CPM MagnaMax Stainless Steel

MagnaMax is a powdered ultra-premium stainless steel for blades, developed by the American company *Crucible Industries, optimized for edge retention and is an excellent choice for knife making, scoring highly in all other categories. The steel is officially introduced in May 2025 - the new steel by Dr. Larrin Thomas. It should be noted that MagnaMax does not replace MagnaCut steel.

MagnaCut is a "balanced steel," meaning it has a balance between toughness and edge retention. MagnaMax specializes in edge retention, rather than toughness. And even in the MagnaMax era, MagnaCut and many other blade steels still have their place.

As with MagnaCut, MagnaMax was created by Dr. Larrin Thomas, a renowned metallurgist in the knife industry. The goal of its creation was to combine the best qualities of different blade steels. MagnaCut aimed to combine the toughness of CPM 4V with the edge retention of CPM 20CV while remaining a stainless steel, and it worked. MagnaMax combines the wear resistance and durability of high-speed carbon steels, such as CPM 10V, while remaining a stainless steel, and it worked. This means the blade will stay sharp practically forever, and you won't have to worry about moisture or accidental staples in cardboard. And that is indeed very impressive.

The cutting ability of knives made from MagnaMax steel is simply impressive, and in testing, they showed practically no weakness in any cuts.

MagnaMax is a more wear-resistant version of MagnaCut due to an improved microstructure. In terms of properties, this steel is similar to CPM 10V or K390 but is stainless. In terms of toughness, it can be compared to stainless steels S35VN or CPM-154, but it surpasses them in edge retention, where it is comparable to S110V but 2 times tougher. Some manufacturers of knives made from CPM MagnaMax steel claim a hardness of 62 - 65 HRC.

*Powder Steel Production: MagnaMax is a Powder Metallurgy (PM) steel. CPM (Crucible Particle Metallurgy) steel production was traditionally handled by Crucible Industries. However, Crucible has ceased operations.

Table: chemical composition of CPM MagnaMax steel grade
Chemical composition of CPM MagnaMax steel grade
C	Mn	V	Cr	Mo	Nb	Co	N	Fe
2,04	0,5	8,0	10,65	2,0	2,5	0,8	0,2	Balance

The first samples of this steel began appearing for testing approximately in late 2024 or early 2025.

Although MagnaMax steel is developed by the metallurgist Dr. Larrin Thomas, its production process as a Powder Metallurgy (PM) steel is usually divided among several companies.

The official name of the material often includes the designation of the production process:

Formula Developer: Dr. Larrin Thomas.
Powder Production (Smelting): Historically, these powdered steels were produced by Crucible Industries under the CPM (Crucible Particle Metallurgy) brand. Since Crucible has ceased operations, the powder production (atomization and pressing) is likely taken over by other specialized metallurgical plants, such as Erasteel or Carpenter Technology, which also produce powdered steels for the knife market.
Processing and Rolling (Sheet Forming): The final metal supplier to knife manufacturers, who takes slabs (large plates) of powdered steel and rolls them into thin sheets and plates used for making blades, is likely Niagara Specialty Metals. This company is a key partner in the supply chain for high-performance knives made from steels developed by Larrin Thomas.

Thus, the specific metallurgical plant that produces the powder itself may be classified or change (e.g., Erasteel or Carpenter), but Larrin Thomas is the inventor, and Niagara Specialty Metals is the key processor and supplier of the sheet for the knife industry.

General conclusion and impression of MagnaMax steel

MagnaMax is one of the newest and most innovative achievements in the world of knife steels. It is not just an update, but a focused expansion of the concept laid out in its predecessor, MagnaCut.

1. General impression: "The King of Edge Retention Among Stainless Steels"

MagnaMax gives the impression of a super-specialized steel, designed for those who prioritize maximum sharpness retention (wear resistance). It is positioned as a stainless alternative to highly abrasive-resistant but corrosion-prone tool steels, such as K390 or CPM-10V.

This is a steel for enthusiasts and professionals who are looking for absolute cutting edge performance, where the question "how long will the knife stay sharp?" is more important than the question "how impact-resistant is it?".

2. Summary of key characteristics: MagnaMax VS MagnaCut

Table: MagnaMax VS MagnaCut characteristics
MagnaMax VS MagnaCut
Characteristic	MagnaMax	MagnaCut	Winner
Wear Resistance (Edge Retention)	Exceptional (Maximum)	Very Good	MagnaMax
Toughness / Ductility (Chip / Break Resistance)	Good / Moderate	Exceptional (Best in Class)	MagnaCut
Corrosion Resistance	Very Good	Exceptional (Near Perfect)	MagnaCut
Primary Goal	Maximum Wear Resistance	Universal Balance	—
Hardness (HRC)	Very High (≈63 - 65)	High (≈61 - 63)	MagnaMax
Release Date	2024 - 2025	2021	—

Explanation of the table

MagnaMax: This steel was designed to achieve extreme wear resistance (edge retention), and this often requires a higher final hardness. MagnaMax's optimal working hardness can indeed be significantly higher (≈63 - 65 HRC), putting it on par with tool steels like CPM-10V, but in a stainless format. This is achieved through its unique chemical composition and high concentration of hard carbides.
MagnaCut: This steel is optimized for balance between toughness and wear resistance, so manufacturers often heat-treat it to slightly lower values (≈61 - 63 HRC). This range maximizes its exceptional toughness (chip resistance).

Conclusion: Although both steels are "high" in hardness, MagnaMax is capable of operating at significantly higher HRC values (64 - 65 HRC), which directly leads to its leadership in wear resistance. This higher hardness is one of the reasons it is less tough than MagnaCut.

3. Application recommendations

MagnaMax is an ideal steel for:

EDC knives (Everyday Carry) and folding knives (folders), where critical impact resistance is rarely needed.
Kitchen knives, where long-term sharpness retention during cutting is a priority.
Users who are willing to slightly sacrifice the toughness and absolute stainless properties of MagnaCut for a significant gain in wear resistance.

Essentially, MagnaMax transfers the edge performance characteristics of some of the best tool steels into the world of premium stainless powdered steels.