I have a couple of knives with 3G super powder steel blades and you can grow a bit of a beard while raising a burr on those bad boys. CPM 154 too, but only a 5 o'clock shadow with that burr raising! LOL!

Leo

For those interested here is what Sandvik says about their own product


"Sandvik 12C27 knife steel
The well-rounded knife steel

Sandvik 12C27 is Sandvik's most well-rounded knife steel with excellent edge performance allowing razor sharpness, high hardness, exceptional toughness and good corrosion resistance.

Sandvik 12C27 is our main knife steel for hand-held knives, high-end ice skate blades and ice drills. Continuous improvement over a period of 45 years has evolved Sandvik 12C27 into the high performing steel grade it is today. The composition is tighter, the purity level is much higher and the fine carbide microstructure of today is far from how Sandvik 12C27 knife steel of the sixties looked.

With a hardness range of 54-61 HRC, high toughness, scary sharpness and good corrosion resistance, Sandvik 12C27 is the recommended grade for hunting knives, pocket knives, camping knives, high-end chef's knives and tactical knives.

Like most of Sandvik's knife steels this grade is fineblankable enabling efficient production.
Chemical composition, % (nominal) Carbon
(C) Chromimium
(Cr) Molybdenum
(Mo) Silicon
(Si) Manganese
(Mn)
0.60 13.5 - 0.40 0.40"

12C27M is much the eame with a little better corrosion resistance for knives that are used in situations where corrosion could be a problem. e.g. ice drills, kitchen knives

Quote is courtesy of Sandvik Sweden.

Leo

Thanks for posting the data from Sandvik. It does look like better steel than I thought.

As a side note, I don't think I have ever had a pocket knife or sheath knife rust or corrode. Even my cheap edc has never had a spot of rust on it, and well, living on the beach and sweating in the garden and yard in the summer time you do get both salty and sweaty. I don't necessarily remembering giving the knives in my pocket or yard pouch any extra care other than wiping them down and giving a little sharpening love, even when I couldn't sharpen worth beans...