15Cr Martensitic Stainless (var. 8)

15Cr Martensitic Stainless Steel (variant 8) is a high-carbon, cobalt-strengthened martensitic stainless steel designed for demanding applications requiring exceptional hardness and wear resistance combined with corrosion resistance. The elevated carbon content (~0.97%) and cobalt alloying (~13%) produce a material suitable for precision tooling, cutlery, and high-performance applications where both edge retention and corrosion resistance are critical; engineers select this grade over standard martensitic stainless steels or tool steels when the combination of hardness, toughness, and stainless properties cannot be compromised. The molybdenum and nickel additions provide additional hardenability and toughness, making this variant well-suited to components that experience cyclic loading or require fine dimensional tolerance after hardening.