CPM-3V

The toughness champion. Chosen when a blade has to be batoned or pried and breaking is unacceptable. Keep it oiled.

Typical hardness

58-61 HRC

Edge retention

3/5

Toughness

5/5

Corrosion resistance

2/5

Ease of sharpening

3/5

1-5 is a relative ranking drawn from published composition and hardness, not a lab measurement. Higher is better on every axis, and no steel is a 5 across the board — edge retention and toughness pull against each other.