Various Manufacturers / USA / Europe / Asia

420

Low Carbon Stainless Steel (Basic Martensitic)50–54 HRCConventional Ingot Steel Process

Composition

Core alloying elements define the baseline trade-off between wear resistance, corrosion behavior, and toughness.

Material Overview

420 stainless steel is the base grade of the 420 family and represents one of the lowest-cost stainless steels used in knife manufacturing. Due to its low carbon content, it is very soft compared to modern steels, making it extremely easy to sharpen but poor in edge retention. It is commonly used in entry-level knives, diving knives, and applications where corrosion resistance and low cost are more important than cutting performance.

Performance Radar

Use four core metrics to understand the usable operating envelope of this steel at a glance.

Edge Retention

Toughness

Corrosion Resistance

Sharpenability

Edge Retention

3.0

Toughness

7.0

Corrosion Resistance

7.0

Sharpenability

10.0

Advantages

Extremely easy to sharpen
Good corrosion resistance
Very low cost
Highly resistant to rust in basic environments
Good for simple utility use

Disadvantages

Very poor edge retention
Soft blade performance
Requires frequent sharpening
Not suitable for serious cutting tasks

At A Glance

420 is a very basic stainless steel known for excellent corrosion resistance and extremely easy sharpening, but very low edge retention and soft cutting performance.