14C28N

Overview

14C28N represents something remarkable in knife steel development—a budget steel that performs like it costs twice as much. Developed by Swedish steel giant Sandvik specifically for Kershaw Knives in 2009, 14C28N took the proven 12C27 formula and enhanced it with nitrogen addition, creating a steel that offers excellent toughness, outstanding corrosion resistance, and easy maintenance at a price point that makes quality knives accessible.

The “N” in 14C28N stands for nitrogen—and that seemingly small addition transforms the steel’s character. By using nitrogen to enhance hardness instead of solely relying on carbon, 14C28N achieves impressive performance while maintaining lower carbide volume. This means better toughness and corrosion resistance than you’d expect from the modest specifications.

14C28N has earned its reputation honestly: it appears in respected budget knives that actually perform, it serves users reliably across diverse applications, and it proves that “budget steel” doesn’t have to mean “compromise steel.” When knife enthusiasts debate the best value in blade materials, 14C28N consistently appears in the conversation—not through marketing, but through genuine merit.

Composition and Development

The chemical composition of 14C28N is elegantly balanced:

Carbon (0.62%): Moderate carbon content for hardness
Chromium (14%): Provides excellent stainless properties
Nitrogen (0.11%): The key addition—enhances hardness while improving toughness and corrosion resistance
Manganese (0.6%): Aids hardenability
Silicon (0.2%): Processing aid
Plus trace amounts of phosphorus and sulfur

The nitrogen addition is the crucial innovation. In traditional steels, hardness comes primarily from carbon, which forms carbides during heat treatment. More carbon means more carbides, which typically means better wear resistance but lower toughness. Nitrogen acts differently—it can substitute for some carbon in providing hardness while actually improving toughness and corrosion resistance.

This makes 14C28N a “nitrogen steel” or “nitro steel”—not in the sense of nitriding (a surface treatment), but in the sense that nitrogen is alloyed into the steel composition itself.

The result is a steel that:

Achieves good hardness (up to 62 HRC) without excessive carbides
Maintains excellent toughness despite that hardness
Offers outstanding corrosion resistance from the chromium that remains in solution
Responds well to sharpening due to lower carbide volume

Sandvik developed 14C28N as an improvement over their 12C27 steel, which itself evolved from razor blade steels like 13C26 and AEB-L. The family resemblance is clear—these Swedish steels share a design philosophy prioritizing balance, toughness, and user-friendliness over maximum wear resistance.

Performance Characteristics

Edge Retention

14C28N delivers good edge retention that satisfies most users for most applications. It’s not exceptional—super steels like S30V or M390 wear more slowly—but 14C28N stays sharp long enough to be entirely practical for daily use, outdoor tasks, and professional applications.

In CATRA testing (standardized edge retention measurement), 14C28N placed in the lower third among approximately 50 tested steels. However, context matters: it performed only about 25% worse than exotic Elmax super steel while costing a fraction of the price. That’s impressive value.

Real-world performance:

EDC tasks: Weeks of typical cutting before needing touch-up
Outdoor use: Handles camping, bushcraft, hunting tasks adequately
Kitchen work: Satisfies home cooks, adequate for professional use
Comparison: Better than 420HC, comparable to budget-tier steels, below premium options

The moderate edge retention is offset by exceptional ease of sharpening. Users report that 14C28N edges dull at a reasonable rate but restore to sharpness quickly and easily. For many users, this trade-off—sharpen slightly more often but with minimal effort—proves superior to harder-to-sharpen steels that theoretically last longer between sharpenings.

Toughness

This is where 14C28N genuinely excels. The steel demonstrates excellent toughness that rivals dedicated tough steels and significantly exceeds most stainless options. The nitrogen enhancement and low carbide volume create a steel matrix that absorbs stress without failure.

Toughness testing places 14C28N alongside AEB-L in the “best in class” category for high-toughness steels. This exceptional toughness means:

Thin edges remain stable: Supports acute edge geometries without chipping
Impact resistance: Handles drops, side loads, and stresses that would chip harder steels
Reliable performance: Predictable behavior across hardness range
Field use: Tolerates real-world stresses in demanding environments

For budget knives—which often see hard use and may be treated less carefully than expensive pieces—this toughness is transformational. A $30 Kershaw in 14C28N can handle abuse that would destroy a mall ninja special in “440 stainless,” and it does so reliably.

