By James Nicholas ·

14C28N and M390 Steel: What Each One Is Actually Good At

Two folding knives on a black reflective surface with neon blue/purple lighting and smoky backdrop; orange-handled model visible.
The Benchmade Bugout features a m390 blade vs the Kershaw Leek 1660 series with a 14C28N blade

M390 vs 14C28N comes down to one trade: edge retention versus easy upkeep. M390 is a premium powder-metallurgy stainless that holds an edge for an exceptionally long time and resists corrosion; 14C28N is a fine-grained Sandvik stainless that is tougher, easier to sharpen, and far cheaper. Neither is universally better. The right answer is the one that matches how you actually use and maintain a knife.

If you hate touching up an edge and want a blade that stays working sharp through heavy cardboard, rope, or abrasive materials for weeks or months, M390 delivers. If you prefer a knife that takes a keen edge quickly on basic stones or a ceramic rod, shrugs off chips better under lateral stress or impacts, and stays stainless with minimal care, 14C28N is the smarter everyday choice. Everything else including the price, heat-treat sensitivity, and real-world feel, flows from that core trade-off.

This is a steel explainer, not a knife ranking. We use the WE Knife Inceptus in M390 and the CIVIVI Iron Tide in 14C28N as the worked examples. WE Knife and CIVIVI are independent companies making different knives for different buyers; this comparison is about the steels, not the brands.

M390 vs 14C28N: the four-way trade every steel makes

Every knife steel balances four main properties: edge retention (wear resistance), toughness (resistance to chipping or breaking), corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening (plus the related factors of cost and grindability). Improving one usually costs something in another.

  • Edge retention: Driven largely by hard carbides (especially vanadium carbides) and overall carbide volume. Higher volume and harder carbides keep the edge from wearing away on abrasive materials.
  • Toughness: Favored by lower carbide volume, finer microstructure, and balanced carbon. High-carbide steels can feel “brittle” under impact or when the edge is run too thin.
  • Corrosion resistance: Depends mainly on chromium (and sometimes molybdenum or nitrogen) left in solution rather than locked in carbides. Both steels here are true stainless, but the details differ.
  • Ease of sharpening and cost: Softer carbides and lower volume make a steel friendlier on stones and cheaper to produce and grind. Powder-metallurgy super steels with high vanadium content demand diamond or CBN abrasives and raise the final knife price.
M390 maximizes edge retention and corrosion resistance at the expense of toughness and sharpening ease. 14C28N prioritizes toughness and easy maintenance while accepting more moderate edge retention. Neither is “better”—they optimize different corners of the same trade space.

The full 28-steel table, including where each of these lands on edge retention and toughness, is in our knife steel comparison chart.

What is M390 steel? The premium, long-edge choice

Folding knife with a black blade and a textured silver handle, shown partially open on a dark surface; Benchmade logo visible on the blade.
The Benchmade 535BK 4 Bugout is a lightweight USA made AXIS locking everyday carry folder with a 324 inch black Cerakote M390 drop point blade and milled 6061 T6 aluminum handles that weighs just 25 ounces

Böhler M390 Microclean is a powder-metallurgy martensitic stainless steel originally developed for high-wear, corrosion-resistant tooling (plastic injection molds, etc.) that knife makers adopted for its outstanding properties. Typical composition is approximately 1.90% carbon, 20% chromium, 4% vanadium, 1% molybdenum, 0.6% tungsten, plus silicon and manganese. The high carbon and chromium create a large volume of chromium carbides, while the 4% vanadium forms extremely hard vanadium carbides. Powder metallurgy keeps the carbides fine and evenly distributed, avoiding the large, brittle particles that plague conventional high-alloy steels. Manufacturers commonly heat-treat it to 60–62 HRC (sometimes 61–63 HRC or a bit higher with careful processing).

What it does well:

  • Exceptional edge retention on abrasive materials—CATRA-style testing and user reports consistently place it near the top of stainless steels.
  • Excellent corrosion resistance thanks to high chromium in solution plus molybdenum and tungsten contributions. It handles humidity, sweat, and many wet environments better than most mid-range stainless options.
  • Takes a very fine, polished edge and holds geometry well.

Trade-offs:

  • Moderate toughness. The high carbide volume makes it more prone to micro-chipping under impact, prying, or very thin edge angles compared with lower-carbide steels.
  • Harder and slower to sharpen. The vanadium carbides require quality abrasives; basic aluminum-oxide stones struggle.
  • Premium cost. The powder process and alloy content push knife prices higher.

M390 shines in premium EDC folders, light-to-moderate utility work, and situations where you want maximum time between sharpenings and strong rust resistance.

