Is BDZ1 steel good?

BDZ1 steel is high Carbon Chromium stainless steel manufactured by the Carpenter under the CTS family. It is also referred to as BDZ-1. It is ranked among the finest high-end stainless steel on the market because it offers excellent edge retention, high corrosion resistance, and high toughness.

Due to the unique heat treatment used in the manufacturer of this steel, it produces uniform carbide distribution and hence a fine edge that offers the best edge retention properties among other stainless steels.

Due to this, it is has been a perfect choice in the manufacturer of razors, hunting knives, kitchen knives, salon blades, surgical tools, camping knives, and pocket knives, to mention a few.

BDZ1 Steel Chemical Composition

Carbon C 0.75%: Increases the edge retention, hardness and tensile strength. It also improves steel resistance to wear, abrasion and corrosion.
Chromium Cr 13.50%: Chromium Increases hardness, tensile strength and corrosion resistance of the steel blade.
Molybdenum Mo 0.75%: It improves machinability and hardening property.
Manganese Mn 1.00%: Increases Hardness and but in high quantities can increase brittleness of the steel.
Phosphorus P 0.02%: Improves hardness.
Sulphur S 0.01% : Increases machinability of steel but can reduce toughness in large amounts.
Silicon Si 1.00% : Improves grain structure for better hardness, however like Manganese it can increase brittleness.

Properties of BDZ1 steel

BDZ1 Steel Hardness

BDZ1 steel hardness is 60-61HRC as per the Rockwell hardness scale, which is high hardness. With this level of hardness, you can expect BDZ1 knives to serve you for a long time.

BDZ1 Steel Edge retention

CTS BDZ1 steel is widely known because of its edge-holding capabilities. With its hardness level, knives made from this steel remain sharp for a long time and give you an excellent cutting feel.

If you are specifically on the market for a knife that remains sharp for long, look no further because the varieties of BDZ1 will offer you the best.

BDZ1 Toughness

As a rule of thumb, hard steel types fail in toughness, but this is not the case with our steel of the day. Despite being hard steel, BDZ1 offers high toughness, which is associated with the fine blend of carbon, chromium, silicon, and manganese in its composition.

Therefore, knives made from this steel will not break or chip when used for challenging applications.

BDZ1 Wear resistance

BDZ1 offers decent wear resistance because it has a hardness of 60HRC, which is considered moderately hard. Its wear resistance capabilities allow it to be a perfect choice in making outdoor knives as it does not wear and tear quickly.

The availability of high amounts of silicon and manganese in its composition gets the credit for the decent wear resistance of this steel.

BDZ1 Steel Corrosion resistance

Being stainless steel, BDZ1 can resist rusting, and corrosion to a good extends. However, it is not completely rust-resistant and hence the need for proper care and maintenance.

Proper care entails washing and drying the knives after use. You cannot leave knives made from BDZ1 in water all the time and expect them to remain rust-free.

Sharpening BDZ1 Steel

The ease of sharpening steel depends on its hardness, with very hard steel being difficult to sharpen. Since BDZ1 is moderately hard steel, it is easy to sharpen. With simple sharpening tools and basic sharpening skills, you will be able to get a sharp edge quickly.

Comparison with other knife steel options

BDZ1 vs D2

BDZ1 is stainless steel, while D2 is semi-stainless. Therefore BDZ1 is better in corrosion resistance than D2 because it contains more chromium. Also, it is better in wear resistance because it contains finer chromium carbides.

BDZ1 vs S35VN

S35VN steel offers better wear resistance and edge retention than BDZ1 because it contains vanadium in its composition, making it much harder. On the other hand, BDZ1 shines in toughness because it is not as hard as its counterpart.

BDZ1 vs VG10

BDZ1 beats VG10 steel in corrosion resistance and edge retention. On similarities, they offer the same ease of sharpening.

BDZ1 vs 420hc

BDZ1 steel is certainly better steel than 420hc steel. BDZ1 offers better edge retention, is easier to sharpen, and offers slightly better corrosion resistance than 420hc steel. In terms of toughness, they offer equal performance, 420HC is however much cheaper and easily found in many knife brands like the buck and Kershaw.