W2 knife steel

W2 is a carbon / low-alloy knife steel, typically hardened to HRC 58-62.

Type	Carbon / low-alloy
Hardness	HRC 58-62
Edge retention	mediumhigher than 5 of 48, tied with 13
Corrosion resistance	lowamong the lowest of 49
Toughness	highhigher than 25 of 48, tied with 14
Ease of sharpening	easy to sharpeneasier to sharpen than 35 of 48, tied with 13
Price tier	Mid
Best for	Outdoor / bushcraftKitchen

Knives in W2

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By Caslon Media · Updated Jun 11, 2026 · Specs from producer datasheets and published testing, not our own lab (how we compare)

Tiers last verified 2026-06-11 · properties are documented consensus tiers; real performance depends on heat treat & geometry (methodology)

Similar carbon / low-alloy steels

Steel	Type	HRC	Edge	Corrosion	Toughness	Tier	Buy
1075	Carbon / low-alloy	56-58	low	low	very high	Budget	Shop →
1084	Carbon / low-alloy	58-60	medium	low	high	Budget	Shop →
1095	Carbon / low-alloy	56-58	medium	low	high	Budget	Shop →
5160	Carbon / low-alloy	57-60	medium	low	very high	Budget	Shop →
80CrV2	Carbon / low-alloy	58-60	medium	low	very high	Budget	Shop →
52100	Carbon / low-alloy	60-64	high	low	high	Mid	Shop →

All carbon / low-alloy steels · every steel · best for a purpose