154 cm is a very popular amount of steel used in many knives like fish fillet knives and self-defense knives. This steel is manufactured in the US so in most American knives this steel is used. This steel is very popular for its durability and hardness.
The Rockwell hardness of this steel is around 60 to 61 HRC which is pretty good. The other features you can expect from this knife is Edge Retention, Wear Resistance, and Corrosion Resistance. These are the things that play an important role in the performance of knives.
If you are interested in buying knives that use this steel, our team collected two best knives: Gerber Gator 154cm Folding Knife and Benchmade – Mini Barrage 585 Knife that uses this 154cm steel can buy from Amazon.
| Image | Product & Features | Ratings | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Gerber Gator 154cm Folding Knife
|
9.7
|
Buy Now On AmazonCheck Price on eBay |
 |
Benchmade – Mini Barrage 585 Knife
|
9.5
|
Buy Now On AmazonCheck Price on eBay |
Table of Contents
What is 154cm Steel?
154cm steel is American-made steel, and it was developed in 1970 by Crucible. It is one of the better steel knives available in the market. 154cm is not powder steel; however, it is a high-end, high-carbon stainless steel used to make a variety of knives for various uses.
It is used for making cutlery, hunting knives, fillet knives, heavy-duty knives, and many other tools. 154cm steel offers high hardness, toughness, wear-resistance and enhances corrosion resistance.
The good thing about 154cm steel is that it will not rust for years. 154CM is a harder steel than most other steel. It offers excellent hardness and toughness properties. Moreover, 154cm steel holds its sharpness longer than most other stainless steel.
154cm steel chemical composition
154 is an improved version of 440c steel. 154cm steel consists of different elements, and each element is used for various purposes. The elements which are included in the 154cm steel are
| Elements | Percentage | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Sulfur | 0.03 | It increases the machinability of the steel. |
| Phosphorus | 0.03 | Phosphorus increases the strength of the steel and enhances resistance to corrosion in steel. |
| Vanadium | 0.4 | It improves the wear resistance and hardenability of the steel. |
| Tungsten | 0.4 | Tungsten enhances the hardness and wears resistance of the steel. |
| Manganese | 0.5 | It increases the hardness and brittleness of the steel. |
| Silicon | 0.8 | Silicon improves the strength of the steel. Moreover, it also increases the steel’s hardness. |
| Carbon | 1.05 | It increases the wear and corrosion resistance of the steel. It also improves the hardness of the steel, but a high amount of carbon may decrease the steel’s strength. |
| Molybdenum | 4 | Molybdenum increases the strength, machinability, and hardness of the steel. |
| Chromium | 14 | Chromium increases the tensile edge retention, power, and hardness of the steel. Moreover, it also enhances the corrosion resistance and wears resistance of the steel. |
Uses of 154cm steel
154cm steel is one of the newest stainless steel on the market. Many manufacturers consider 154cm steel better than 440c or some other stainless steel.
154cm steel is used in different knives and tools, which includes:
- It is commonly used in survival knives.
- This steel is also used in making hunting knives, diving knives, EDC knives, fishing knives, and even kitchen knives.
- 154cm is used in cutlery and ball bearings.
- It is also used in metallic blushing and valve ports.
Many knife companies such as Benchmade, Boker, Gerber, Protech are using 154cm steel to manufacture their knives and tools.
Rockwell hardness of the 154cm steel
As you know, it is stainless steel with high chromium, which enhances corrosion resistance. 154CM is a harder steel than most other steel. It offers excellent toughness and hardness properties.
The Rockwell hardness of the 154CM steel is between 60 to 61 HRC. Despite amazing properties, it is less expensive than the well-known S30V steel.
154CM steel properties
154cm steel offers some amazing features, which are as follows:
Edge Retention: The combination of Carbon, Chromium, and Manganese makes the steel very hard. 154cm steel offers a high hardness between 59 to 61 HRC; this means 154cm steel provides excellent edge retention.
Toughness: 154cm steel has very high toughness, especially when double-tempered. It is because of the high percentage of chromium in it.
Sharpness: 154cm steel is easy to sharpen compared to other high-end steel. You can easily sharpen 154cm knives with any sharpening tool.
Wear Resistance: 154cm steel is tough steel. It contains Carbon and Molybdenum, and both these elements offer the 154cm stainless steel a high wear resistance.
Machinability: 154cm steel contains Molybdenum and Sulfur; these elements provide great machinability for the knife.
Corrosion Resistance: 154cm steel contains a high percentage of chromium (14% Chromium), which offers the 154cm steel high corrosion resistance.
154cm stainless steel Good for knives
154cm steel is suitable for knives because it offers amazing features like toughness, hardness, edge retention, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. These features make this steel an excellent choice for knife makers.
Many Knife manufacturers are using 154cm steel for manufacturing different types of knives. It can be used for manufacturing hunting knives, fishing knives, EDC knives, diving knives, and kitchen knives.
Best 154CM Knives
There are many knives available in the market that are made with 154cm steel. Some of the popular knives of 154cm are as follows:
1. Gerber Gator 154cm Folding Knife
If you have a low budget and are searching for a high-end steel knife, this knife may be the perfect choice for you. Gerber Gator folding knife comes at an affordable price, and this knife will never disappoint you. This knife features a 3.6-inch drop point blade. The overall length of the knife is 8.54-inch and the closed length of the knife 4.96-inch.
Gerber Gator folding knife is made with 154cm stainless steel that offers many amazing features. It offers hardness, high corrosion resistance, and strength to the knife. The knife comes with a ballistic nylon sheath and comes with a fat, grippy handle. The handle can easily be gripped in hand. Moreover, you can use this knife in any condition.
