154CM vs 14C28N

154CM is an American martensitic stainless steel alloyed with molybdenum developed in the 1970s, while 14C28N is a Swedish steel produced by Sandvik as an improvement over steels like 12C27 and 13C26 with optimized corrosion resistance. 

Both steels offer good budget options with a combination of stainless properties.

However, 14C28N has seen increasing popularity over 154CM for many knives, especially kitchen knives, due to its superior toughness.

14C28N steel fine carbide size from its composition and production method gives it higher toughness compared to 154CM steel. 

Although 154CM can achieve higher hardness and edge retention, 14C28N better toughness makes it more suitable for most knife applications where impact resistance is needed. 

14C28N combination of good corrosion resistance, edge retention, and excellent toughness make it a popular choice over 154CM for a variety of knives.

14C28N vs 154CM Steel At A Glance

Corrosion Resistance

14C28N and 154CM are stainless steels, however, 14C28N has better corrosion resistance compared to 154CM due to its higher chromium and nitrogen content. 

14C28N contains 14% chromium and 0.11% nitrogen, while 154CM has only 14% chromium. The additional nitrogen in 14C28N further boosts corrosion resistance.

154CM does contain 4% molybdenum which helps improve its corrosion resistance, but testing data shows 14C28N still exceeds 154CM, with salt spray testing results 2-3 times longer for 14C28N.

For knife applications, the better corrosion resistance of 14C28N makes it more suitable for use in wet environments and reduces maintenance requirements.

154CM Stainless Steel provides adequate corrosion resistance for many uses but lacks the performance of 14C28N Stainless steel. 

14C28N is the clear winner when corrosion resistance is a primary consideration, making it the better choice for kitchen knives, dive knives, fishing knives, and other applications where corrosion issues are a major factor. 

The only exception would be non-corrosive applications where 154CM’s higher attainable hardness may be more desirable.

Toughness

Toughness is the ability of knife steel to resist chipping, cracking, or breaking under impact.

14C28N outperforms 154CM in terms of toughness, making it the preferable choice for most knife applications where toughness is a critical factor.

14C28N steel has better toughness compared to 154CM steel. Charpy Impact Testing data shows 14C28N achieving toughness levels of around 30 ft-lbs at hardness levels of 60-62 HRC. 

In contrast, 154CM has toughness ranging from 6-8 ft-lbs at similar hardness levels.

The higher carbon and carbide content in 154CM results in lower toughness. 

For knife applications, the superior toughness of 14C28N makes it better suited for knives that need to withstand impact without chipping or breaking.

The high toughness combined with good hardness also allows thinner edge geometries to be used with 14C28N.

154CM lower toughness means knives are more prone to chipping, requiring more robust edge angles to maintain edge integrity. 

154CM greater wear resistance from its higher achievable hardness may be more important for knives used in low-impact slicing applications.

Hardness

154CM steel can reach higher hardness levels compared to 14C28N steel. Testing data shows that 154CM can achieve a maximum hardness of 63 HRC with optimal heat treatment and cryogenic processing.

In comparison, 14C28N reaches a maximum of around 62 HRC. The higher carbon and molybdenum alloying in 154CM enables these higher hardness levels.

The greater hardness of 154CM knife steel allows for better wear resistance and edge holding for knives.

However, there is a tradeoff as 154CM also exhibits lower toughness at a given hardness compared to 14C28N.

Therefore, while 154CM can get harder, the lower toughness means edge stability and impact resistance suffer in real-world knife applications. 

Edge Retention

154CM has better edge retention and wear resistance compared to 14C28N due to its higher hardness and carbide content.

Testing shows 154CM steel achieving around 20% better results in CATRA edge retention testing over 14C28N steel. 

The higher volume of chromium carbides in 154CM, around 17% versus 12% for 14C28N, contributes to this increased wear resistance.

The better edge retention of 154CM means less frequent sharpening is needed for knives.

This can be advantageous for knives used in demanding tasks requiring extended edge life like processing cardboard or in survival/bushcraft applications. 

However, 14C28N still provides adequate edge retention for many general uses. 

Ease of Sharpening

14C28N has better ease of sharpening and grindability compared to 154CM. The fine carbide structure of 14C28N results in more uniform abrasion during grinding and sharpening.

In contrast, the larger chromium carbides in 154CM steel can cause uneven wear and difficulty sharpening. 

14C28N reduces time and effort to get a fine-edge finish. It also allows for easier maintenance sharpening by the end user. 

154CM is known for being more difficult to grind and sharpen because of the coarse carbides. This is improved in its powder metallurgy steel CPM-154, but 14C28N still retains an advantage.

The easier sharpening of 14C28N makes it more suitable for kitchen knives where regular sharpening is needed. 

Final Thoughts

One of my first knives was made from 154CM, which I liked at the time for its good edge retention and corrosion resistance compared to my knife in D2 steel.

However, after gaining more experience, I tend to recommend 14C28N nowadays due to its well-rounded capabilities.

The excellent toughness and corrosion resistance of 14C28N makes it suitable for a wide variety of knives.

Its fine carbide structure also makes 14C28N easier to sharpen compared to 154CM with its larger carbides.

While 154CM can achieve higher hardness and wear resistance, for most knives that need to withstand real-world use and abuse, 14C28N superior toughness and ease of sharpening make it a better all-around choice.

The edge retention of 14C28N remains adequate for many tasks while exceeding 154CM in other areas that matter for a good user knife.

So in conclusion, while both are budget steels, 14C28N gets my recommendation as the best balance of properties for most knives.