Steel matchup
MagnaCut and Elmax, compared on the five things that decide a blade: toughness, edge retention, corrosion, heat treat and how each one grinds.
A powder-metallurgy stainless steel balancing high toughness, strong edge retention, and excellent corrosion resistance, widely regarded as one of the most well-rounded modern knife steels.
A premium powder-metallurgy stainless steel from Bohler-Uddeholm, balancing strong edge retention with excellent corrosion resistance and easier sharpening than most steels in its performance class.
Dimension by dimension
Each steel's own note, its score out of five, and what separates the two in that one column. The higher score in a row is marked in purple.
| Dimension | MagnaCut | Elmax | What separates them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toughness | In Charpy impact testing at 62.5 HRC, MagnaCut delivers roughly 38 ft-lbs of toughness, about 40% tougher than S35VN at similar hardness, and roughly double the toughness of M390. It performs on par with tough non-stainless steels like CPM 4V and Vanadis 4 Extra. | Fine, round carbides from the powder-metallurgy process give it good toughness for a high-carbide steel, with minimal risk of edge chipping when hardened correctly. | MagnaCut wins here. It was specifically engineered by Larrin Thomas to resist chipping better than earlier high-chromium stainless steels, and it shows in independent toughness testing. Elmax is still a solidly tough stainless steel by older standards, just not in MagnaCut's class. |
| Edge retention | CATRA edge-retention testing places MagnaCut between S35VN and S45VN, very good, though not at the extreme end occupied by steels like S90V or M390. | Strong wear resistance from a heavy vanadium and chromium carbide load, holding an edge well in everyday-carry and outdoor use. | Essentially tied. Both carry a similar balance of vanadium and chromium carbides, and real-world edge retention differences between the two are small enough that most users won't reliably notice a difference in sharpening interval. |
| Corrosion resistance | MagnaCut keeps its full 10.7% chromium in solid solution, giving it corrosion resistance that exceeds S35VN, S45VN, M390, and 20CV, among the best of any high-performance knife steel, approaching though not quite reaching saltwater-grade steels like Vanax or LC200N. | 18% chromium puts it among the best corrosion resistance of any premium knife steel, a strong choice for marine or wet environments. | Both are top-tier for stainless corrosion resistance, well-suited to wet, humid, or marine environments. Neither has a meaningful edge over the other here. |
| Heat treat | Recommended heat treatment from Crucible: austenitize at 2050 degrees F (1121 C) for approximately 25 minutes, then plate or oil quench, followed by tempering 2x2 hours at 350 degrees F (176 C). This typically yields 61-62.5 HRC. An optional cryogenic treatment (dry ice or liquid nitrogen) immediately after quenching can push hardness to 63-65+ HRC. Because MagnaCut is a stainless PM steel, it should be heat treated in a foil-wrapped or controlled-atmosphere environment to prevent scale and decarburization, and requires an oven capable of holding precise soak temperatures. A dedicated quench plate system makes it much easier to control warping during the plate quench step. For the general principles behind every stage of this process, see our Complete Guide to Heat Treating Knife Steel. | Austenitize at 1975-2050 F (1080-1120 C). Air or plate quench, then apply a cryogenic treatment (liquid nitrogen or dry ice) before tempering to reduce retained austenite and boost hardness. Double temper at 350-400 F for 2 hours per cycle. Maximum working hardness is around 62 Rc, though most production knives run 60-61 Rc. | MagnaCut was specifically designed to be more forgiving through a wider range of heat-treat parameters, reaching excellent properties even with a less-than-perfect cycle. Elmax requires more precise heat treat to fully realize its potential, and is more commonly sent out to a professional heat-treat service by hobbyist makers for best results. |
| Grinding | Like other vanadium-rich powder-metallurgy steels, MagnaCut is moderately demanding to grind because of hard vanadium and niobium carbides. Expect belt wear similar to or slightly higher than S35VN; ceramic or high-quality zirconia belts are recommended for stock removal. | One of the easier premium powder-metallurgy steels to sharpen for its performance level, though still slower to grind than basic stainless steels. | Comparable. Both are moderately demanding to grind and sharpen due to their carbide content, and both benefit from diamond or CBN abrasives for efficient sharpening once finished. |
Best use
MagnaCut
MagnaCut is the stronger choice when maximum chip resistance matters, hard-use EDC, outdoor knives, or anywhere the edge might see lateral stress.
Open the MagnaCut referenceElmax
Elmax remains an excellent, well-proven choice for general-purpose and kitchen use where its established track record and wide availability are valuable.
Open the Elmax reference
The long answer
MagnaCut and Elmax are both premium stainless steels that consistently show up on shortlists for high-end knives, and on paper they’re closer to each other than either is to most other steels on this site. Here’s where the real differences actually show up.
Keep comparing
Keep reading
Elmax sits in the moderately demanding middle tier of powder-metallurgy stainless steels, tougher and easier to work than harder-edged steels like CPM…
MagnaCut is one of the more demanding steels to grind on a 2×72 platform. Its heavy carbide load, the same chemistry that gives it excellent toughness and…
Every knife steel is iron plus a specific recipe of other elements, and each of those elements pulls the steel’s behavior in a particular direction…
Same bench
Whichever steel wins, the grind is only as flat as the platen behind it. I machine the parts, hand-assemble, track and test Torus grinders in Sterling, Illinois.
Current dual-axis platform with a fiber-laser-cut 6061 chassis and single-knob tracking.
Current dual-axis platform with a steel chassis, more mass and less vibration.
Prior-design aluminum chassis, 90-degree tilt and 1.5-inch tooling arms.
One-man shop
Tell me what the blade is for and how you heat treat, and I will tell you which of these I would put on the bench — including when the answer is neither.
