Hand knives

A cut above the rest – Uddeholm powder steel for hand knives and knife applications

Uddeholm powder steels have gained popularity among professional and amateur makers of hand knives. Powder steels offer sharper edges and more durable knives and blades compared to commonly used steels. If you are a maker or collector of high quality hunting knives, tactical knives or survival knives, you may appreciate the unique properties that our materials offer and that will make your knives a cut above the rest.

Powder steel for sharp knife and blade edges
Maximum cleanliness and a minimum powder size. That’s the success of Uddeholm’s third generation of powder steel. Our manufacturing process and the powder properties minimize the risk for edge chipping. For knife manufacturers, Uddeholm powder steels steel means excellent grinding and polishability properties, trouble free production and sharper edges. Steel for knives that are truly a cut above the rest.

From conventional to Uddeholm third generation Superclean3 powder. The finer powder size of Uddeholm's modern PM production technology enables sharper edges and knife blades with excellent toughness.

What do our customers think of Uddeholm steel for knives

UDDEHOLM ELMAX ®

A great all-rounder in the world of corrosion resistant PM steel for knives

Uddeholm Elmax is a perfectly balanced PM grade which has been designed to reach a hardness of 60+ Rockwell with a good corrosion resistance and excellent edge retention. The superclean production process combined with small sized powder and carbides guarantees trouble free grinding and polishing. Our process and powder properties also ensure a super fine edge and that the risk for edge chipping is minimized.

 

Uddeholm Elmax/Kershaw awarded Blade Magazine 2009 American-Made Knife Of The Year®

Uddeholm Elmax used in Kershaw's knife Speedform,
awarded “Blade Magazine 2009 American-Made Knife Of The Year®”.



MORE UDDEHOLM STEEL GRADES FOR KNIFE APPLICATIONS

MORE UDDEHOLM STEEL GRADES FOR KNIFE APPLICATIONS



Relative property profile for Uddeholm Elmax

(At recommended hardness)
Wear resistance and edge retention graph for Uddeholm Elmax


Polishability of Ellmax

Polishability graph for Uddeholm Elmax


Chemical composition

The high chromium content gives Uddeholm Elmax a good corrosion resistance. The addition of vanadium and high carbon content further improves the hardness and abrasive wear resistance.

 

 C

 Si

 Mn

 Cr

 Mo

 V

 ANALYSIS %

 1,7

 0,8

 0,3

 18,0

 1,0

 3,0



Heat treatment

Uddeholm Elmax is heat treated according to normal procedures as regards to soft annealing, stress relieving, austenitizing, hardening and tempering. Three alternative heat treatment cycles are presented below.

 

Austenitizing,
30 min holding time

Cryo treatment

Tempering
(2x2h)

 Aim hardness

Recommended

 2010 oF

 

480 oF

 58 HRC 

Max hardness

 2100 oF (15 min)

 -320 oF*

   390 oF**

 62 HRC

Max toughness

 1900 oF

 

480 oF

 56 HRC

 

 

 

 


 

* Deep cool immediately after quenching. If liquid nitrogen cannot be used, deep cooling in dry ice to −95 ºF can be used with a similar result.
** Deep cool immidiately after quenching and after the first tempering. If liquid nitrogen cannot be used, deep cooling in dry ice to −95 ºF can be used with a similar result.

Uddeholm Elmax - technical brochure (pdf)



MORE UDDEHOLM STEEL GRADES FOR KNIFE APPLICATIONS

MORE UDDEHOLM STEEL GRADES FOR KNIFE APPLICATIONS

 



CONTACT INFORMATION

U.S.A
Bohler-Uddeholm Corporation
Branch Office and Service Center:
7010 S 188th Street
Kent, WA 98032
Tel.: (425) 251-5280
Fax: (425) 251-5993

john.steedman@bucorp.com

Other countries:
Please see the list of our worldwide sales network or contact us at info@uddeholm.com