440C Stainless Steel BallHigh hardness among all stainless and heat-resistant steels. Used for nozzles, bearings. 440F: A steel grade that improves the machinability of 440C steel. Used for automatic lathes. Martensitic stainless steel, like ordinary alloy steel, has the characteristic of hardening through quenching, so a wide range of different mechanical properties can be obtained by selecting the grade and heat treatment conditions.
440C stainless steel, with a carbon content of C-1.% and corrosion resistance, is a commonly used stainless steel for imported mass-produced knives. It boasts a high chromium content of 16-18% and is one of the stainless steels early adopted for knife manufacturing, enjoying great popularity. If used as a heat-treated stainless bearing steel, it is generally recommended to undergo deep cryogenic treatment before the tempering operation. This deep cryogenic treatment enhances the steel's hardness, improves wear resistance, and maintains dimensional stability. Therefore, deep cryogenic treatment for 440C is often employed in the heat treatment of knives.