Carbon vs Stainless Steel in Knives - Knife Steel Nerds
Carbon vs Stainless Steel Properties. While perceptions of stainless steel were often based on 420 or 440A knives heat treated to relatively low hardness, the 440C and 154CM used in stock removal knives in the 70's were a different breed. They were capable of high hardness (>58 Rc) and had high wear resistance.