Victorinox steel is produced through the knife manufacturer of the same name. The company is best known for manufacturing Swiss Army Knives, however, they do also make other multi-tools, folding knives, kitchen knives and even bayonets and wrist watches. The steels used in each of these products vary but often share similar properties. The standard steel used is 1.4110 though there are variations in the steel type and Rc scale depending on the where the steel is going. For instance, the steel used in the blade for the swiss army knife is 1.4110, but for the springs and various steel riggings, 1.4021 and 1.4031 are used respectively.

Properties of Victorinox Steel

For the blades themselves, the 1.4110 is the standard and it’s functionality truly reflect the intent of Victorinox. This standard puts a strong focus in Chromium, but also utilizes; Carbon, Molybdenum, Manganese, and Silicon to name a few of the overriding secondary elements. The Chromium normally sits between 13.3 to 14.8% ensuring its stainless steel properties. The carbon will normally hold just below .70% in order to provide the tensile strength needed to last, and Mo, Mn, and Si are found around .75 to 1.0%. The blade hardening occurs at 1900 degrees with an annealing temperature of 140 degrees giving it an Rc of 56.

How Victorinox Steel Performs

The Chromium is pliable when hot which makes it perfect for a standard element in the compositions Victorinox uses. The use of this steel for any knife results in a blade that is wear and corrosion resistant. Its tensile strength and hardness provide better than adequate functionality and its edge retention is more than acceptable, allowing it to last long enough and provide easy workability when sharpening. While the Manganese and Silicon provide some strength and wear resistance, their function is primarily as manufacturing agents.

Conclusion

Victorinox has changed the compositions and manufacturing process for its products over the years but has since retained a fairly consistent system. They have been producing Swiss Army brand knives for over 100 years and do understand what makes a lasting knife or tool. This brand produces excellent quality knives which can take the wear and tear of use. They are affordable, consistent and require little care other than standard steel cleaning. (Top 3 machetes you might not heard of). If you liked this article, check out our review of butterfly knives.