Cutlery steels: properties, uses, and maintenance

Choosing a knife often starts with a question of steel. Yet cutlery steels are far from a fixed ranking: the same grade can produce a remarkable blade or a disappointing knife, depending on the heat treatment it receives, the geometry it is given, and the use for which it is intended. There is no universal best steel. There are steels suitable for the kitchen, others for a folding knife that lives in a pocket, and still others for pieces worked on for a long time, meant to be looked at as much as they are used.

This page serves as a starting point. It explains what a steel actually changes in a knife, which criteria to compare, and how to read a grade name without being impressed. To go further, each steel has its own sheet, and a dedicated guide details which steel to choose for a knife according to your situation.

Things to remember before comparing steels

• A steel never works alone: heat treatment, blade geometry, and sharpening count as much as composition.
• The right steel is the one that matches the intended use, not the one whose name impresses the most on a technical sheet.
• Stainless or carbon: each type requires compromises, none is superior in all situations.
• High hardness is not a guarantee of performance. It comes at a cost elsewhere, often in sharpening or impact resistance.
• Maintenance is part of the choice: a carbon steel blade requires more attention than a stainless steel blade.
• Two knives made from the same alloy can behave very differently.

What truly makes the quality of a blade

An alloy. A heat treatment. A geometry. Three decisions that interact. Missing even one is enough for the name engraved on the blade to be worth little.

The composition of steel defines a potential: its ability to harden, resist corrosion, and wear slowly. Heat treatment determines what that potential becomes. Quenching sets the hardness, tempering adjusts the balance between hardness and toughness. The same grade can come out of the furnace flexible like a spring or brittle like glass. Then comes the geometry: the grind, the thickness behind the edge, the blade profile. It is she who determines how the knife passes through a carrot or a slice of roast. A renowned steel, mounted on a blade that is too thick, will cut less well than an ordinary grade carefully honed. Sharpening, finally, gives the edge its true condition at the moment of serving.

In the workshop, I choose the steel almost last. First the use, then the geometry that suits this use, finally the grade that allows for both. A simpler steel, well-treated and well-sharpened, often provides more service than a prestigious reference poorly utilized.

Properties to compare

Comparing steels is comparing compromises. No grade combines all the advantages, and pushing one criterion to the maximum usually comes at the expense of another.

Corrosion resistance

It is the ability of the blade to withstand moisture, cooking juices, and acidic foods. A tomato, a lemon, or a wet cutting board test a steel more surely than a day of dry work. So-called stainless steels resist much better, without being invulnerable all the same.

Edge retention

It is the length of time the edge remains effective between two sharpenings. Good edge retention avoids having to touch up the blade every week. The flip side: steels that wear slowly are also, in general, longer to resharpen.

Ease of sharpening

Some steels regain an edge in a few strokes on a stone. Others require time, method, and sometimes more aggressive abrasives. For those who sharpen at home, this criterion weighs heavily, often more than edge retention.

Toughness

It is the resistance to shocks and sudden stresses: contact with a bone, an accidental twist, a fall. A very hard but not very tough steel can chip where a more flexible steel would bend or dent without breaking. A fine kitchen blade and a knife intended for heavy-duty work do not require the same balance.

Edge fineness

Some grades, particularly those with a fine grain, accept a very sharp and stable edge. This is appreciated for slicing vegetables or cutting thin slices. Other steels prefer a slightly more open angle, more durable but less sharp.

Maintenance and consistency with the price

A carbon blade needs to be wiped and dried after use; a stainless steel blade is more forgiving. Finally, the steel must remain consistent with the piece: an expensive grade only makes sense if the heat treatment, geometry, and finish follow. Paying for the material without the work that reveals it is the surest way to be disappointed.

Stainless steel or carbon steel?

The question comes up with every order, and it deserves better than a predetermined winner.

"Stainless" means that the steel contains enough chromium to form a protective layer that slows down corrosion. Slows, not prevents: a stainless blade left in the sink or stored wet can get pitted, especially near the edge. In everyday use, these steels offer real peace of mind: you rinse, you dry, you store. For a kitchen knife used by the whole family, or a folding knife exposed to rain and sweat, this is a tangible advantage.

Carbon steels play another tune. Many take a very fine edge and re-sharpen quickly, making them enjoyable blades for those who like to feel the cut and maintain their tool. On the other hand, they react to acids and moisture: the blade develops a gray patina over time. This patina partially protects the metal and tells the story of the knife — provided it is not confused with rust, which genuinely attacks the surface. A carbon steel requires a simple but non-negotiable gesture: wipe and dry after each use.

In the kitchen, both families have their place depending on the user's care. In the pocket, moisture often favors stainless steel, except for well-established habits. In a collection, carbon steel and its patina are as appealing as polished stainless steels. The detailed comparison stainless or carbon steel for a knife delves into these choices on a case-by-case basis.

Compare steels at a glance

The table below summarizes general trends. It does not take into account heat treatment or geometry, which can significantly shift each slider: two adjacent lines therefore never indicate a winner.

Six steels in brief

Each steel presented here has a detailed sheet. The summaries that follow give the essentials to position each grade before going in-depth.

N690

The N690 is a very common stainless steel in cutlery, appreciated for its balanced profile: good corrosion resistance, decent to good edge retention depending on the heat treatment, reasonable sharpening for an individual equipped with standard stones. It is suitable for both a pocket folding knife and a knife that accompanies outdoor trips or kitchen preparations. It is a forgiving steel, without excelling spectacularly in any area — which, for a knife used every day, is precisely a quality.

