9Cr18MoV Hardware Tool Steel Bar


9Cr18MoV is a high-end stainless steel that’s popular among blade manufacturers globally. It’s a 440B modified steel that contains 0.9% Carbon and 18% Chromium.

 

9Cr18MoV Composition :

 

CarbonChromiumManganeseSulfurMolybdenumSiliconNickelPhosphorusVanadium
0.9% 18% 0.8%  0.03% 1.0-1.3% 0.8%0.6%  0.04% 0.07-0.12%

 

 

Properties of 9Cr18MoV:

 
 

Edge Retention

 

Edge retention in steels is due to combining elements that help in hardening the steel while keeping its brittleness in check.

The high content of Carbon in 9Cr18MoV steel gives it a solid build, which helps in withstanding friction. This is enhanced by the intense heat treatment which results in a Rockwell hardness of up to 60 HRC. As a result, 9Cr18MoV steel holds its edge pretty well. 

The small addition of Vanadium helps create Vanadium Carbide which is an extremely hard substance that also helps contribute to this steels edge retention.

 

Hardness

 

There are a wide array of different heat treatments used on every steel.  These specific heat treatments can drastically effect the properties of the steel in question.  

During this process, Carbon content is one of the main factors that helps in hardening the steel. This means that a high Carbon content results to steel becoming harder upon heat treatment. 

9Cr18MoV steel can be heat-treated to reach a Rockwell hardness of 58-60 HRC. The presence of Vanadium also boosts its Vanadium Carbide content which helps with the overall hardness and wear resistance.

 

Toughness

 

The harder the steel gets, the more brittle it usually becomes thereby reducing its toughness. With a Rockell hardness of 58-60 HRC, one would expect 9Cr18MoV to perform poorly in terms of toughness.

However, the incorporation of Nickel and Manganese in the steel increases increases the overall tensile strength of the 9Cr18MoV,  making it decently tough. 

It is often a bit of a trade off between hardness and toughness.  With that said, many of the new, higher quality knife steels coming out are pushing the limits of what can be acheived with modern metalurgy.

 

Corrosion Resistance

 

Stainless steel is a preferred knife material due to its corrosion resistance. This is due to the presence of elements (Nickel, Molybdenum, Chromium, etc.) which combine to prevent oxidative damage.  

9Cr18MoV steel features Chromium (18%), Nickel (0.6%), and Molybdenum (1-1.3%) - relatively ample quantities that give it excellent corrosion resistance.

 

9Cr18MoV Equivalent Steels:


 

9Cr18MoV and 440B are close equivalent steels which bear almost similar chemical composition. In fact, 9Cr18MoV is modified from 440B by adding Vanadium and increasing Molybdenum from 0.75% to 1-1.3%. However, there are slight variations in quantities of Manganese and Silicon which are reduced from 1% to 0.8%.  

 

Another 400 series close equivalent of 9Cr18MoV is the 440C steel. They both have high Carbon and Chromium content. In addition, they’re heat-treated to a Rockwell hardness of 58-60 HRC. Other than the slightly higher amounts of Molybdenum in 9Cr18MoV, the two steels are quite comparable in terms of hardness and wear resistance.



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