Directory of stainless steel grades

Elmax Stainless Steel | Uddeholm Elmax SuperClean is a high-quality stainless steel produced by the Uddeholm Group using powder metallurgy. It holds an edge well, is difficult to sharpen, and is quite strong. It is a very fine-grained steel, so it allows for very aggressive sharpening. It allows for hardening the material to 62 HRC while maintaining decent strength. Due to its high chromium content, it has high corrosion resistance.

Details: Written by: ukirs; Published: 07 February 2025; Created: 07 February 2025; Last Updated: 21 November 2025; Hits: 2263

Vanax SuperClean (Vanax 37) is a stainless steel from the manufacturer Bohler-Uddeholm. Vanax SuperClean is a tool steel with a fine-grained structure. The material is produced by solid-phase nitriding of dispersed powders. The uniqueness of this steel is due to the low carbon content, which, as a rule, gives hardness to the alloy.

Details: Written by: ukirs; Published: 08 February 2025; Created: 08 February 2025; Last Updated: 21 November 2025; Hits: 1519

M398 (BÖHLER M398 MICROCLEAN) - is a martensitic chromium steel produced by powder metallurgy. Due to its alloying concept, this stainless steel provides extremely high wear resistance and high corrosion resistance - the ideal combination for highly wear-resistant tools.

Details: Written by: ukirs; Published: 10 February 2025; Created: 10 February 2025; Last Updated: 21 November 2025; Hits: 1432

ZDP-189 is a powder high-chromium, ultra-high-carbon tool stainless steel of the highest category, produced by Hitachi Metals Corporation (Japan). Developed on the basis of the technology of amorphous metal alloys used for the manufacture of knives. Allows to obtain very high hardness (up to HRc 69 - 70 HRc).

Details: Written by: ukirs; Published: 10 February 2025; Created: 10 February 2025; Last Updated: 22 November 2025; Hits: 1172

M390 is a powder stainless martensitic steel with increased chromium content. Böhler M390 is one of the best knife steels in the world. This product of modern powder metallurgy from the Böhler-Uddeholm concern perfectly combines wear resistance, corrosion resistance, high strength and high impact toughness.

Details: Written by: ukirs; Published: 10 February 2025; Created: 10 February 2025; Last Updated: 21 November 2025; Hits: 1978

N695 is a stainless martensitic chromium steel with a high carbon content and the addition of molybdenum. It has high hardness, wear resistance and good corrosion resistance. It has a balanced chemical composition, which ensures its maximum performance characteristics. Manufactured by Böhler-Uddeholm AG. An analogue is the AISI 440C brand (EN 1.4125 | DIN X105CrMo17).