What is 14C28N steel? The tough, easy-to-maintain value choice

Orange-handled folding knife (Kershaw) with partially open blade on a glossy surface, neon purple/blue background and smoke.
The Kershaw Leek 1660 series is a slim USA made Ken Onion designed assisted opening EDC folder featuring a 3 inch 14C28N stainless steel blade frame lock and lightweight stainless or aluminum handles

14C28N is a nitrogen-enhanced martensitic stainless steel developed by Sandvik (now Alleima) specifically for high-quality knife blades. Nominal composition is about 0.62% carbon, 14% chromium, 0.11% nitrogen, 0.6% manganese, and 0.2% silicon.
The nitrogen addition is key: it boosts hardness and corrosion resistance while helping keep more chromium available in solution (rather than tied up in carbides). This produces a fine carbide distribution that supports a stable, keen edge without the high wear resistance of powder super-steels. Recommended hardness range is 55–62 HRC; many production knives land in the upper 50s to low 60s.

What it does well:

  • Excellent toughness for a stainless steel—among the best in its price class and competitive with some much more expensive options. It resists chipping and rolling better, allowing thinner, more aggressive edge geometries in real use.
  • Very good to excellent corrosion resistance. The chromium-plus-nitrogen combination performs reliably in humid, sweaty, or lightly corrosive conditions with minimal maintenance.
  • Easy to sharpen. Fine microstructure and moderate carbide hardness mean it responds quickly to simple stones, ceramics, or guided systems and takes a razor edge readily.
  • Strong value. It appears in well-made production knives at accessible prices without feeling like a compromise for everyday carry.

Trade-offs:

  • Good rather than exceptional edge retention. It holds a working edge solidly for daily tasks (packages, food, cord, light utility) but will need more frequent touch-ups than M390 under sustained abrasive cutting.
  • Not a “set it and forget it for months” steel in the heaviest use cases.

14C28N is ideal for hard-use EDC, kitchen knives, outdoor utility blades, and anyone who values easy field maintenance and durability over maximum wear resistance.

The worked example: CIVIVI Iron Tide (C25011-3). The Iron Tide runs a 14C28N blade in a rugged, work-ready package priced to be used hard. This is the steel and the knife you reach for when you want a blade you will pry-adjacent it (carefully), touch up on a truck-tailgate, and not baby. Best for: the buyer who uses a knife hard, sharpens often and easily, and wants strong performance without a premium price.

M390 vs 14C28N: how to choose by your own habits

Match the steel to how you actually carry and maintain a knife, not to internet rankings.

Choose M390 if:

  • You cut a lot of abrasive material (cardboard, carpet, rope, packaging) and want the longest intervals between sharpenings.
  • You already own diamond or high-quality sharpening gear and don’t mind spending time on the edge.
  • Corrosion resistance and a premium feel matter, and budget allows.
  • Your use is mostly slicing rather than heavy impact or prying.

Choose 14C28N if:

  • You want a tough, stainless blade that stays sharp enough for daily tasks and refreshes in minutes with basic tools.
  • You value toughness and edge stability (thinner edges, less risk of chips) over absolute wear resistance.
  • Price and low-maintenance ownership matter—many excellent production knives use it for exactly these reasons.
  • Your knife sees mixed use, occasional rough handling, or wet environments where easy upkeep is more important than months between sessions.
In short: M390 is the long-edge specialist that asks more of the user in maintenance and cost. 14C28N is the practical all-rounder that prioritizes toughness, corrosion resistance, and easy care. Both are genuinely good steels; the better one is the one that matches how you use and maintain your knife.

Frequently asked questions

Is M390 steel good?

Yes — M390 is one of the best mainstream EDC blade steels for edge retention and corrosion resistance. It holds a working edge for an exceptionally long time and resists rust well. The trade is that it is harder to sharpen than budget steels and costs more, so it shines for buyers who sharpen rarely and want a premium blade.

Is 14C28N steel good?

Yes — 14C28N is an excellent value steel. It is tough, resists corrosion, and sharpens very easily, which makes it ideal for a knife you use hard and touch up often. It does not hold an edge as long as a premium steel like M390, but it costs far less and is more forgiving of abuse.

M390 vs 14C28N: which is better?

Neither is universally better. M390 wins on edge retention and premium feel; 14C28N wins on toughness, ease of sharpening, and price. Choose M390 if you want the longest edge life and rarely sharpen; choose 14C28N if you use a blade hard and like quick, easy touch-ups. Many carriers keep one of each.

What is the best blade steel for EDC?

There is no single best EDC blade steel — it depends on your habits. The best steel is the one that matches how you maintain a knife: a premium steel like M390 for long edge life with infrequent sharpening, or a value steel like 14C28N for toughness and easy upkeep. Match the steel to your routine rather than chasing a chart.

This article is part of the 100 Days of Silence, presented by Silencer Central, a paid sponsorship of PopularSuppressors.com and the Brand Avalanche Media network. Sponsor links are marked. WE Knife and CIVIVI are independent companies; product specifications are drawn from each manufacturer. Silencer Central is the campaign’s anchor sponsor; product makers named here are independent companies.

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