 - 60 |
| AUS-8 | 0.7 - 0.75 | 13 - 14.5 | 0.1 - 0.3 | 0.1 - 0.26 | - | 0.49 | 0.5 | 1 | 57 - 59 |
| AUS-4 | 0.4 - 0.45 | 13 - 14.5 | - | - | - | 0.49 | 1 | - | 55 - 57 |
| AUS-6 | 0.55 - 0.65 | 13 - 14.5 | - | 0.1 - 0.25 | - | 0.49 | 1 | 1 | 55 - 57 |
| 420HC | 0.4 - 0.5 | 13 | 0.6 | 0.3 | - | - | 0.4 | 0.4 | 56 - 58 |
| 13C26 | 0.68 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 0.65 | 0.4 | 58 - 60 |
| 420 | 0.15 | 12 - 14 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 49 - 53 |
| K110 | 1.40 - 1.65 | 11 - 13 | 0.8 | 0.95 | - | - | 0.35 | 0.5 | 58 - 60 |
| Nitro-V | 0.68 | 13 | - | 0.08 | - | - | 0.80 | 0.4 | 58 - 64 |
How Steel Composition Affects Knife Performance
The various metallic and nonmetallic elements found in these knife steel composition charts are what determine a blade’s cutting ability, sharpness potential, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and toughness.
Learn how carbides and elements contribute to knife performance.
What Else Affects Knife Performance
Now you understand the elements and properties of knife steels. Learn what other factors affect performance of any knife: