Abrasives
Grinding and Sharpening CPM 20CV: Belt Recommendations & Technique
CPM 20CV sits alongside CPM S30V and CPM M4 among the more demanding steels in this database to grind and sharpen. The same heavy chromium-vanadium…
Knife steel
CPM 20CV knife steel
A top-tier powder-metallurgy stainless steel, chemically near-identical to M390, prized for exceptional edge retention and excellent corrosion resistance in premium EDC and outdoor knives.
Also known as
At a glance
How CPM 20CV behaves
The four meters are relative to the rest of the database. Composition is the published nominal analysis, not a mill certificate for your bar.
Working properties
- Toughness
- 2
- Edge retention
- 5
- Corrosion resistance
- 5
- Ease of grinding
- 2
- Composition
- Best uses
A top pick for premium EDC folders and outdoor knives where long edge retention and strong corrosion resistance both matter, functionally interchangeable with M390. Browse more entries in the Knife Steel Database, and see the Heat Treating Guide for the full stage-by-stage process.
- Sources
At the bench
What each property means for this steel
Open the property you are worried about. Every note is written for the blade in your hand, not for a spec sheet.
Toughness
The tradeoff for its extreme wear resistance: hardened to 60+ Rc with a heavy carbide load, it is more prone to micro-chipping than tougher steels like CPM 3V or CruWear.
Edge retention
Exceptional wear resistance from a very heavy chromium and vanadium carbide load, among the best edge retention available in a knife steel.
Corrosion resistance
20% chromium gives it excellent, top-tier stainless performance, a strong choice for wet, humid, or marine environments.
Grinding and machinability
Demanding to grind and sharpen; typically requires diamond or CBN abrasives to sharpen efficiently once fully hardened, more challenging than most other steels in this database.
The full reference
More on CPM 20CV
CPM 20CV is Crucible’s chemical twin to Bohler’s famous M390, both third-generation powder-metallurgy stainless steels loaded with chromium and vanadium for exceptional wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The two are close enough to be treated as interchangeable, and CPM 20CV has become one of the most requested premium steels in modern EDC and outdoor knives.
CPM 20CV FAQ
Is CPM 20CV the same as M390?
They are chemically near-identical, both third-generation powder-metallurgy steels from different manufacturers (Crucible for CPM 20CV, Bohler for M390) using almost the same chromium-vanadium formula. In practice, they can be treated as interchangeable.
What hardness does CPM 20CV reach?
Most knives run in the 60-62 Rc range. See the heat treat details further up this page for the full recipe, including the demanding 2140 F austenitizing temperature this steel requires.
Is CPM 20CV hard to sharpen?
Yes, it is one of the more demanding steels in this database to sharpen. Standard aluminum oxide or ceramic stones struggle to cut its carbides efficiently; diamond stones are strongly recommended. See the full grinding and sharpening guide for belt and abrasive recommendations.
Does CPM 20CV rust?
No, it has excellent, top-tier stainless corrosion resistance thanks to roughly 20% chromium content, well suited to wet, humid, or marine environments.
How does CPM 20CV compare to MagnaCut, Elmax, or CPM S30V?
CPM 20CV trades some toughness for slightly better edge retention against MagnaCut, is less forgiving to grind than Elmax, and offers better corrosion resistance than CPM S30V at essentially tied edge retention. See the full breakdowns: MagnaCut vs CPM 20CV, CPM 20CV vs Elmax, and CPM 20CV vs CPM S30V.
Head to head
Compare steel data for CPM 20CV
Every matchup CPM 20CV appears in, dimension by dimension.
Keep reading
Guides that use this steel
MetallurgyWhat Alloying Elements Do: Carbon, Chromium, Vanadium & More
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…
MetallurgyCarbide Size and Sharpening: Why Some Steels Feel Different
Two steels with similar hardness numbers can feel completely different under a sharpening stone, one glides along smoothly, another feels like it’s…
Same bench
Grind CPM 20CV on a machine that holds still
Whatever the steel, the grind is only as flat as the platen behind it. I machine the parts, hand-assemble and test Torus grinders in Sterling, Illinois.
Nova 2×72 Aluminum Belt Grinder
Current dual-axis platform with a fiber-laser-cut 6061 chassis and single-knob tracking.
Starts at$1,295
Nebula 2×72 Steel Belt Grinder
Current dual-axis platform with a steel chassis, more mass and less vibration.
Starts at$1,295
Torus 2×72 Classic Aluminum Belt Grinder
Prior-design aluminum chassis, 90-degree tilt and 1.5-inch tooling arms.
Starts at$995
One-man shop
Thinking about CPM 20CV?
Tell me what the blade is for and how you heat treat. I will tell you whether this is the steel I would use, and what I would use instead.