When you looking for best steel then we highly recommend you the best steel. Don’t worry, we’ll cover everything you need to know.
When we buy a knife, one of the issues that you have to take into account is the type of steel, so you must choose a steel that provides variety of features and meets your needs and preferences.
So, here we compare two steel, 8cr13mov vs 420hc, these comes with different features.
8cr13mov vs 420hc Comparison:




1. Best 8Cr13MoV Knives Review
- Game Changer - Being tenacious means you are persistent and cohesive. It's being...
- Superior Blade Steel - The 3.39" 8Cr13MoV stainless blade is coated in a...
- A Secure Grip - It has a black G-10 laminate handle, Ergonomically milled with...
- Easy-to-Use - The blade's shape coupled with an oversized Spyderco Round Hole...
This page highly recommends the Spyderco Tenacious Value Folding knife, which comes with professional looks for right size KDC knife on a budget.
Who searching for good prices knife, then this is very good for its affordable price. We’ll tell you why first you have a 3.4-inch drop point straight edge blade made from the 8cr13mov; which makes the knife perfect corrosion resistance and toughness. Next reason the handle that has a G-10 handle.
After all, when you being tenacious means, you are persistent and cohesive. Since the knife was made from high-quality material, it is best for cutting.
Coupled with an oversize Spyderco round hole and textured spine jumping.
2. Gerber LMF II
- Originally designed to free an aircrew from a downed aircraft
- Tough enough to cut through the fuselage of an aircraft
- Purposeful break between the tang and the butt cap, providing insulated...
- Handle Material: Glass-filled nylon with TPV overmold
Who searching for professional quality knives then, the Gerber LMF II Infantry Knife is one of the best ways for you. That comes with a 4.84 drop point blade with a serrated edge, and include glass-filled nylon with TPV over mold handle and a reinforced sheath.
On the other hand, it made of stainless steel in the end of the blade that can pierce glass. The knife comes with ergonomic comfortable to handle and according to Gerber its originally designed to free an aircrew from a downed aircraft. If looking for best quality steel, you can check out our 14c28n vs 12c27 Knife Steel compare review.
8cr13mov vs 420hc Compared
What 8Cr13MoV Steel
8Cr13MoV blade steel is a Chinese stainless-steel grade that is specially used for home scissors and knives. The comparable hardness, low cost, and ease of manufacturing enabled the steel to gain the most popularity in kitchen knives. Even, Chinese grade is equivalent to Aichi AUS 8 steel with carbon content to the higher side.
This is a high carbon – high chromium alloy use for a kitchen knife. These types of steel generally contain several primary and secondary carbides along with cementite. Which is responsible for higher hardness and cutting ability.
What is 420hc steel?
The 420hc is an evolution of the 420 steel, that include with low-end stainless steel use for cutlery, custom knives, scissors and surgical tools. Most of the knives company uses these steel for professional knife. It is a professional carbon content 420 stainless steel.
However it has a wonderful carbon base and is mixed to a harder finish than 420 stainless steel, but under normal processes, falls around 55 HRC.
Buck knives are just one of the many products that are made from 420hc tough material. As from features, there are many different levels of steel. But product made from 420hc steel that are definitely different from other types of steel in terms of performance and reliability.
Is 8Cr13MoV good knife steel?
Everyone knows that these types of knife material come with reasonable price, and they provide Decent Edge retention, corrosion resistance, and hardness and wear resistance.
As from features, for this low price, so the answer is yes compared to other budget steel knives. So, without confusion, you use it as an EDC knife, kitchen knife or hunting knife, but be prepared to take good care of it.
Top get a wonderful steel to check out our review about the 14c28n vs 154cm.
Is 420hc steel good for knife?
For this low-end stainless steel the 420hc is wonderful steel for the low-entry knife. However the steel comes with decent edge retention, perfect corrosion resistance and it’s easy to sharpen, that’s why our answer is yes, the 420hc steel is good for knives.
These types of knives are more durable and easy to sharpen when in constant use and they’re pretty rust-resistant. On the other hand, these types of steel make them a great for some machetes.
Is 8Cr13MoV steel easy to sharpen?
The high hardness of approximately 60HRC makes the steel easy to sharp 8Cr13MoV knifes.
