Nitro-V in stock
Yes, especially anywhere wet. Nitro-V is a nitrogen-enhanced stainless derived from AEB-L, running 59 to 62 HRC. Its standout properties are corrosion resistance and toughness rather than raw edge retention: reported Charpy figures of 25 to 30 ft-lbs at 61 HRC are unusually high for a stainless in this class.
Nitro-V is built on the AEB-L platform with roughly 0.68% carbon, 12.8% chromium, 1.5% molybdenum and 0.75% vanadium, plus about 0.11% nitrogen. That small nitrogen addition is disproportionately effective against pitting, so the steel resists corrosion like something with much more chromium.
It was developed and brought to market by New Jersey Steel Baron in 2017 and is melted by Bohler-Uddeholm and Buderus.
Carbide volume is lower than the S30V class, so pure wear resistance is good rather than exceptional. Civivi builds some of the same folders in D2, and D2 vs Nitro-V covers that choice. What you get in exchange is toughness and a very fine, consistent grain that takes a genuinely keen edge and holds its geometry.
That is the right trade for fishing knives, kitchen work, anything saltwater, and any user who would rather sharpen a little more often than deal with chipping.
It sharpens easily on ordinary stones, which is a real advantage over high-vanadium steels. A fine finish suits it: this is a steel that likes a polished edge more than a toothy one.
It still needs rinsing and drying after saltwater, as Sandvik's 14C28N does; Nitro-V vs 14C28N compares the two nitrogen-bearing steels. Excellent corrosion resistance is not immunity.
The grid below shows Nitro-V listings from Civivi, chosen from the catalog when this answer was written. Each one carries Nitro-V 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 Nitro-V in the Steel Lab.