AUS-8 is a Japanese stainless steel with a balanced ratio of edge retention, corrosion resistance, and sharpenability. The steel is particularly suitable for everyday, outdoor, and pocket knives where reliable cutting performance and easy maintenance are more important than maximum wear resistance.
Three key characteristics of the steel: edge retention, corrosion resistance, and sharpenability
Edge retention: medium
★★★☆☆
The carbon and vanadium content enable solid hardness and good cutting performance for everyday applications. However, AUS-8 does not achieve the wear resistance of modern high-performance steels with high carbide content.
Corrosion resistance: high
★★★★☆
The chromium content of approximately 14% ensures good corrosion resistance and makes AUS-8 an easy-care knife steel.
Sharpenability: very good
★★★★★
Due to its balanced alloy, AUS-8 is easy to resharpen and allows for a fine, sharp edge.
Areas of application
Pocket knives & EDC: AUS-8 offers a balanced combination of rust protection, sufficient edge retention, and easy maintenance for daily use.
Outdoor: Good toughness and corrosion resistance make the steel suitable for versatile outdoor applications where robustness and easy maintenance are required.
Kitchen: Good sharpenability and corrosion resistance also make AUS-8 interesting for kitchen knives.
Steel composition
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | approx. 0.70–0.80% |
| Chromium (Cr) | approx. 13.0–14.5% |
| Manganese (Mn) | approx. 0.50% |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | approx. 0.10–0.30% |
| Vanadium (V) | approx. 0.10–0.25% |
Products with AUS-8 knife steel
