440-C

[Andrew Lynch]

I've heard numerous times that 440-C is a "premium" steel, and a good performer. Listed in the same performance category as ATS-34. Because of this, one would think it would be widely used, much like ATS-34. But it's not. In fact, it's hardly used at all, especially in production knives.

So my question is, why is it not used more?

 

[Coonskinner]

The knife industry is, as most other industries. somewhat driven by fads. While 440 C is a good steel, there are other better performing cutlery steels that have the added advantage of being newer. Some people perceive newer to be the same as better. While 440C is a respectable performer in most of the qualities we judge knives by, and just about at the top of the heap in corrosion resistance, it has lost some of the fad appeal it had when it first became popular.

 

[Cobalt]

Actually 440C is a great steel to this day and favorably compares with ATS-34, which really became a fad steel. 440C is the favorite steel of some of the best knifemakers(in my opinion) out there.

 

[muzzleup]

440C is and always has been a very good knife steel whitnessed by a lot of European knife makers like Klotzli of Switzerland, Boker of Germany and many many other good knife makers world wide.

The only thing I found is that its a little harder to put a very sharp edge on it when its hardened to the higher RC scale.

A lot of fad steel come and go but 440C always seem to lurk in the background and just keep reappearing.

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Ron,
Bremerton, Washington

 

[Sergiusz Mitin]

In my opinion 440C if properly heat-treated is very good steel. It displays quite reasonable balance between edge retention, toughness and rust resistance.
Why it is used not as widely as ATS-34? I don't know, maybe due to fad or maybe due to ATS-34 somewhat higher edge retention... As I noticed a lot of knife enthusiasts evaluating steels count edge retention only and nothing more. But if speaking about property balance but not about single, abstract property - 440C has its natural place among high performance steels.

Worth to mention, some manufacturers (for ex. KERSHAW) and some makers (for ex. Ken Onion) recently turned from ATS-34 to 440C steel in some knife models.


[This message has been edited by Sergiusz Mitin (edited 04-12-2001).]