Crucible Industries / USA

CPM 420C

Powder Metallurgy Stainless Steel57-60HRCCrucible Particle Metallurgy (CPM)

Composition

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

Material Overview

CPM 420C is a stainless steel produced using Crucible’s Particle Metallurgy process, improving the carbide distribution and overall performance compared to conventional 420-series steels. It delivers a balanced combination of toughness, corrosion resistance, and wear resistance while remaining relatively easy to sharpen. The steel is especially valued in applications where durability and rust resistance are more important than extreme edge retention.

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

9.0

Corrosion Resistance

9.0

Sharpenability

8.0

Advantages

Excellent toughness
High corrosion resistance
Easy to sharpen and maintain
More refined structure than conventional 420 steels
Suitable for wet and hard-use environments

Disadvantages

Edge retention lower than premium high-vanadium steels
Not optimized for ultra-high hardness
Less wear resistance compared to steels like M390 or K390

At A Glance

CPM 420C is a powder metallurgy stainless steel offering excellent toughness, high corrosion resistance, and easy maintenance, making it suitable for hard-use and marine-oriented knives.