ACX 390 steel
Range of use:
Thanks to its particularly good corrosion resistance, this steel is ideal for knives that are exposed to a lot of moisture. In other words, this steel is a favourable alternative to expensive high-performance steels, especially for kitchen knives or in the outdoor sector.
Components:
ACX 390 is a Spanish steel with properties very similar to 4034 steel. The chemical structure can be described as follows:
Chromium 14%
Improves tensile strength, cutting resistance, corrosion resistance and wear resistance.
Carbon 0.5%
Improves wear resistance, hardness and corrosion resistance. Too high a proportion, however, reduces strength
Manganese 0.1%
Improves hardness and brittleness.
This means that this is a stainless (14% chromium) steel (less than 0.025% iron companion).
Properties:
Cut resistance:
With a hardness of 55 HRC, the cut resistance is not particularly outstanding.
Corrosion resistance:
The corrosion resistance is particularly good thanks to the 14% chromium in this steel.
Wear resistance:
The wear resistance is quite good due to 0.5% carbon.
Toughness:
The toughness could be better, but is sufficient due to the high chromium content.
Grindability:
As this is a softer low-budget steel, the grindability is outstanding.