440C / 14C28N how do they compare?

gull wing · Oct 23, 2016

in edge holding?
in ease of sharpening?
Which do you like best for a small EDC?

wensynch · Oct 23, 2016

It's great. The original stainless, cold steel.
Awesome at holding an edge.
Awesomely easy to sharpen.
Awesome on both small & big alike.

It's also beautiful.

Time for an upgrade? Nah, umm still cuts stuff.

stonproject · Oct 23, 2016

You probably wont be able to tell much of a difference between the two in use. both sharpen easy and hold a good edge. 440c is the OG of knife steels.

That said however I love sandvik steels.

sabre cat · Oct 23, 2016

I can't help feeling you get a better edge with Sandvik 14C28n. My favorite budget steel.

DeadboxHero · Oct 23, 2016

440c will cut longer

14c28n sharpens easier

I prefer 14c28n because I enjoy a sharper, more precise, polished edge at the cost of cutting endurance.

If you need more cutting endurance then 440c with a coarse edge would be more ideal for you.

gull wing · Oct 24, 2016

Well, you've done it, great advice.
A sharper, more precise edge is what I like in a small knife and i also like to polish them.

pinnah · Oct 24, 2016

DeadboxHero said:
440c will cut longer

14c28n sharpens easier

I prefer 14c28n because I enjoy a sharper, more precise, polished edge at the cost of cutting endurance.

If you need more cutting endurance then 440c with a coarse edge would be more ideal for you.

This describes my experience with 440C and 12C27

glocker199 · Oct 24, 2016

I prefer the superior edge retention and corrosion resistance of 440C.

ThePeacent · Oct 24, 2016

DeadboxHero said:
440c will cut longer

14c28n sharpens easier

I prefer 14c28n because I enjoy a sharper, more precise, polished edge at the cost of cutting endurance.

If you need more cutting endurance then 440c with a coarse edge would be more ideal for you.

Couldn't have said it better myself. :thumbup:
Sandvik steel gets scary sharp in a minute, resorabl edge in the very field, super stainless. I prefer 14C28N over 440C a bit, but I've admittedly used three times more the sandvik steel

Frotier76 · Oct 31, 2016

There's a pretty big gap in carbon between 14C28N and 440C...0.62% in the Sandvik...0.90-1.20% in 440C.Expect the 14C28N to sharpen up quicker but the 440C to stay sharp for a longer duration.In edge durability the 440C wins by a long shot-Sandvik's 13C26 and 14C28N has developed a reputation for chipping easily on pull cuts or cutting anything with density... they wear like a cheap box cutter blade.I'd call Sandvik a stainless mostly suited for sportsman use.

DeadboxHero · Oct 31, 2016

Frotier76 said:
There's a pretty big gap in carbon between 14C28N and 440C...0.62% in the Sandvik...0.90-1.20% in 440C.Expect the 14C28N to sharpen up quicker but the 440C to stay sharp for a longer duration.In edge durability the 440C wins by a long shot-Sandvik's 13C26 and 14C28N has developed a reputation for chipping easily on pull cuts or cutting anything with density... they wear like a cheap box cutter blade.I'd call Sandvik a stainless mostly suited for sportsman use.

Don't forget about the hardness my man.

You only need .50 carbon to push 60hrc

marthinus · Nov 1, 2016

Frotier76 said:
There's a pretty big gap in carbon between 14C28N and 440C...0.62% in the Sandvik...0.90-1.20% in 440C.Expect the 14C28N to sharpen up quicker but the 440C to stay sharp for a longer duration.In edge durability the 440C wins by a long shot-Sandvik's 13C26 and 14C28N has developed a reputation for chipping easily on pull cuts or cutting anything with density... they wear like a cheap box cutter blade.I'd call Sandvik a stainless mostly suited for sportsman use.

With regards to that in bold, my experience has been the opposite. Running 14C28N at 6 DPS cutting cardboard and zip ties with no chipping issues. Chipping issues in my experience with these steels are related than higher than recommended austenization temperatures, higher than recommended tempering temperatures and over grinding. Similar to people trying some weird "magic tricks" with 52100 rather than just doing the right thing.

DocT · Nov 1, 2016

I actually like 14C28N. The presence of nitrogen in the steel is a huge plus. I would take it over 440C. It can be run very hard and if so, it will hold a razor edge for a good long while, often longer than some super steels. However, once it loses that razor edge it dulls quickly. If I were deciding on a knife with these steels, I would want to know what I was going to do with them. For a hunting/skinning knife or a pocket knife, then I would choose 14C28N (and have), if it were run to high hardness. If I were going for a general duty knife, then 440C would be my choice, if it were run hard enough. Neither perform well at lower hardness, in my opinion.