About the MagnaCut Steel Used in Chris Reeve Knives

There are many things that make Chris Reeve Knives premium models. They are, without the slightest hint of exaggeration, some of the highest quality knives on the market today, regardless of the metric you use to define them.

They offer CNC-precision that delivers rock-solid lock up and glassy-smooth actions, and boast construction from high-end materials. On that latter note, popular Chris Reeve Knives like the Sebenza and Inkosi sport blades of MagnaCut steel. 

MagnaCut is a super steel, a term often used to describe an alloy that makes little to no compromises on hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance, and it is, in a word, one of the best. 

Often a steel will trade a little bit of corrosion resistance for higher toughness or edge retention, or sacrifice a little edge retention for a softer steel with more chromium that yields higher stainless qualities. MagnaCut does not. 

Here’s what you should know about it. 

CPM MagnaCut Steel Chemistry 

Understanding what MagnaCut offers as a super steel starts with understanding its steel chemistry. This alloy packs:

• Carbon at 1.15%
• Chromium at 10.7%
• Vanadium at 4%
• Molybdenum at 2%
• Niobium at 2%
• Nitrogen at .2%

This unique mixing of elements is what confers the desired three attributes to MagnaCut steel, so let’s take a closer look. 

Edge Retention, Toughness, and Rust-Resistance in One Package 

It’s not one single element that makes MagnaCut steel great, but the fusion of all of them. 

Let’s start with the carbon concentration. It’s high enough that it can lend the steel a good heat treatment, but not so high that it results in a brittle steel. 

Vanadium and molybdenum help with that. They both result in a tough steel, which is why they are so common in tool steel alloys. Their inclusion here helps properly heat-treated MagnaCut steel resist abuse. 

Vanadium, specifically, goes further, forming carbides with carbon in the alloy that make the steel harder, giving it excellent edge retention. Niobium also forms carbides in the alloy, improving edge retention, but it goes further by refining grain composition to reduce brittleness. 

The inclusion of nitrogen here also refines grain structure, helping to keep the carbides small and evenly distributed. This improves both toughness and wear resistance. Nitrogen also does double duty because in small concentrations it makes the steel slightly more corrosion resistant.

And, on that note, we have chromium at more than 10%, which carries the lion’s share of the conferral of corrosion-resistance, making MagnaCut a steel that is highly resistant to corrosive influences. 

The cool thing here is that a chromium concentration that is too high actually won’t help fight corrosion because  chromium forms carbides with carbon and then can’t form a protective oxide layer. 

Interestingly enough, it’s the slightly lower concentration of chromium here that gets the job done. Rather than getting sequestered in carbides, it forms a protective oxide layer that protects the steel. 

So, in a nutshell, what you get in this steel alloy are exceptional hardness (which yields a longer-lasting edge), a great deal of toughness, which makes the steel exceptionally resistant not just to hard use but to abuse, and an unprecedented ability to resist corrosion.

Where to Learn More About Chris Reeve Knives

Construction using high-end blade steels is quite literally only one of the things that makes Chris Reeve Knives so highly regarded in the industry. There are many others. 

If you’re looking to get more familiar with some popular models of Chris Reeve Knives, start your search online at River’s Edge Cutlery. They carry many popular models from this and other top brands. 

Check out their catalog today and if you have any questions about what they sell get in touch with them for more information.

For more information about Shirogorov Knives and Spyderco Knives Please visit: River’s Edge Cutlery.