MagnaMax® Steel
The Next Evolution in Modern Knife Steel
Higher edge retention. Excellent corrosion resistance. Strong toughness.
Explore MagnaMax®
MagnaMax® is a premium powder metallurgy stainless knife steel developed by Dr. Larrin Thomas to deliver significantly higher edge retention while maintaining excellent corrosion resistance and strong toughness.
Building on the alloy design approach behind CPM® MagnaCut, MagnaMax® gives knife makers and manufacturers a new option when longer cutting performance and increased wear resistance are the priority.
Than CPM® MagnaCut
What Is MagnaMax®?
MagnaMax® was developed as a higher-wear-resistance evolution of CPM® MagnaCut.
CPM® MagnaCut is known for its balance of toughness, corrosion resistance, and edge retention. MagnaMax® shifts that balance toward greater wear resistance and longer edge life while maintaining excellent corrosion resistance and strong toughness.
Testing by Dr. Larrin Thomas showed approximately 40% greater edge retention than CPM® MagnaCut.
For knife makers and users, this means longer cutting performance without sacrificing many of the toughness and corrosion tradeoffs found in older high-wear stainless steels.
What Makes MagnaMax® Different?
Higher Edge Retention
MagnaMax® was designed for applications where long cutting performance matters. Its increased wear resistance allows a blade to maintain its cutting edge longer during abrasive cutting tasks, reducing the need for frequent sharpening.
Excellent Corrosion Resistance
MagnaMax® maintains excellent corrosion resistance even with its substantial increase in wear resistance. Its alloy design avoids the large chromium carbides found in many traditional high-wear stainless steels. This leaves more chromium available within the steel matrix to support corrosion resistance.
Strong Toughness
Higher wear resistance normally comes at the expense of toughness. MagnaMax® accepts some reduction in toughness compared with CPM® MagnaCut, but still maintains strong toughness for a stainless steel with this level of edge retention.
Advanced Powder Metallurgy Performance
MagnaMax® uses powder metallurgy to create a fine, uniform carbide structure. Instead of relying on large chromium carbides, MagnaMax® uses fine vanadium and niobium carbides.
These smaller carbides help improve:
MagnaMax® has approximately 16% carbide volume, roughly twice that of CPM® MagnaCut. The additional carbide volume contributes to its higher wear resistance and slicing edge retention.
At the same time, its fine carbide structure helps maintain significantly better toughness than many older high-edge-retention stainless steels.
MagnaMax® vs. CPM® MagnaCut
MagnaMax® and CPM® MagnaCut share a similar alloy-design philosophy, but each steel prioritizes a different performance balance.
Edge Retention-Toughness Balance
When edge retention and toughness are compared together, MagnaMax® shows an excellent property balance. It offers similar edge retention to S110V but substantially higher toughness. This data point is for 62 HRC; higher hardness could provide somewhat greater edge retention at the cost of some toughness. MagnaMax® maintains toughness similar to S35VN while providing much greater edge retention. Compared with M390, MagnaMax® represents a significant improvement in both toughness and edge retention. Previously, this combination was primarily available in non-stainless powder metallurgy steels.
Toughness
MagnaMax® is just above Vanax, S35VN, CPM-154, and XHP on Dr. Larrin Thomas's stainless toughness chart. These four steels were among the toughest powder metallurgy stainless steels available prior to MagnaCut. MagnaMax® matching or exceeding their toughness is particularly significant. MagnaCut appears twice on the chart as “MagnaCut” and “Erasteel MagnaCut.”
Toughness Compared with Non-Stainless PM Steels
Comparing MagnaMax® with its benchmark grades, its toughness is similar to Vanadis 8 and K390 and a small step above CPM® 10V. Although MagnaMax® is stainless, it still matches the toughness of these non-stainless powder metallurgy steels. Knife users who have been satisfied with the toughness of K390 can expect a similar level of toughness from MagnaMax®.
Performance charts and analysis: Dr. Larrin Thomas of Knife Steel Nerds. Read the full article, MagnaMax Is Here – The Next Evolution in Knife Steel.
Choose CPM® MagnaCut when toughness and overall balance are the priority. Choose MagnaMax® when greater edge retention and wear resistance matter most. MagnaMax® does not replace CPM® MagnaCut. Instead, it expands the range of performance options available to knife makers and manufacturers.
MagnaMax® Applications
MagnaMax® is well suited for high-performance knife applications where long edge life and corrosion resistance are important.
Common applications include:
MagnaMax® is particularly well suited for folding and EDC knives, where users often prioritize extended cutting performance over maximum impact toughness.
Its combination of toughness and wear resistance can also give knife makers greater flexibility when optimizing thinner, more acute edge geometries.
MagnaMax® Heat Treatment
Proper heat treatment allows knife makers to tailor MagnaMax® hardness, toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance to the finished blade.
Testing by Dr. Larrin Thomas established heat treatment recommendations for processes both with and without cryogenic treatment.
Additional heat treatment combinations can be used depending on the desired hardness and toughness.
Explore More About MagnaMax®
Learn more about MagnaMax® development, performance, heat treatment, and how the steel compares with other high-performance knife steels.
Why Choose MagnaMax®?
MagnaMax® offers a strong combination of properties for makers who want to prioritize cutting performance.
Choose MagnaMax® when your application requires:
For folding knives, EDC blades, kitchen knives, and other high-performance cutting applications, MagnaMax® provides a new balance between edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance.
MagnaMax® at Niagara Specialty Metals
Niagara Specialty Metals processes and supplies MagnaMax® steel for custom knife makers, production manufacturers, and other high-performance knife applications.
Our MagnaMax® processing and supply capabilities include:
- Specialty Rolling
- Cut-to-Size Material
- Grinding
- Laser Cutting
- Waterjet Cutting
- Small-Quantity Availability
- Technical Support
Niagara Specialty Metals has worked closely with Dr. Larrin Thomas throughout the development and commercialization of both CPM® MagnaCut and MagnaMax®.
Whether you are developing a new knife or evaluating MagnaMax® for an existing product, our team can help with material availability and processing requirements.