KnifeSteelDBknife steels, by spec

D2 knife steel

D2 is a tool & high-speed knife steel, typically hardened to HRC 58-62.

TypeTool & high-speed
HardnessHRC 58-62
Edge retentionhigh
Corrosion resistancemedium
Toughnessmedium
Ease of sharpeninghard
Price tierMid
Best forEDC / foldersHard-use / survival

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Last verified 2026-06-11 · properties are documented consensus tiers; real performance depends on heat treat & geometry (methodology)

Compared with

D2 vs VG-10 D2 vs 8Cr13MoV

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SteelTypeHRCEdgeCorrosionToughnessTierBuy
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CPM-3V PMTool & high-speed58-62highmediumvery highPremiumKnives →
CPM-4V PMTool & high-speed60-64highlowvery highPremiumKnives →
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All tool & high-speed steels · every steel · best for a purpose