If you’re in the market for knives or blades, you’ll have likely stumbled upon 9Cr18MoV steel at least once or twice. It’s one of the best knife steels in the world, quickly gaining popularity in the American market because of its hardness and affordability.
This article discusses everything you need to know about 9Cr18MoV steel, including its composition, properties, and how well it performs against other popular steel brands. Let’s get right into it!
What Exactly Is 9Cr18MoV Steel?
9Cr18MoV is a high-end modified steel composed of 18% Chromium and 0.9% Carbon. It’s popular among blade manufacturers because of its durability, anti-corrosion properties, and excellent wear resistance.
This type of steel is often used for stainless steel knives, cutlery, scissors, surgical blades, and other items. Thanks to its ingenious combination of Chromium, Carbon, Molybdenum, and Vanadium, 9Cr18MoV steel offers above-average hardness and edge retention.
What Is 9Cr18MoV Steel Composed Of?
9Cr18MoV steel is primarily composed of Chromium, Molybdenum, Vanadium, and Carbon, giving it considerable strength and corrosion resistance. The full chemical composition is as follows:
- 18% Chromium (Cr)
- 1.3% Molybdenum (Mo)
- 0.12% Vanadium (V)
- 0.9% Carbon (C)
- 0.8% Manganese (Mn)
- 0.8% Silicon (Si)
- 0.6% Nickel (N)
- 0.03% Sulfur (S)
- 0.04% Phosphorus (P)
Carbon is the main driver for 9Cr18MoV’s hardness. Chromium, on the other hand, contributes to corrosion resistance. Molybdenum increases both hardness and corrosion resistance in martensitic stainless grades. The rest of the mentioned elements all help increase steel strength and high machinability.
What Are the Properties of 9Cr18MoV Steel?
According to its chemical composition and lab reports, 9Cr18MoV steel has the following properties:
Hardness
A blade’s hardness represents its ability to withstand deformation when it’s exposed to extreme application and stress. Due to this, a blade’s hardness is directly correlated to its strength.
As with most blades, 9Cr18MoV steel hardness is estimated on an HRC (Hardness Rockwell C) scale. Depending on the blade’s purpose, 9Cr18MoV steel can be heat-treated to reach an HRC of 58 to 60, on par with high-quality chef knives and pocket knives.
The contributing factor of its hardness is the presence of 0.95% Carbon. As Carbon increases during the hardening process, the steel’s martensite concentration follows suit. According to the TTT diagram of steel, this results in higher hardness in most knives.
Vanadium is another prominent reason behind 9Cr18MoV’s hardness, as well as Nickel and Manganese. All three elements help with the steel’s overall tensile strength and wear resistance.
Corrosion Resistance
9Cr18MoV steel is highly resistant to rust and corrosion. This is why it’s often used for outdoor applications. The combination of Chromium (18%), Molybdenum (1.3%), and Nickel (0.6%) greatly prevents oxidative damage caused by external factors like humidity and salt.
Stainless steel knives and products usually have a Chromium percentage of at least 11.1%. 9Cr18MoV steel far exceeds that requirement. Therefore, expect rust-free knives with this material.
Edge Retention
Edge retention, as the name suggests, refers to a knife’s ability to retain its shape even after long-term use. In a sense, it’s a combination of two factors: edge wear and stain resistance.
9Cr18MoV knives hold their edge pretty well due to their high HRC level and intense heat treatment. Moreover, their high Carbon and Vanadium content helps them withstand abrasion and frequent use, allowing them to maintain their edge for a long time.
Sharpness
With the proper bladesmith, 9Cr18MoV knives can be quite sharp. This is why they’re popular for EDC, cutlery, and surgical purposes. Combined with its supreme edge-retention, you won’t need to sharpen the knife’s edge as often as you would a regular knife. Again, this is thanks to the high Carbon and Vanadium content found in 9Cr18MoV steel.
With that said, 9Cr18MoV steel can be quite the hassle to sharpen once it turns dull. This isn’t because the sharpness disappears when you sharpen it; quite the opposite, in fact.
As mentioned earlier, 9Cr18MoV steel features excellent hardness. Due to this, sharpening it can be extremely difficult and dangerous, especially for beginners. The general rule of thumb is the harder the steel, the harder sharpening will be.
Toughness
Toughness refers to a blade’s ability to withstand shock, drops, and impacts. Usually, the harder the steel, the more brittle it becomes.
Despite its excellent hardness and edge retention, 9Cr18MoV steel won’t win first place in terms of toughness. Even so, it performs fairly well in this area.
With that said, you’ll be glad to know that 9Cr18MoV steel manufacturers in China continue to improve their toughness with modern metallurgy without compromising the product. Here’s to hoping!
9Cr18MoV vs Other Knife Steel Options
If you’re in the market for premium knives but still debating between 9Cr18MoV and other steel options, read through our quick comparison:
9Cr18MoV vs D2
D2 knives are much harder than 9Cr18MoV knives. D2 boasts a Carbon content of 1.5% to 1.6%, compared to 9Cr18MoV’s 0.9%. It’s less tough than 9Cr18MoV but excels in strength, wear resistance, and edge retention.
D2 steel is often used by Japanese and German manufacturers. It’s almost twice as expensive as 9Cr18MoV, with some knives costing over the $400 mark.
9Cr18MoV vs 440C
9Cr18MoV and 440C are more or less of the same grade. With the exception of Molybdenum (0.75% instead of 1.3%), their chemical compositions are quite similar—18% Chromium, 0.12% Vanadium, 0.9% Carbon, etc.
In terms of hardness, edge retention, and sharpness, there’s very little difference. This means both 9Cr18MoV and 440C have excellent corrosion resistance and edge retention properties.
9Cr18MoV steel is Chinese-grade while 440C is USA-grade. Despite the continental difference, both knives are available in the same price range.
9Cr18MoV vs 8Cr13MoV
9Cr18MoV and 8Cr13MoV are both parts of the Cr series.
In this comparison, 9Cr18MoV is hands-down better than 8Cr13MoV. 8Cr13MoV isn’t as hard as 9Cr18MoV and is less resistant to corrosion. Even so, it offers acceptable levels of hardness and sharpness. Plus, it’s not as expensive as 9Cr18MoV.
Conclusion – Is 9Cr18MoV Steel Good for Knives?
9Cr18MoV steel is an excellent material choice for knives and similar products. It’s well-loved for its above-average hardness, excellent corrosion resistance, and great edge retention. Plus, it’s relatively affordable.
If you’re searching for a mid-range knife that excels in all of the mentioned qualities above, 9Cr18MoV steel is for you.