Stainless steel 300 & 300 series

Stainless steel 300 & 300 series

300 series

American stainless steel manufactured by Allegheny Ludlum steel Co and Crucible steel co.

302 is a Chromium-Nickel austenitic alloy used for blenders and mixers.

303 is a non-magnetic austenitic stainless steel specifically designed to exhibit improved machinability.

303 SE is a non-hardenable austenitic chromium-nickel steel to which selenium has been added to improve machinability and non-galling characteristics.

304L is a non-hardenable, low carbon austenitic chromium-nickel steel designed for special applications.

316L is a non-hardenable, low carbon austenitic chromium-nickel steel with superior corrosion and heat resisting qualities.

321 is a non-hardenable austenitic chromium-nickel steel with a high chromium content of 18.00%.

400 series

The 400 series remains one of the most popular choices for knife makers because it is easy to sharpen and it is resistant to corrosion.

410 is a hardenable, straight-chromium stainless steel which combines superior wear resistance with excellent corrosion resistance.

416 is very similar to 410 with the addition of sulfur to improve machinability.

420 has more carbon than 410, but less than 440. As such it is softer than 440, but has a higher toughness.

420HC is a higher carbon content 420 stainless. The HC stands for "high carbon" and it can be brought to a higher hardness than 420 and should not be mistaken for it. Buck Knives uses 420HC extensively.

420J2 is an inexpensive,highly corrosion resistant steel. Knife manufacturers use this material in budget knives, also in diving knives due to its high resistance to corrosion.

440A is relatively a low cost, highly corrosion resistant stainless steel.

440B is almost identical to 440A, but has a higher carbon content range compared to 440A

440C is considered a high-end stainless steel. It is very resistant to corrosion and is one of the most common stainless alloys used for knife making.[21] 440C has highest carbon content in 440 group.