Böhler K888 Matrix Steel

[Larrin]

Wouldn't k890 still be far tougher that any average user would actually need/even notice, while having better edge retention?

Knowing Bohler, though, I'm assuming k888 is gonna be to k890 what Vanadis 8 was to Vanadis 10.

Either way, New steel is always interesting!

How much toughness is necessary depends on the application. Perhaps for most knives K890 is sufficient, or even a steel with less toughness. K888 was not designed for knives so that is not their concern. I don’t see K888 replacing K890 like Vanadis 8 did with Vanadis 10. With Vanadis 8 Uddeholm used a new alloying approach and it had a different microstructure and improved properties over Vanadis 10. With K888 it is a variation of K890. Similar to how Vanadis 4 Extra and Vanadis 8 have the same alloying approach but different wear resistance-toughness balance. Regardless, I wouldn’t necessarily use Uddeholm as the guide for what Bohler might do. Despite both being owned by the same parent company, the R&D of the two seem to operate pretty independently. Otherwise there wouldn’t be so many overlapping products like K390/Vanadis 8, K490/Vanadis 4 Extra, etc. Those all came out after Bohler and Uddeholm merged or after Bohler-Uddeholm was purchased by voestalpine.

[Giygas]

Great point about the current overlapping products. I also didn't know their R&D operated independently of each other.

Thanks for the reply!