This folding knife is perfect for hunting, fishing, or camping. This knife can be used as a paring or utility knife because it is a large knife. You have to keep in mind that you need a bit of force to open the blade of this knife. This is the reason it might not be best for self-defense or other fast demanding situations.
Specifications
| Brand | Gerber Gear |
| Color | Black |
| Model | G6064 |
| Blade material | Stainless Steel |
| Handle material | Stainless Steel |
| Dimensions | 8.5 L x 3.25 W x 2 H inches |
| Weight | 5.4 Ounces |
| Shape | Drop Point |
| Edge | Fine |
2. Benchmade – Mini Barrage 585 Knife
This knife is my favorite 154cm steel knife because it is beautiful as well as functional. If you are searching for a robust and smooth knife with an attractive design, then this might be the perfect one for you.
The mini barrage 585 knife comes with a 2.91-inch drop point blade, and the blade of the knife is made with 154cm stainless steel that is tough, corrosion-resistant, and rust-resistant. Moreover, 154cm steel keeps a blade’s sharpness for a long time and maintains its edge for a long time.
The best thing about this knife is that it has a comfortable handle that is strong and stable. The weight of the handle is light which makes it easy to use and comfortable to hold. Moreover, the Mini barrage 585 knife can be opened or closed single-handedly and quickly, thanks to the barrage AXIS Assist Mechanism.
The other good thing about this knife is that it features a reversible pocket clip that offers ultimate accessibility and can be removed. This knife is perfect for everyday carry and outdoor activities.
Specifications
| Brand | Benchmade |
| Color | Plain Edge/Satin Finish |
| Model | G6064 |
| Blade material | Satin Finish |
| Handle material | Plastic |
| Dimensions | 6 L x 2.75 W x 1.38 H inches |
| Weight | 0.1 lbs |
| Shape | Drop Point |
| Edge | Plain edge |
154cm Steel Vs. Other Steels
In this section, I will compare the 154cm steel with some other steel. For this, I’ll make comparison tables to understand which steel is better than other steel easily. Let’s start.
154cm steel vs. VG10
| 154cm steel | VG10 steel | |
|---|---|---|
| Edge retention | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Stainless steel | Yes | Yes |
| Ease of Sharpness | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Rust resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Toughness | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 60-61 HRC | 62+ HRC |
| Corrosion Resistance | 6/10 | 7/10 |
VG10 steel is best in terms of edge retention, ease of sharpness, and corrosion resistance; however, it is not so good in toughness and Rockwell hardness compared to 154cm steel.
154cm steel vs S30V steel
| 154cm steel | S30V steel | |
|---|---|---|
| Edge retention | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Stainless steel | Yes | Yes |
| Ease of Sharpness | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Rust resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Toughness | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 60-61 HRC | 58-61 HRC |
| Corrosion Resistance | 6/10 | 7/10 |
154cm steel is best only in Rockwell hardness, while S30V steel offers a bit better performance in toughness, corrosion resistance, and toughness than 154cm steel. However, in terms of ease of sharpness, both are the same.
154cm steel vs. D2 steel
| 154cm steel | D2 steel | |
|---|---|---|
| Edge retention | 4/10 | 3.5/10 |
| Stainless steel | Yes | Semi-stainless |
| Ease of Sharpness | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Rust resistant | Yes | No |
| Toughness | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 60-61 HRC | 54-61 HRC |
| Corrosion Resistance | 6/10 | 4/10 |
D2 steel and 154cm steel are almost the same; D2 steel has slight differences from the 154cm steel.
154cm steel vs. 1095 steel
| 154cm steel | 1095 steel | |
|---|---|---|
| Edge retention | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Stainless steel | Yes | No |
| Ease of Sharpness | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Rust resistant | Yes | No |
| Toughness | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 60-61 HRC | 55 HRC |
| Corrosion Resistance | 6/10 | 3/10 |
154cm steel is slightly better in terms of edge retention, Rockwell hardness, and corrosion resistance; however, 1095 steel is better in terms of ease of sharpness and toughness.
154cm steel vs. 420hc steel
| 154cm steel | 420hc steel | |
|---|---|---|
| Edge retention | 4/10 | 2/10 |
| Stainless steel | Yes | Yes |
| Ease of Sharpness | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Rust resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Toughness | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 60-61 HRC | 56-58 HRC |
| Corrosion Resistance | 6/10 | 6/10 |
420hc steel has better toughness, ease of sharpness, and lower edge retention, Rockwell hardness compared to the 154cm steel. However, in terms of corrosion resistance, both are the same.
154cm steel vs. 440c steel
| 154cm steel | 440c steel | |
|---|---|---|
| Edge retention | 4/10 | 2.5/10 |
| Stainless steel | Yes | Yes |
| Ease of Sharpness | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Rust resistant | Yes | Yes, but not so good |
| Toughness | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Rockwell Hardness | 60-61 HRC | 58 HRC |
| Corrosion Resistance | 6/10 | 7/10 |
154cm steel is good in edge retention and Rockwell hardness, while 440c steel is good in terms of ease of sharpness and corrosion resistance. However, in terms of toughness, both are the same.
154cm Steel FAQ’s
Conclusion
To conclude, I suggest you buy 154cm steel because it is an excellent steel for your knife as it will not rust for years. Moreover, It offers the perfect balance between hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance.
The good thing about 154cm steel is that it holds its sharpness longer than most stainless steel. It gives you better edge retention than most other stainless steel.
Furthermore, if you have any information you want to add or want to ask any question related to 154cm, you are most welcome to leave a comment below. I will be happy to solve your problem; I will try my best to reply to you as soon as possible.
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