12C27 steel or AUS-8?

Properties of 12C27

The 12C27 steel is also known as Swedish steel and is considered an excellent knife steel.

• It has a carbon of 0.6% and contains 13.5% chromium and 0.4% manganese.
• This material has a hardness of Rockwell HRC 54-56.

This is AUS-8 steel

AUS-8 is also an excellent knife steel.

• It contains a little more carbon (0.7-0.75%), 13-14.5% chromium, also 1% manganese, 1% silicon 0.1-0.3 molybdenum and 0.1-0.25 vanadium


What is knife steel? - A simple explanation

Everyone can relate to the term steel, but what is knife steel? Exactly …

• The hardness of this steel is Rockwell HRC 57-59.

Differences between materials

• In general, you shouldn't assume that a high degree of hardness is always an advantage. A hardness of about 57 is recommended for hunting knives, which results in less hardened AUS-8 or heavily hardened 12C27. The Swedish steel would have to be strongly hardened to a hardness of 56, while Aus-8, slightly hardened, already has a hardness of 57.
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• In practice, you will not notice the difference in hardness, neither when grinding nor in the sustainability of sharpness, but in flexibility. So if you have a long knife Are you looking for a filleting or easy removal of meat from a bone, Aus-8 is a better choice.
• A short, robust knife can be made from AUS-8 as well as from 12C27. Traditionally, most people prefer to use Swedish steel when flexibility is not important.
• When it comes to knives, it is not just the steel that counts, but the quality of the workmanship of the steel. So if you are looking for a high quality knife, you should first and foremost be careful to buy a knife from a reputable manufacturer.
• In terms of care, both steels are considered rust-free, but they can still turn brown stains come when you clean the knives in the dishwasher or do not dry them carefully after use.