The corrosion-first evolution of the Swedish razor steel family, Mora's backbone and Kershaw's calling card.
Sandvik 14C28N
For the Newcomer
Sandvik 14C28N is a Swedish stainless steel designed specifically for knives, evolved from the same lineage as razor-blade steels. It is best known for three things: excellent corrosion resistance for a budget-to-mid steel, high toughness that makes it nearly unbreakable in kitchen use, and very easy sharpening. It is the steel Mora of Sweden uses, and it was the steel Kershaw used to build their entry-level pocket knife reputation. It will not hold an edge as long as high-carbide Japanese steels, but it is virtually immune to the chipping and breakage that affects those harder, more brittle steels.
About this composition
Why nitrogen? Sandvik faced a design problem: in conventional stainless, carbon and chromium compete, because carbon forms chromium Microscopic hard particles within steel that resist wear and help anchor the edge. Their size and distribution limit how hard a steel can get without becoming brittle. that consume the Cr that would otherwise fight corrosion. The solution was three-part: lower carbon slightly (0.68 to 0.62), add 0.11% An alloying element that hardens steel like carbon does, but without tying up chromium in carbides, so more chromium stays available to resist rust. (it substitutes for carbon in hardening without consuming chromium, and its pitting-corrosion equivalence is about 16× chromium), and bump chromium (13 to 14%).
The result is that 14C28N has dramatically more Chromium dissolved in the steel rather than locked into carbides; only this dissolved chromium protects against rust. in solution (about 14%) than AEB-L or 13C26 (about 11.4%), which is why Larrin Thomas's corrosion testing placed 14C28N second only to LC200N while AEB-L tested last among the stainless steels.
Performance Deep Dive
Edge retention: Moderate by measurement; surprisingly competent in practice.
CATRA testing puts it at roughly 55 to 60% of 440C. Low carbide volume means the edge geometry does most of the work: a well-ground thin blade in 14C28N outcuts a thicker geometry in a "higher-performance" steel.
Toughness: Exceptional, 8.5/10 in Larrin's ratings.
Around 30 ft-lb Charpy, roughly 3× the toughness of 1095 carbon steel. The blade flexes and dents before it chips or snaps.
Corrosion resistance: Excellent for its price class.
Ease of sharpening: Very easy.
The A steel whose hard carbide particles are small and evenly spread, which makes for a cleaner edge that is easier to sharpen. means no large hard particles to tear at abrasives. Forgiving for end users.
- vs. AEB-L: Higher hardness ceiling for AEB-L; 14C28N has notably better corrosion resistance.
- vs. FC61 / 13C26: Same family, near-identical performance; 14C28N is the corrosion-improved variant.
- vs. Nitro-V: Very close performance tier; 14C28N has broader production adoption.
- vs. X50CrMoV15 / 4116: Better hardness, similar toughness; comparable corrosion, easier sharpening.
In the Kitchen
14C28N's strength is matching geometry to its character. Pair it with a thin-ground Mora kitchen knife or a Cangshan Damascus and you get a budget blade that competes with mid-tier Japanese stainless on real kitchen tasks. The Morakniv kitchen line is the canonical workhorse example; Cangshan's TV2 hand-forged is the premium-presentation option under $150. For sharpening and care technique, see the care section.
Composition
| Element | % | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 0.62 | Hardness; slightly lower than the 13C26 predecessor to make room for more Cr in solution |
| Chromium (Cr) | 14 | Corrosion resistance; 1% more than 13C26, specifically designed to stay in solution |
| Nitrogen (N) | 0.11 | Key element; substitutes for some carbon and improves pitting corrosion (about 1.75% Cr equivalent for pitting) |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.6 | Hardenability |
| Silicon (Si) | 0.2 | Deoxidizer, strength |
Steel family: Conventional (ingot) martensitic stainless strip steel. Built by Sandvik/Alleima specifically for knives, evolved from the razor-blade steel 13C26 by lowering carbon slightly, adding nitrogen, and increasing chromium to keep more Cr in solid solution for corrosion resistance.
Artisan Makers
| Maker | Knife | Style | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morakniv (Mora of Sweden) | Classic 1891 Chef Knife | Swedish outdoor-tradition kitchen chef, beech handle | ~$180 | amazon.com |
| Morakniv (Mora of Sweden) | Classic 1891 Kitchen Set (5 knives) | Swedish production kitchen set | ~$95–$170 (set) | morakniv.com |
| Cangshan Cutlery | TV2 Hand-Forged 8" Chef Knife | Western chef, hand-forged, Swedish 14C28N branded | ~$120 | amazon.com |
| Cangshan Cutlery | TN1 Series 8" Chef + Wood Sheath | Western chef, premium-presented production | varies | amazon.com |