The toughness makes 14C28N particularly suitable for:

Outdoor and bushcraft applications
Hunting and fishing (impact resistance, thin blade stability)
EDC knives (dropped phones and keys won’t chip edges)
Kitchen work (bones and hard vegetables won’t cause failures)

Corrosion Resistance

14C28N offers excellent corrosion resistance that exceeds many steels in higher price brackets. The 14% chromium provides solid baseline stainlessness, while the nitrogen addition enhances passive layer formation, improving resistance beyond what the chromium content alone would suggest.

In practical terms:

Highly corrosion-resistant: Rivals premium stainless steels
Low maintenance: Doesn’t require constant attention
Versatile environments: Performs well in humid, wet, or coastal conditions
Food safe: Excellent for kitchen use, resists food acids
Comparison: Better corrosion resistance than AEB-L and most budget steels

The corrosion resistance makes 14C28N ideal for:

Fishing knives (moisture, salt spray)
Outdoor knives (rain, humidity, neglect)
Kitchen cutlery (food acids, frequent washing)
EDC folders (pocket carry moisture, perspiration)

Users report that 14C28N requires minimal maintenance—basic drying after use and reasonable storage conditions suffice. It’s genuinely “stainless” in the practical sense, not requiring the constant vigilance that semi-stainless steels like D2 demand.

Ease of Sharpening

14C28N is genuinely easy to sharpen—significantly easier than premium steels and comparable to the easiest stainless options. The low carbide volume and moderate hardness mean the steel responds immediately to sharpening efforts.

Sharpening characteristics:

Very responsive: Creates burrs quickly, accepts edges readily
Any method works: Water stones, ceramic stones, diamonds, guided systems, even field stones
Minimal effort required: Touch-ups take minutes, full resharpening is straightforward
Predictable behavior: Consistent response across the blade

Users describe 14C28N as “a joy to sharpen”—high praise from the knife community. The steel polishes nicely, accepts various edge profiles, and rewards technique without punishing inexperience.

This ease of sharpening amplifies 14C28N’s practical value. A user can:

Touch up an edge during lunch break with a pocket stone
Restore factory sharpness with basic bench stones in 10-15 minutes
Achieve razor sharpness with proper technique
Maintain knives without investing in exotic sharpening equipment

For budget knives serving as working tools, this sharpenability is arguably more valuable than theoretical edge retention advantages that require specialized equipment to restore.

Heat Treatment Considerations

14C28N’s heat treatment is flexible and forgiving:

Basic Process:

Austenitize at 1940-1980°F (1060-1070°C)
Quench in oil or air
Optional cryo treatment for maximum hardness
Temper at desired temperature for target hardness

Hardness targets:

55-58 HRC: Maximum toughness, easy sharpening
58-60 HRC: Sweet spot for most applications (typical production knives)
60-62 HRC: Maximum edge retention, still tough but approaching brittleness
63-64 HRC: Achievable with cryo, rarely used (trades toughness for marginal gains)

The beauty of 14C28N is its performance across this range. A knife at 58 HRC performs excellently; one at 62 HRC is noticeably sharper and holds an edge longer but remains adequately tough. The steel doesn’t demand precision—it delivers good results across a wide hardness window.

Most production knives hit 58-60 HRC, which represents the optimal balance for general use. Custom makers sometimes push higher for specific applications, but the gains diminish as toughness decreases.

Historical Context and Market Position

14C28N emerged in 2009 as Sandvik’s answer to Kershaw’s request for a steel that could deliver premium performance at budget pricing. Kershaw needed something better than 420HC (their standard budget steel) but more affordable than premium options like S30V or VG-10.

Sandvik’s solution—enhancing their proven 12C27 with nitrogen—proved inspired. 14C28N delivered performance that exceeded expectations while maintaining the cost structure that budget knives required.