14C28N

14C28N is a stainless steel specifically developed for cutlery. Its hallmark: the ability to take a fine and stable edge, combined with easy sharpening and good corrosion resistance. Its edge retention remains moderate compared to grades richer in carbides, but a few passes on a stone are enough to regain an effective edge. It is a consistent choice for a kitchen knife used every day or a folding knife that one wants to be able to maintain oneself without any special equipment.

RWL34

RWL34 is a stainless steel produced by powder metallurgy, a process that creates a fine and homogeneous structure. The result: good edge retention, a stable edge, and a strong aptitude for polishing and advanced finishing, which explains its presence on parts that are worked extensively. Sharpening it requires a little more time and technique than a common grade. I reserve it for knives where the finish matters as much as the cut.

Z50CDV13

The Z50CDV13 is a well-known stainless steel grade in French cutlery, widely used around the Thiers region. Its strengths are practical: it sharpens easily, resists corrosion well, and tolerates family use without requiring special attention. Its moderate edge retention means more frequent, but quick, sharpening. For a table or kitchen knife that passes through many hands, it is a solid compromise with no unpleasant surprises.

C130

The C130 is a carbon steel. It takes a very fine edge, can be resharpened in a few passes, and develops over time a gray patina that reflects its uses. On the other hand, it is sensitive to moisture and acids: wiping and drying the blade after each use is not optional. It is a steel for careful users, who appreciate a blade that responds well to sharpening and accept the maintenance ritual that comes with it. In the kitchen as well as in the pocket, it rewards the attention given to it.

Damascus

"Damascus" does not refer to a type of steel but to a construction. A Damascus blade can combine several carbon steels welded in layers, several stainless steels, or come from steel produced industrially using a dedicated process. The visible pattern on the surface results from this layered structure revealed by chemical etching. It marks the graphic identity of the blade but, on its own, says nothing about its performance: this depends on the alloys used and the heat treatment.

Which steel depending on the use?

Kitchen knife

The kitchen is a harsh environment for a blade: acidic juices, a wet cutting board, frequent trips under water. For family use, where the knife sometimes lingers near the sink, an easily sharpened stainless steel simplifies life. For a careful cook who wipes their blade between preparations, a carbon steel offers a fine edge and quick resharpening. Geometry matters as much as the grade: a thin blade behind the edge cuts through an onion effortlessly, whereas a thick blade splits it. The handmade kitchen knives from the workshop illustrate these choices, and the guide choosing a kitchen knife helps you slice according to your habits.

Pocket knife

A folding knife lives in a pocket, in contact with sweat, rain, sometimes with an impromptu snack on the corner of a table. Moisture argues for stainless steel, especially since a folding knife is rarely taken apart to be thoroughly dried. Versatility comes first: string, sausage, apple, cardboard — the blade must withstand various demands and be easily resharpened in the evening. A balanced steel, neither too hard nor too soft, serves better than an extreme grade. The handmade folding knives from the workshop follow this logic, detailed in the guide choosing a pocket knife.

Table knife

The table knife combines daily food contact, repeated washings, and handling by diners who do not think to wipe it. A tolerant stainless steel, capable of a fine enough edge to slice meat without tearing it, is the most coherent choice. The aesthetics of the blade also matter: placed on a table, the knife is looked at between courses. A simple satin finish or a carefully polished one ages well in this use.

Collector's item or designer piece

On a unique piece, the steel contributes to the presence of the object: a Damascus with a drawn pattern, a mirror polish on fine-grained steel, a carbon blade whose patina will evolve with its owner. However, the rarity of a hue never justifies sacrificing function. An artisan knife remains a knife: it must cut, feel good in the hand, and be able to be resharpened. The coherence between material, design, and use determines the value of the piece, much more than the name of the steel alone.

Heat treatment, geometry: why two knives that are identical on paper differ

Two blades cut from the same steel bar can behave in opposite ways. The difference lies first in the heat treatment: hardening freezes the metal's structure and sets the hardness, while tempering then releases some of the stresses to gain toughness. Each grade has its own adjustment window, and the choice of the balance point depends on the intended knife — a fine kitchen blade is not treated like a knife meant for heavy duty work. Next comes the geometry: grind, thickness behind the edge, sharpening angle. It is this that translates the qualities of the metal into actual cutting performance.

In the workshop, the pieces are entirely manufactured on site, from the design to the finishing. On production models, certain operations such as heat treatment or grinding may be entrusted to specialized partners, equipped to ensure consistent cycles; the choice of steel grades, fitting, assembly, finishing, and inspection remain my work. The page manufacture of a handcrafted knife describes these steps, and the guide heat treatment of a knife blade explain what is happening in the oven.

Maintaining your blade according to the steel

Some actions apply to all steels: rinse, wipe, dry, and never put a knife in the dishwasher — detergents and heat attack the edge, the handles, and sometimes the metal itself. A blade stored wet always ends up making it known, stainless included. On a folding knife, the pivot and mechanism deserve regular attention: a bit of dust or residue is enough to stiffen the opening.

Carbon blades add a ritual: systematic drying, and appropriate protection for food contact before prolonged storage. The guide protect a carbon steel blade details these gestures. On the blade side, it is better to sharpen before the edge is completely worn: a few regular strokes are more beneficial than a long catch-up session, as the guide explains sharpening and honing a knife. All the advice is gathered in maintaining a handcrafted knife.