K390 Steel

Like most blade steels, the best way to understand the "magic" of K390 is to start with the reason it was developed in the first place. According to its creator, BÖHLER, K390 MICROCLEAN was developed to "meet the demanding wear resistance and compressive strength requirements of cutting, blanking and punching applications, for cold forming applications, and for parts which are subjected to abrasive wear in plastics processing." In simpler terms, K390 was created specifically to excel at some of the most demanding industrial processes imaginable.

K390's remarkable qualities include good machinability, excellent grindability, uniform low dimensional change during heat treatment, excellent tolerance for long soak times during heat treating, and optimal EDM (electrically discharged machining) characteristics. The key to achieving these properties is BÖHLER's advanced powder-metallurgy production process, which prevents alloy segregation and ensures a uniform chemical composition, uniform carbide distribution, and small carbide size.

As impressive as all this sounds, when it comes to appreciating K390's potential as a blade steel, it helps to have other established steels as a basis for comparison. It helps even more when a steel-savvy custom knifemaker and popular Spyderco collaborator "cracks the code" for you.

Specifications
Blade Length: 4.38" (111 mm)
Cutting Edge: 3.97" (101 mm)
Closed Length: 5.64" (143 mm)
Overall Length: 9.97" (253 mm)
Blade Material: Bohler K390 Tool Steel
Blade Thickness: 0.118" (3.0 mm)
Blade Style: Drop Point
Blade Grind: Full Flat
Blade Finish: Satin
Handle Material: Blue FRN
Liner Material: Stainless Steel
Locking Mechanism: Lockback
Pocket Clip: Black Stainless Steel (Tip-Up/Down, Right/Left Carry)
Weight: 4.2 oz. (119 g)
Made in Japan