A2 knife steel
A2 is a tool & high-speed knife steel, typically hardened to HRC 60-62.
| Type | Tool & high-speed |
|---|---|
| Hardness | HRC 60-62 |
| Edge retention | highhigher than 19 of 48, tied with 17 |
| Corrosion resistance | lowamong the lowest of 49 |
| Toughness | very-highhigher than 40 of 48, tied with 8 |
| Ease of sharpening | moderate to sharpeneasier to sharpen than 20 of 48, tied with 14 |
| Price tier | Mid |
| Best for | Hard-use / survivalOutdoor / bushcraft |
A2 chemical composition
| C | Cr | Mo | V |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~1.05 | ~5.15 | ~1.15 | ~0.33 |
Nominal weight %, midpoint of the standard's range. Source: MakeItFrom (standard ranges). What the alloying adds: vanadium (0.33%) gives hard vanadium carbides, the main source of wear resistance.
Knives in A2
TURENZ Professional 8.3in A2 Steel Folding Knife - Titanium Coated, St- ESEE Sencillo Fixed Blade Survival Knife w/Brown Micarta Handle, and K
- Smith & Wesson Accessories Extreme Ops SWA24S 7.1in S.S. Folding Knife
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Similar tool & high-speed steels
| Steel | Type | HRC | Edge | Corrosion | Toughness | Tier | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O1 | Tool & high-speed | 57-62 | medium | low | high | Budget | Shop → |
| D2 | Tool & high-speed | 58-62 | high | medium | medium | Mid | Shop → |
| CPM CruWear PM | Tool & high-speed | 60-64 | high | medium | very high | Premium | Shop → |
| CPM-3V PM | Tool & high-speed | 58-62 | high | medium | very high | Premium | Shop → |
| CPM-4V PM | Tool & high-speed | 60-64 | high | low | very high | Premium | Shop → |
| Vanadis 4 Extra PM | Tool & high-speed | 60-63 | high | low | very high | Premium | Shop → |
All tool & high-speed steels · every steel · best for a purpose