Erasteel Customer Technical Support Metallurgist Bob Skibitski Shares His Journey in Powder Metallurgy
Dec 23rd 2025
Few people understand the evolution of modern powder metallurgy like Bob Skibitski. After more than 30 years in the industry, including two decades at Crucible, Bob now serves as an Erasteel technical steel expert, supporting customers across North America.
His deep knowledge of CPM® grades and his firsthand role in developing steels like MagnaCut and MagnaMax make him a trusted voice for knife makers, engineers, and manufacturers who depend on premium alloys.
“I was the CPM metallurgist with Crucible for over 20 years,” Bob explains. “Now, with Erasteel, I’m excited to see how advanced capabilities can take the grades we developed and move them to new heights.”
A Legacy of Metallurgical Excellence
When Crucible first pioneered powder metallurgy in the 1960s, it changed how the world thought about steel performance. That legacy continues today under Erasteel, where innovation and technical precision drive every melt.
As an Erasteel technical steel expert, Bob helps ensure that the quality and consistency knife makers expect from CPM® grades remain intact, only better.
“Erasteel’s technology is truly state-of-the-art,” he says. “Their atomization process produces cleaner steel with finer carbides. It’s the same chemistry, but made with more modern equipment and higher-purity methods.”
This advancement means smoother grinding, more consistent heat-treating, and better edge performance for knife makers everywhere.
Innovation Meets Experience
Transitioning from Crucible’s long-standing tradition to Erasteel’s forward-looking process could have been complicated, but Bob’s technical expertise made it seamless.
“We’ve tightened, polished, and refined the process,” Bob explains. “Erasteel added another melting step, the ESH process, that raises cleanliness and consistency beyond anything we could do before.”
He emphasizes that while the chemical recipes remain the same, the production fundamentals are superior, resulting in steels that perform even better.
For knife makers, this means fewer impurities, tighter tolerances, and better uniformity from sheet to sheet.
Bridging Technology and Customer Support
Bob’s work isn’t just about metallurgy, it’s about helping customers understand the science behind their materials. Whether advising large OEMs or custom knife shops, he explains complex metallurgical principles in plain language.
“It’s about balance,” he says. “Each steel has its own personality, some prioritize wear resistance, others toughness or corrosion resistance. My job is to help you pick the right one for your process and your end use.”
That practical guidance is what makes an Erasteel technical steel expert invaluable: bridging innovation with hands-on application so you get the performance you expect.
Partnering with Niagara Specialty Metals
Niagara Specialty Metals and Erasteel share a commitment to excellence that has redefined reliability in the knife-steel market. Niagara’s advanced rolling and finishing operations transform Erasteel’s premium powder steels into precision sheets ready for makers worldwide.
Bob praises Niagara’s consistent quality and responsiveness:
“Every single sheet for these CPM grades such as MagnaCut, S30V, S35VN comes through Niagara. Their craftsmanship ensures the product performs exactly as designed.”
Together, this partnership guarantees that knife makers, tool manufacturers, and engineers get a steady supply of steels that are cleaner, tougher, and built to spec.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Performance Steels
When asked what excites him most about the future, Bob doesn’t hesitate: continuous improvement.
“The CPM brand and the grades people trust aren’t going anywhere,” he says. “In fact, with Erasteel, you’ll see them become even better. Cleanliness levels are higher. Availability is stronger. And there are new grades like MagnaMax coming soon.”
His optimism is contagious and grounded in decades of seeing innovation unfold one heat at a time.
For customers, that means confidence. The steels you rely on are not just continuing; they’re evolving.
The Expert Behind the Alloy
From early experiments at Crucible to the cutting-edge facilities of Erasteel, Bob Skibitski’s career has mirrored the journey of the specialty-steel industry itself: rooted in tradition, driven by progress, and always focused on helping you succeed.
When you hold a blade made from MagnaCut or any of Erasteel’s advanced grades, you’re holding decades of technical mastery and the result of a lifelong commitment to making great steel even greater.
That’s the impact of an Erasteel technical steel expert connecting knowledge, innovation, and purpose so your products perform their best every time.
Looking to learn more about Erasteel? Check out some of our related blogs here:
Erasteel Powder Metallurgy Innovation: Meet Viktor Sehlstedt
For more information, check out our other blogs.
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