Sandvik 14C28N in stock
Yes, it is a mid-tier value stainless and a common step up from Chinese Cr-Mo-V steels on production folders. Sandvik 14C28N runs about 0.62% carbon, 14% chromium and a nitrogen addition, at a typical 57 to 59 HRC. It was engineered specifically for corrosion resistance and easy sharpening, and its toughness and grain consistency are very good.
Unlike the generic AISI grades, 14C28N was developed by Sandvik as a cutlery steel with specific goals: corrosion resistance, a fine consistent grain, and an edge that comes back easily. It is the refined descendant of Sandvik 12C27, which has been in Scandinavian and Western production cutlery for decades.
The nitrogen alloying is what lets it hold that corrosion resistance without a very high chromium figure.
It takes a very keen edge quickly, holds it moderately, and does not chip. That combination makes it feel better in the hand than its position on an edge-retention chart suggests, because the edge stays clean rather than degrading into micro-chips.
Kershaw and CIVIVI both use it widely, and it is the usual honest step up from 8Cr13MoV. On the Civivi shelf it sits beside Nitro-V, and Nitro-V vs 14C28N sets the two against each other.
If you cut abrasive material all day and hate sharpening, a high-carbide steel like D2 or a powder steel will go longer between touch-ups. 14C28N trades wear resistance away on purpose.
Run it at a moderate angle and enjoy how quickly it comes back. This is a steel to maintain little and often.
The grid below shows Sandvik 14C28N listings from Kershaw, chosen from the catalog when this answer was written. Each one carries Sandvik 14C28N in its own specification table, and its price is read from the live catalog every time the site is built.
The full reference entry, with the published composition and hardness range and every listing we carry in it, is Sandvik 14C28N in the Steel Lab.