9Cr18MoV in stock
Yes, it is one of the stronger common Chinese GB stainless grades. 9Cr18MoV carries about 0.85 to 0.95% carbon and 18% chromium with molybdenum and a little vanadium, at 58 to 62 HRC. It is positioned as the 440C equivalent of that steel family, with good edge retention and very good corrosion resistance.
Compared with 8Cr13MoV it has noticeably more carbon and considerably more chromium. That lifts both edge retention and corrosion resistance, and it supports a higher working hardness.
The comparison to 440C is a fair one on composition, and the two behave similarly in use. Civivi also builds its Praxis in Nitro-V, and 9Cr18MoV vs Nitro-V compares the two.
Upper-budget to mid tier. It is a genuine step up from the entry Chinese grades without the price of a powder steel, and it sharpens far more easily than anything with high vanadium content.
Toughness is good. It is not a chippy steel at sensible hardness.
As with every steel in this family, heat treat quality varies more than the alloy does. A known brand's 9Cr18MoV and an unbranded one are not equivalent products.
If you want the same tier from a Western mill, 440C is the direct comparison and often costs a little more.
The grid below shows 9Cr18MoV listings from Civivi and Gerber, chosen from the catalog when this answer was written. Each one carries 9Cr18MoV 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 9Cr18MoV in the Steel Lab.
