X46Cr13 stainless steel makes excellent stainless steel cutlery
The X46Cr13, also called 420HC or 1.4034, is the stainless steel that is most used for cutlery. Carbon content of 0.46% allows it to provide sufficient hardness for common use while offering excellent corrosion resistance....
X46Cr13 stainless steel makes excellent stainless steel cutlery
The X46Cr13, also called 420HC or 1.4034, is the stainless steel that is most used for cutlery. Carbon content of 0.46% allows it to provide sufficient hardness for common use while offering excellent corrosion resistance.
420HC steel is for those who wish to start working with stainless steel:
With a good quality/price ratio it is the reference type for any knife-maker beginning to work with stainless steel. Relatively simple in composition compared to other stainless steel like N690, the thermal processing of X46Cr13 is very simple. The holding time for austenitisation temperature is shorter than for stainless steels that are very richly alloyed with chromium - 10 to 15 minutes are enough for 3 mm thickness. As with all stainless steel, we strongly recommend the use of a temperature controlled quench furnace and the use of stainless steel protective foil.
Quenching by oil or by air?
All stainless steel can be quenched in air but that does imply that the part can be cooled in ambient air. The cooling rate is extremely important to achieve the desired hardness and to guarantee anti-corrosive properties. If you want to cool in the air, it can be done between aluminium plates or forced air. To be successful, it is critical to exceed cooling rate of 10 °C/second. This means that in less than two minutes, the part must be at room temperature (below 70 °C at the core)
X46Cr13 stainless steel in very large forms:
If you are looking for this type in larger forms (metal sheets, coils, flat bars etc.) we have huge stocks available in many thicknesses. Please do not hesitate to contact us using the contact form.
