Stainless Steel S30V · heat-treated state
Stainless Steel S30V Hardened & Tempered
Properties of the Hardened & Tempered condition, compared with the other S30V tempers.
Standard service condition for blades and wear parts; best overall balance of wear resistance, toughness and corrosion resistance.
What is S30V Hardened & Tempered?
S30V Hardened & Tempered is S30V heat treated to Hardened & Tempered — standard service condition for blades and wear parts; best overall balance of wear resistance, toughness and corrosion resistance. S30V Hardened & Tempered has a yield strength of 1,800 MPa (261 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,950 MPa (283 ksi) — stronger than 100% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 214 GPa (31 Msi). S30V Hardened & Tempered has a density of 7.43 g/cm³ (0.268 lb/in³), lighter than 100% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; Hardened & Tempered is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High strength — 1,800 MPa (261 ksi), better than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 80/100, better than 89% of stainless steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 2.6 % IACS, better than 77% of stainless steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 1%, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 8/100, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 10/100, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Limited formability — 15/100, worse than 91% of stainless steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 300°C (572 °F), worse than 90% of stainless steel grades
S30V Hardened & Tempered properties
Typical room-temperature values for S30V Hardened & Tempered — 12 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every S30V temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the stainless steel grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical2
S30V Hardened & Tempered has a density of 7.43 g/cm³ (0.268 lb/in³), lighter than 100% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F).
Mechanical8
S30V Hardened & Tempered has a yield strength of 1,800 MPa (261 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,950 MPa (283 ksi) — stronger than 100% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 214 GPa (31 Msi).
Thermal5
S30V Hardened & Tempered is rated for continuous service to 300°C (572 °F). It conducts heat at 20 W/m·K (11.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 74% of stainless steel grades. Thermal expansion is 10.6 µm/m·K (5.89 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
S30V Hardened & Tempered conducts electricity at 2.6 % IACS, better than 77% of stainless steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is good (58/100), worse than 63% of stainless steel grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of S30V Hardened & Tempered takes about 60 MJ of energy and emits 4.5 kg of CO₂ — more than 70% of stainless steel grades. Typical recycled content is 20%.
Manufacturability7
S30V Hardened & Tempered's machinability is not recommended (8/100, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades); weldability not recommended (10/100); formability poor (15/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other S30V tempers and conditions
S30V is also supplied in 4 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the S30V overview.
- AnnealedDefaultStock condition for blanking, milling and drilling before hardening.620 MPa yield · 25 HRC
- Hardened & TemperedStandard service condition for blades and wear parts; best overall balance of wear resistance, toughness and corrosion resistance.1,800 MPa yield · 60 HRC
- H&T 60-61 HRCPick when abrasive wear resistance and edge holding dominate and impact loading is low.61 HRC
- H&T 56-58 HRCUse for thick blades, chisels or shear/punch parts where chipping resistance matters more than ultimate wear resistance.57 HRC
Working with S30V Hardened & Tempered
Is S30V easy to machine?
Machine only in the annealed state with rigid setups, low speeds and coated carbide or ceramic tools; hardened parts must be ground/EDM'd with CBN or diamond abrasives.
Can S30V be welded?
Not recommended — high carbon air-hardening chemistry cracks; if unavoidable, preheat 200–300 °C, use matching PM filler and immediately re-temper.
Can S30V be formed, bent or molded?
No practical cold forming; hot work 1050–1120 °C with slow controlled cooling and full anneal afterwards, and always through-harden rather than form after hardening.
What surface finishes work on S30V?
Hardens to a fine-carbide structure that takes a high mirror polish; passivate or PVD/DLC coat after grinding, black oxide also works well.
S30V chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Chigh carbon for vanadium/chromium carbide formation | 1.4 – 1.5 | 1.45 |
| Crprovides stainless matrix | 13.5 – 14.5 | 14 |
| Vfine MC carbides, wear resistance | 3.7 – 4.3 | 4 |
| Mohardenability and pitting resistance | 1.8 – 2.2 | 2 |
| Mntypical residual level | ≤ 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Sitypical residual level | ≤ 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Fe | balance | — |
S30V Hardened & Tempered — frequently asked
What is S30V Hardened & Tempered used for?
S30V Hardened & Tempered is typically used for pocket knife blades, hunting knife blades, paper and plastic slitting blades, industrial cutting knives, wear-resistant tooling inserts and corrosion-resistant wear parts. In short: high-end knife steel.
What is the yield strength of S30V Hardened & Tempered?
S30V Hardened & Tempered has a typical yield strength of 1,800 MPa (261 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,950 MPa (283 ksi) — stronger than 100% of stainless steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is S30V Hardened & Tempered easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (8/100, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades). Machine only in the annealed state with rigid setups, low speeds and coated carbide or ceramic tools; hardened parts must be ground/EDM'd with CBN or diamond abrasives.
Can S30V Hardened & Tempered be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (10/100). Not recommended — high carbon air-hardening chemistry cracks; if unavoidable, preheat 200–300 °C, use matching PM filler and immediately re-temper.
What surface finishes work on S30V Hardened & Tempered?
Hardens to a fine-carbide structure that takes a high mirror polish; passivate or PVD/DLC coat after grinding, black oxide also works well.
Can S30V Hardened & Tempered be formed, bent or molded?
No practical cold forming; hot work 1050–1120 °C with slow controlled cooling and full anneal afterwards, and always through-harden rather than form after hardening.
What is the maximum service temperature of S30V Hardened & Tempered?
S30V Hardened & Tempered is rated for continuous use to about 300°C (572 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Can FabDigit make parts in S30V Hardened & Tempered?
Yes — S30V Hardened & Tempered is available for CNC machining with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- CPM S30V Data Sheet — Crucible Industries (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Specialty Handbook: Tool Materials — ASM International (1995)
- Knife-steel and tool-steel small-lot distributor pricing — US knife/tool steel distributors (2025)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.