Sandvik 14C28N

Developed with Kershaw. Tough, rust-resistant, and about as easy to sharpen as a good steel gets — the reason it dominates the value tier.

Typical hardness

58-61 HRC

Edge retention

2/5

Toughness

4/5

Corrosion resistance

4/5

Ease of sharpening

5/5

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.