Is 420hc steel easy to sharpen?
Although 420hc doesn’t hold an edge well, but luckily the steels relatively stain-resistant and tough. That is easy to use and sharpen. However, there is one exception: the 420hc is produce using a proprietary heat treatment.
So, there is one of the top advantage in using 420hc steel. That is already most popularity in market for their high-quality performance and easy to sharpen. However, this is wonderful material is use for hatchets, knives.
8cr13mov steel hardness
The 8cr13mov steel can quench at 1050 °C to obtain the highest hardness value, the Rockwell hardness can reach above 62 HRC.
This high hardness helps to improve the sharpness and wear resistance of the knife. As from features, to improve corrosion resistance and toughness, a secondary tempering process can be selected.
8Cr13MoV steel composition
Material | Quantity | Work |
C | 0.7 – 0.8 | It can improve hardness and corrosion resistance; on the other hand a high amount of it decreases strength. |
Si | <1.0 | It will improve strength. |
Mn | <1.0 | It that can increase hardness and brittleness. |
P | <0.04 | Improves strength. |
S | <0.03 | It can increase machinability. |
Cr | 13.00 – 4.50 | This for tensile strength and edge retention and enhances corrosion resistance and wear resistance. |
Mo | 0.10 – 0.30 | The material increase machinability and strength. |
Ni | <0.6 | It can improve toughness. |
V | 0.10 – 0.25 | It improves wear resistance and hardenability. |
420hc steel composition
Materials | Quantity | Works |
Carbon | 0.46 | Improves hardness Wear/corrosion resistance Unfortunately a high amount of it decreases strength. |
Chromium | 13 % | Great for tensile strength and Edge retention. Even it enhances corrosion resistance and wear resistance |
Manganese | 0.4 % | It improves hardness and brittleness. |
Vanadium | 0.3% | Increases wear resistance and hardenability. |
Silicon | 0.4 | Perfect for strength. |
8Cr13Mov vs 420hc steel properties
8cr13mov | 420hc | Work |
3 | 3 | EDGE RETENTION |
5 | 8 | CORROSION RESISTANCE |
8 | 9 | EASE OF SHARPENING |
6 | 6 | TOUGHNESS |
8cr13mov Compared with Others Steel
8cr13mov vs 440c
According to our research 8Cr13MoV blade steel, 440C has a higher carbon (0.95-1.2%) and chromium (16-18%) content. On the other hand, 440c is a high grade and high wear resistant steel that comes with an excellent edge retention.
When you compare these two brand, you can say 440c is a step-up model if we talk about hardness and edge retention.
Is 8Cr13MoV steel any good? Get for complete guide you can read our compared review 14c28n vs 8cr13mov.
8cr13mov vs vg10
VG10 comes with higher carbon that is more corrosion resistant and harder than Chinese steel but for daily use for 8cr13mov has still better edge plenty. In this two brand, due to higher alloying the toughness of vg10 is also lower than 8cr13mov.
In this two steel , one must know that vg10 is more prone to chipping, so for daily it is always better to choose 8cr13mov steel.
AUS 8 vs 8cr13mov
Aus 8 and 8cr13mov almost comes with similar features in carbon content, however, the former is Japanese grade steel having 3 times more molybdenum and vanadium than 8Cr13MoV. On the other hand, Aus8 is better to edge retention and toughness as compared to the Chinese variant.
When you looking these two steel you must need to consider their features, quality is comparable, however in a little detail, we can say Aus 8 can take a bit more stress and it cannot retain edge as a Chinese variant. Besides, 8Cr13MoV high carbon stainless steel can keep a fine and sharp edge longer but it is more prone to chipping if it hits a harder surface.
8cr13mov vs 420hc – Final Verdict
Finally, we want to remind you that this review is based on hours or research and our top opinions for compare8cr13mov vs 420hc steel.
These two products come with different features and working abilities. So, purchase the right one which the best for your needs.
Specially 420hc stainless steels are the same alloy, depending on the manufacturer. According to our research, lower-midrange steel but the more skilled manufactures.
On the other hand, when searching for a tough blade at an affordable price, you’ll have a hard time finding anything better than 8Cr13MoV.