EN HS11-5-6-16 Knife Steel
Composition Analysis Graph, Equivalents And Overview

HS11-5-6-16(EN) - HS11-5-6-16 was designed for hobbing tools. Really brutal job for any cutting instrument and it needs a special alloy to cope with the challenges. HS11-5-6-16 is one of the few alloys that can do that. HS11-5-6-16 is loaded with alloying elements, all strong carbide formers, and also has well over 15% Cobalt. All that produces an alloy capable of very high working hardness, red hot hardness at that. As a knife user you won't be interested in the later, but the former is definitely interesting. Very difficult alloy to work with, and heat treatment is demanding as well. On top of that not a cheap alloy, nor easy to obtain. All that combined gives you can idea why it isn't used too often even in customs. Due to very high carbide volume HS11-5-6-16 needs an edge that is substantial enough to retain carbides during cutting, that would mean ~15° per side sharpening angle, and for the same reason(high carbide volume) HS11-5-6-16 is better off with coarse edge.

Manufacturing Technology - Ingot

Country - European Union(EU)

NOTE - Approximate composition based on manufacturer's or standard reference information and other alloys in the same reference group is shown.