Bohler-Uddeholm / Austria

N690Co

Stainless Steel57-59HRCConventional Cast / Forged

Composition

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

Material Overview

N690 is an Austrian stainless steel produced by Bohler-Uddeholm, designed as a versatile knife steel with a good balance of corrosion resistance, toughness, and edge-holding capability. Its composition includes chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium, providing reliable performance in wet or harsh environments. N690 is not a powder metallurgy steel but offers excellent value for mid-to-high-end 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

7.0

Toughness

8.0

Corrosion Resistance

8.0

Sharpenability

8.0

Advantages

High corrosion resistance
Good toughness
Affordable and widely available
Easy to sharpen
Suitable for everyday knives and outdoor use

Disadvantages

Edge retention is lower than premium PM steels like M390 or CPM 20CV
Not as hard as ultra-high-end stainless steels

At A Glance

N690Co(Bohler-Uddeholm) - Bohler-Uddeholm steel, recommended working hardness 58-60HRC. Similar to VG-10. Later, Aichi produced pretty much identical(with N690), ZA-18 steel, promoted to be better a performer than VG-10.