Mundial steel hardness

[D J]

Hi, I bought this knife not long after moving out of the parents. It would be more than 30 years old. The steel is very hard and makes a high pitch ping sound when flicked with a fingernail. Just interested to know if anyone would know the hardness of this knife.

it's not really a kitchen knife but it has only ever been used as one

 

[Ericfg]

Probably around the same area as the F.Dick next to it, or maybe a bit lower. 'Skinning" profile, BTW.

 

[cotedupy]

The Mundials I've sharpened have never been particularly hard. 55-57 I'd guess. Yours may be different though!

 

[D J]

When sharpening, it's up there with the harder steels, harder than VG10 61rc but not as hard as R2 63-4 rc. I read somewhere (a few years ago) that Mundial knives are not as hard as they used to be. It may have been here. Before I became a member.

 

[Barmoley]

You can't determine the hardness unless you actually measure it with one of the hardness measuring methods. How it feels when sharpening is not an accurate indication of how hard it is neither is how it sounds when flicking with your nail. It is unlikely to be as hard as you think it is, but ofcourse without measuring no way to tell for sure.

 

[Bensbites]

If you want to send it to me, I will put it on my hardness tester.

 

[D J]

Thanks for the help. Not too concerned. Just would be intersted to know.

 

[McMan]

Mundial lists their steel as "high-carbon CrMo steel". I'd be fairly confident that you wouldn't see this cranked up to high levels of hardness for a commercial stainless knife at $30. My thinking would be ~57 too.