GOST / Russia

65KH13

Stainless Steel54–59 HRCConventional Ingot Steel Process

Composition

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

Material Overview

Quite clean Russian alloy, even though Russian sources often list it as AISI 440A steel analog, by composition it's closer to Sandvik 12C27 steel. Popular choice for hunting and fishing knives.

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

6.0

Toughness

8.0

Corrosion Resistance

9.0

Sharpenability

9.0

Advantages

Extremely easy to sharpen
Excellent corrosion resistance
Very tough and reliable
Low cost and widely available
Great for outdoor use

Disadvantages

Low edge retention
Not suitable for heavy abrasive cutting
Basic performance compared to modern steels
Requires frequent sharpening

At A Glance

Quite clean Russian alloy, even though Russian sources often list it as AISI 440A steel analog, by composition it's closer to Sandvik 12C27 steel. Popular choice for hunting and fishing knives.