Various Chinese Manufacturers / China

8Cr17MoV

Stainless Steel57–60 HRCConventional Ingot Steel Process

Composition

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

Material Overview

8Cr17MoV is one of the most common entry-level stainless steels in Chinese knife manufacturing. It is often compared to 440B due to similar composition and performance characteristics. It provides a balanced mix of corrosion resistance, ease of sharpening, and acceptable hardness for everyday use. While not designed for high-performance cutting, it is reliable and cost-effective for general-purpose 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

5.0

Toughness

7.0

Corrosion Resistance

8.0

Sharpenability

9.0

Advantages

Very easy to sharpen
Good corrosion resistance
Affordable and widely available
Decent toughness for light tasks
Reliable for basic daily use

Disadvantages

Low edge retention
Not suitable for heavy-duty cutting
Outperformed by VG-10 / 14C28N class steels
Requires frequent sharpening

At A Glance

8Cr17MoV is a widely used Chinese stainless steel similar to 440B, offering good corrosion resistance, easy sharpening, and solid everyday cutting performance.