Initially exclusive to Kershaw (appearing in models like the Blur and Leek), 14C28N gradually expanded to other manufacturers as Sandvik made it more widely available. Today it appears across budget-tier quality knives from multiple brands.

The steel’s reputation grew organically through user experience rather than marketing. Enthusiasts discovered that their $30 Kershaw Leek in 14C28N performed admirably compared to $100+ folders in premium steels. This word-of-mouth credibility established 14C28N as “the budget steel that actually works.”

Common Applications

Budget EDC Folders

14C28N’s natural habitat:

Kershaw (Blur, Leek, Link, numerous models)
CRKT (various budget lines)
Ruike (Chinese manufacturer producing quality budget knives)
Price point: typically $20-$60

Outdoor and Bushcraft Knives

The toughness and corrosion resistance make 14C28N popular for:

Fixed blade outdoor knives
Camping and hiking tools
Bushcraft applications
Hunting and fishing knives

Kitchen Knives

Excellent corrosion resistance and easy sharpening suit 14C28N for:

Home kitchen cutlery
Entry-level chef’s knives
Utility and paring knives
Food service applications

Entry-Level Quality Knives

14C28N serves as the “good steel” option for manufacturers targeting:

First-time knife buyers seeking quality
Users transitioning from gas station knives to real tools
Gift knives that won’t embarrass the giver
Working knives needing performance without premium pricing

Practical Considerations

Pros:

Excellent toughness—among the best of stainless steels
Excellent corrosion resistance—rivals premium options
Very easy to sharpen with any method
Good edge retention for daily use
Wide hardness range performs well
Outstanding performance-to-cost ratio
Proven reliability across diverse applications
Low maintenance requirements
Food safe, kitchen appropriate

Cons:

Edge retention doesn’t match premium steels
Less prestigious name recognition
“Budget steel” stigma (though undeserved)
Won’t impress specification-focused enthusiasts
Limited availability compared to industry standards like 440C

Comparison Context

Compared to AEB-L:

Nearly identical composition and performance
14C28N has slightly better corrosion resistance
Both offer excellent toughness and easy sharpening
Similar edge retention
14C28N typically appears in lower-priced knives

Compared to 12C27:

14C28N is the improved version
Better edge retention (nitrogen addition)
Better corrosion resistance
Can achieve higher hardness
Similar toughness
14C28N is superior in most applications

Compared to 420HC:

Dramatically better edge retention
Better toughness
Similar corrosion resistance
Similar ease of sharpening
14C28N is clearly superior

Compared to premium steels (S30V, VG-10):

Lower edge retention
Similar or better toughness (vs S30V)
Similar corrosion resistance
Much easier to sharpen
Significantly lower cost
Better value for many users

Conclusion

14C28N proves that budget steels don’t have to be compromise steels. By leveraging nitrogen enhancement and Sandvik’s expertise with low-carbide stainless formulations, 14C28N delivers a combination of properties—excellent toughness, outstanding corrosion resistance, good edge retention, easy sharpening—that serves real users in real applications admirably.

The steel’s reputation rests on genuine performance, not marketing. When a $30 folder in 14C28N serves its owner reliably for years, cuts through daily tasks efficiently, sharpens easily when needed, and resists rust without constant attention, that’s practical value that no specification sheet can fully capture.

Is 14C28N the longest-wearing steel? No. Will it impress people who judge knives by alloy chemistry and marketing hype? Probably not. But for users who need a knife that works, maintains easily, costs reasonably, and performs reliably across diverse applications, 14C28N makes exceptional sense.

The steel democratizes quality knife ownership. It allows manufacturers to produce genuinely good knives at accessible price points, making quality tools available to users who might not afford premium options. That’s a valuable contribution to the knife world.

If you’re considering a budget knife in 14C28N from a reputable manufacturer like Kershaw, you’re looking at a steel that will serve you well. It’ll stay sharp long enough, sharpen easily when needed, resist rust reliably, and handle the stresses of real use without failure. That’s not exciting marketing copy, but it’s honest value—and sometimes that’s exactly what matters.

The best budget steel available? Arguably yes. Simply a good steel that happens to cost less? Definitely.