HeatTreatBench · knife steel heat-treat recipes

Knife Steel Heat Treat Recipes

Austenitize temperature, soak time, quench, cryo and a temper-to-HRC chart for 26 common knife steels — each one sourced from the manufacturer datasheet and cross-checked against maker-proven practice. Pick your steel:

Carbon

10841500°F · 58–64 HRC10951475°F · 59–65 HRCW21450°F · 58–65 HRC26C31475°F · 61–65 HRC

Low-alloy

80CrV21525°F · 58–63.5 HRC15N201475°F · 58–64 HRC521001500°F · 58–64 HRC51601525°F · 57.5–60 HRC86701500°F · 59.5–61.5 HRCApexUltra1550°F · 62.5–66 HRC

Stainless

AEB-L1950°F · 61–64 HRC14C28N1950°F · 58–62 HRCNitro-V1900°F · 58–64 HRCMagnaCut2050°F · 59–63 HRCCPM-1541950°F · 60–62 HRCCPM-S30V1950°F · 58.5–60.5 HRCM3902050°F · 60–62 HRCElmax1980°F · 59–61.5 HRC440C1875°F · 54–59 HRCCPM-S35VN1950°F · 58–61 HRC

Tool / PM

O11475°F · 57–62 HRCA21775°F · 57–62 HRCCPM-3V1950°F · 57–61 HRCCru-Wear1950°F · 60–63 HRCD21850°F · 59–62 HRCCPM-M42150°F · 60–64.5 HRC

HeatTreatBench — the recipes in your shop, offline

26 knife steels with austenitize, soak, quench, cryo and temper schedules — offline. Set a target HRC and get the exact temper temperature, time a soak, and log every blade. No account, no subscription.

Download on the App Store

How to read a recipe

Every steel page gives you the austenitize (hardening) temperature and a soak time, the quench medium, whether a cryo / sub-zero step is needed, and a temper schedule. The temper-to-HRC chart is the key tool: decide the hardness you want, then read across to the temper temperature that lands you there. Numbers are starting points — verify on your own furnace.