Stainless Steel Knife Blanks
Stainless steel for knives that live in a damp pack, a kitchen or a pocket. We grind and harden blanks in 1.4116, N690 and AEB-L, and each product page prints its hardness. Pick the steel by the job below. The comparison under the grid covers edge life, corrosion resistance and sharpening.
Choosing between them
1.4116 at 54–57 HRC is the forgiving one. Sharpens on anything, resists corrosion very well, takes abuse without chipping. The right choice for a first build or a knife that will be used hard and touched up often.
N690 at 58–60 HRC is the all-rounder. Holds an edge notably longer than 1.4116, still sharpens on ordinary waterstones, excellent corrosion resistance. If you want one steel that handles kitchen work and outdoor use equally well, this is it.
AEB-L at 60 HRC is the fine-grained one. Originally a razor steel, it takes a keener edge than anything else in this group and is a favourite for kitchen knives.
Stainless is not stain-proof
All three resist rust well. None of them is immune. Acidic food left on a blade will mark it, and salt water left to dry will pit it. Rinse, dry, put it away.
For a full comparison see N690 vs AEB-L vs 1.4116.
Browse stainless by steel
Related reading: choosing steel for a kitchen knife, choosing steel for outdoor and EDC knives, and what HRC really means.