N690 Steel Knife Blade Blanks
N690 is the all-rounder of our range and the steel we recommend when someone wants one blade that does most things well. Produced by Böhler, part of the Voestalpine group, it combines high chromium content with cobalt and vanadium to deliver corrosion resistance, toughness and edge retention in one alloy.
We run N690 at 58 to 60 HRC. Kitchen profiles are heat treated to 58-59 HRC, where the slightly lower hardness gives a more forgiving edge for board work. Outdoor and EDC profiles go a touch higher.
N690 at a glance
| Maker | Böhler (Voestalpine) |
|---|
| Type | Cobalt-alloyed stainless |
|---|
| Chemistry (average %) | C 1.08, Si 0.40, Mn 0.40, Cr 17.30, Mo 1.10, V 0.10, Co 1.50 |
|---|
| Our hardness | 58-60 HRC |
|---|
Strengths: An all-rounder with good edge life, high corrosion resistance and easy sharpening.
What N690 is good at
It holds an edge notably longer than 1.4116 while still sharpening on ordinary waterstones; you do not need diamond abrasives to maintain it. Corrosion resistance is excellent, so it copes with kitchen use, wet weather and blood without complaint. Toughness is high enough for bushcraft and camp knives.
Compared with our powder steels, N690 gives up some ultimate edge retention. In exchange it costs less and is far easier to sharpen. For most makers that is the right trade.
How these blanks are made
After laser cutting, each blade is hand ground in our own workshop through 40, 120 and 240 grit, using jigs we made for each profile, then sent to Voestalpine for vacuum heat treatment; the mill that produced the steel does the hardening, in industrial furnaces with documented cycles. Blades are shipped sharpened unless the order note asks otherwise, ready for handles. Free laser engraving of your name is included.
Not sure which steel suits your build? Our guide to blade hardness compares every steel we offer.
N690 steel: properties, hardness and how it compares
N690 steel is a Böhler cobalt alloyed stainless and the all-rounder of our range: good edge life, excellent corrosion resistance and easy sharpening on ordinary waterstones. We harden our N690 blanks to 58-60 HRC at Voestalpine.
Compared with AEB-L, N690 resists corrosion better while AEB-L takes a finer edge. Compared with 1.4116, N690 holds an edge notably longer.
| Steel | Our hardness | Edge retention | Corrosion resistance | Sharpening | Best for |
|---|
| N690 | 58-60 HRC | Good | Excellent | Easy, ordinary waterstones | One steel for kitchen and outdoor |
| AEB-L | 60 HRC | Good | Good | Easy for its hardness | Kitchen knives, the finest edge |
| 1.4116 | 54-57 HRC | Fair | Very good | Easiest, almost any stone | First builds, hard use, low budget |
For a longer comparison, read N690 vs AEB-L vs 1.4116.
Related categories
Related reading: what HRC really means, choosing steel for a kitchen knife, and choosing steel for outdoor and EDC knives.