- photo credit: Patrice Geniez -
Sandvik 14C28, XC75 carbon, RWL34 or damask? All about the steels of the blades of our knives...
A good knife owes its sharpness to the way the blade is made and the quality of the steel used.
Alloy composition and hardness, combined with heat treatment and grinding will vary determine the cutting qualities of the blade and its resistance to wear and breakage.
For the manufacture of the blades of its folding knives, Le Liadou du Vallon ® mainly uses Sandvik® 14C28 steel but also carbon XC75, Damasteel® RWL34 and Damasteel® stainless steel damasks. Here are their main characteristics.
Sandvik 14C28 stainless steel
It combines excellent cutting performance, high hardness and very good corrosion resistance. Resharpening is easy due to its microstructure.
XC75 carbon steel
It is found on most old regional knives. It is renowned for its quality and flexibility, and offers good cutting edge and great ease of sharpening. On the other hand, it is sensitive to corrosion (the blade oxidizes and grays). It therefore requires ongoing maintenance if you want to protect it and preserve its appearance.
RWL34 stainless steel
It is a steel from powder metallurgy. This modern process consists in producing a steel by sintering (solidification of the powders constituting the alloy) and not by traditional fusion. This technique makes it possible to obtain high-performance and resistant steels. RWL34 is a high-purity steel that combines very high hardness, excellent corrosion resistance and exceptional long-lasting sharpness.
Damasteel® stainless damascus steel
It is obtained using the same powder metallurgy process. To obtain the specific patterns of damask, the forged and rolled steel is then struck and/or twisted. The designs obtained are fine, elegant and varied. Cutting qualities and sturdiness are very high.
