Blade Hardness: What Does This показатель Mean?

Blade hardness is one of the most important knife characteristics. It shows how resistant the steel is to wear, deformation, and edge dulling. Hardness is usually measured using the HRC scale (Rockwell Hardness Scale).

Simply put: the higher the HRC value, the longer the knife keeps its sharp cutting edge.

How to Understand Hardness Ratings?

Most modern knives have hardness levels between 54 and 64 HRC.

• 54–57 HRC — softer steel, easy to sharpen, handles impact well, but loses sharpness faster.
• 58–60 HRC — the best balance between strength, wear resistance, and ease of sharpening. The most popular choice for EDC and outdoor knives.
• 61–64 HRC — hard premium steel, keeps its edge for a long time, but is harder to sharpen and may be more brittle under heavy side loads.

How Does Hardness Affect Your Choice?

The right choice depends on how you plan to use the knife:

• For everyday carry (EDC), medium hardness is usually the best option — practical and reliable.
• For heavy-duty work, bushcraft, or hard use, slightly softer steel can be better because it is less brittle.
• For premium, collector, or maximum-performance cutting knives, higher hardness is often preferred.

Important to Remember

Higher hardness does not always mean better.

A blade that is too hard can become brittle, while a blade that is too soft may lose sharpness too quickly.

The ideal knife is a balance between hardness, toughness, and your real-world usage needs.

That is why, when choosing a knife, it is important to look not only at the brand or design, but also at the blade hardness rating.

Generally speaking, when sharpening your SRM blade, we recommend maintaining a constant angle of 15°.

In most cases, the angle of the SRM blade is approximately 15°. We recommend maintaining a constant angle of 15°. However, for some knife models, due to their different purposes, the angle is greater than or less than 15°. When sharpening the knife, please observe carefully and adjust the angle appropriately according to the actual situation.

How to sharpen with a whetstone? 

1. Clean your knife: Wipe it with a soft cloth to ensure that there is no oil, dirt or impurities on the blade.

 2. Moisten the whetstone: Moisten the whetstone before use or apply a small amount of oil to the surface of the whetstone.

 3. Fix the whetstone: Place the whetstone on a stable surface to ensure that it will not slide. If necessary, put a towel underneath to prevent slipping.

 4. Roll the blade for sharpening: Place the blade against the rough side of the whetstone at an angle of 15 degrees, and push evenly from the heel to the tip of the knife, maintaining a consistent force and angle. Repeat 10-20 times, and then turn the knife over to sharpen the other side. Remember not to sharpen the knife vertically, otherwise it will damage the structure of the blade and reduce the durability of the blade.

 • Generally speaking, the two sides of the whetstone have different grit numbers. Check the markings on your whetstone or its packaging to determine the grit numbers of the two sides.

 5. Polish: Turn the whetstone over to the other side and repeat the first two steps to polish the blade.

How to sharpen with a honing rod? 

The main function of the honing rod is to repair the micro burrs on the blade edge, rather than truly grinding the metal like.