Bohler-Uddeholm / Sweden

M398

Powder Metallurgy Stainless Steel62-64HRCPowder Metallurgy (PM)

Composition

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

Material Overview

M398 is a next-generation powder metallurgy stainless steel developed by Bohler-Uddeholm. It is an evolution of M390 with increased carbon and vanadium content, providing even greater wear resistance and edge retention. The steel features a fine carbide structure that supports outstanding cutting performance and edge stability. While highly resistant to corrosion, its extreme hardness makes sharpening more demanding and toughness slightly lower than balanced steels like MagnaCut or S35VN.

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

10.0

Toughness

7.0

Corrosion Resistance

9.0

Sharpenability

6.0

Advantages

Exceptional edge retention
Extremely high wear resistance
Excellent corrosion resistance
Fine PM microstructure supports stable and sharp edges
Ideal for premium high-performance knives

Disadvantages

More difficult to sharpen than most stainless steels
Toughness is lower than balanced-performance steels
Premium price and limited availability

At A Glance

M398 is an ultra-premium powder metallurgy stainless steel with extremely high wear resistance and exceptional edge retention, designed for high-performance knives requiring long-lasting sharpness.