Two high-performance steels out there are K390 and M390. They’re both great options, but which one is better? What’s the difference between the two? That’s what we’re looking at in this article.
Here is the short answer:
K390 is a tool steel known for its excellent wear resistance and toughness. M390 is a stainless steel known for its high levels of wear resistance and corrosion resistance. If you need more toughness, go with K390. If you need more corrosion resistance, go with M390.
Since we have looked at the short answer, we can look at each steels best uses, their composition, how they compare to each other, and the best knives in each steel.
K390
K390 is a tool steel that is known for its toughness and wear resistance. K390 is commonly used for very hard tasks, such as in industrial cutting tools or heavy-duty knives. If you’re going to be doing stuff like batoning, K390 is a good choice.
Here is what K390 is made of:
- 2.47% Carbon
- 4.20% Chromium
- 3.80% Molybdenum
- 9.00% Vanadium
- 1.00% Tungsten
- 2.00% Cobalt
Each component in the steel does different things: The carbon increases strength (but too much can make the steel brittle), the chromium increases corrosion resistance and edge retention, the molybdenum increases hardenability (which basically means that it’s easier to harden, and thus easy to manufacture), and vanadium improves wear resistance and strength. Tungsten, similar to vanadium, reduces grain size of the steel, which improves wear resistance and strength. Cobalt increases the steel’s hardness.
M390
M390 is a high-end steel known for its high levels of wear resistance and corrosion resistance. It’s not as tough as K390, but it can hold its own in terms of toughness.
Here is what M390 is made of:
- 1.9% of Carbon
- 0.7% of Silicon
- 0.3% of Manganese
- 20% of Chromium
- 1% of Molybdenum
- 0.6% of Tungsten
- 4% of Vanadium
All of the elements function the same as in K390, though M390 has some additional components. Silicon increases strength and hardness. Manganese also increases the strength of the blade.
K390 vs. M390
As we’ve seen, they’re both really good steels, but you’ll want to use them for different purposes.
If you’re looking for something that can withstand some serious punishment, then K390 is the better option. It’s more wear resistant and tougher than M390. If you don’t care about corrosion resistance and are just looking for a knife that can do heavy tasks like batoning, then K390 is the steel for you.
If you do care about rust and still want a tougher steel, then you’ll want to make sure to keep your K390 blade well oiled and free from water.
However, if you’re looking for more corrosion resistance, then M390 is the better option. M390 works well for things where you have to maintain a sharp blade that stays free of rust. If you’re looking to do a lot of slicing tasks, or are in a humid environment, then M390 is the better option.
Best knives in each steel
Now that we have looked at each steel and how they compare to each other, let’s check out some of our favorite knives for each steel.
Benchmade Bugout (M390)
The Benchmade Bugout is a lightweight EDC knife that is perfect for just about anything you could need a knife for. The Benchmade Bugout has a super smooth opening, is razor sharp, and weighs only 2.5 ounces. If you need a super reliable lightweight strong and sharp knife, this is the knife for you.
Check out this knife here (link to Amazon)
Spyderco Delica 4 (K390)
The Delica 4 is a highly reliable, lightweight, that is perfect for anything you could need an EDC knife for. This knife has a Super grippy handle, a back-locking system, has a thumbhole for opening, and has a 2.9-inch blade. Overall this knife is great for many different tasks and is very durable.
Here is a link to this knife (link to Amazon)
Conclusion
Both K390 and M390 are high-end steels, but are used for different tasks. K390 is good for heavy-duty tasks, while M390 is good for slicing tasks and staying free of rust. It’s pretty hard to go wrong with either one, though.
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