Knife steel: carbon and stainless

Knife steel can be divided into two main families: carbon steels and stainless steels. This distinction is fundamental for the cutler, as it determines the blade's behavior in use, maintenance and over time. Carbon steels are generally harder, easier to sharpen and have a fine cutting edge, but require regular maintenance to prevent corrosion. Stainless steels, enriched with chromium, are more resistant to humidity and acids, though sometimes at the cost of a slight loss of toughness, depending on the grade.

Mercorne offers a selection of the grades most commonly used in craft cutlery, available in flat bars for direct processing in the workshop.

Properties and technical characteristics

The knife steels available from Mercorne cover a wide range of characteristics:

• 80CrV2 - high-strength carbon steel, enriched with chromium and vanadium. Excellent toughness to wire retention ratio. Ideal for hunting and survival knives.
• 1095 - classic carbon steel, widely used in traditional cutlery. Easy to sharpen, high hardness, susceptible to rust: requires careful maintenance.
• 1084 - Versatile carbon steel, appreciated for its ease of hardening. Good balance between hardness and toughness, recommended for beginners.
• XC75 / 75Cr1 - Common European carbon steel, equivalent to 1075. Good hardenability, widely used for working blades.
• AEB-L - Swedish stainless steel, appreciated for its fine grain and resistance to corrosion. The benchmark for high-end kitchen cutlery.
• RWL34 - Powdered stainless steel, very fine grain, excellent edge retention. Used for collector's knives and precision blades.
• K110 - Tool steel with high carbon and chromium content. Very hard, wear-resistant, requires hardening.

How to choose your knife steel?

The choice of steel grade depends above all on the intended use and the knifemaker's level of experience:

• Beginner knifemaker: choose an easy-to-temper carbon steel such as 1084 or 80CrV2. It is more intuitive to use, and hardening errors are less of a handicap.
• Hunting/outdoor knife use: 80CrV2 and 1095 are proven references. Good wire retention, sufficient toughness for intensive use.
• Kitchen knives: stainless steel (AEB-L, RWL34) for resistance to corrosion from humidity and food acids.
• Collector or high-precision blade: RWL34 or K110 offer the best performance in terms of grain fineness and edge retention.
• Damasteel or damascus: if you're looking for a damascus steel, consult our dedicated category - the Damasteel range is available separately.

Final hardness also depends on heat treatment: same grade, different results depending on quenching, tempering and equipment available in the workshop. If in doubt, Olivier can advise you on the grade best suited to your project.

Mercorne and cutlery steel: 34 years of selection

Since 1992, Mercorne has been selecting and offering artisan cutlers the materials best suited to their practice. Our range of knife steels is regularly updated to include the grades favored by professionals and enthusiasts alike, in flat bars ready for workshop use. Each batch is inspected before going on sale. Shipment within 24 to 48 hours, free delivery on orders over €90, returns accepted within 15 days. Our catalog covers 14 blade steel references, from entry-level grades to high-performance powder steels.

Frequently asked questions about knife steel

What's the difference between carbon steel and stainless steel for knives?

Carbon steel is generally harder and easier to sharpen, but oxidizes easily and requires regular maintenance (oiling, drying). Stainless steel is more resistant to corrosion thanks to its chromium content, which makes it more suitable for use in the kitchen or in damp environments, sometimes to the detriment of slightly less sharpening ease, depending on the grade.

Which steel should you choose for your first craft knife?

1084 is often recommended for beginners: it offers a good balance between ease of hardening, hardness and toughness. 80CrV2 is also an excellent choice for hunting or work knives. These two grades are more forgiving of approximations during initial heat treatment.

How hard can I expect a knife steel to be after quenching?

Hardness after quenching varies according to grade and heat treatment protocol. As a general rule, carbon steels reach 58 to 62 HRC, depending on the temper applied. Stainless steels such as AEB-L or RWL34 achieve between 59 and 62 HRC with the right treatment. These values are indicative: the quality of the heat treatment is as decisive as the grade itself.

Are Mercorne steel bars ready to use?

Yes, the flat bars offered on mercorne.fr are raw blade blanks, ready to be traced, cut and profiled in the workshop. They are not heat-treated: the hardening is carried out by the cutler according to his own equipment and the protocol specific to each grade.

Do you offer custom cutting for steels?

For specific cutting requirements, please contact Mercorne directly via the contact form. Olivier will study your specific requirements and recommend the best solution for your project.