Stainless Steel AUS-8-CR (Cold rolled)
Supply condition
Precision-rolled thin strip supplied slightly harder than full anneal for clean stamping of thin blades and razor blanks.
Values for the CR condition
Other AUS-8 tempers and conditions
AUS-8 is listed in 5 conditions; see the grade overview at AUS-8.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefault mill soft-annealed strip/plate for blanking and machining | The as-supplied condition for knife blanks: soft enough to stamp, laser-cut, drill and grind before heat treatment. | 450 | 760 | 18 | 225 HB | — |
CRThis page Cold rolled | Precision-rolled thin strip supplied slightly harder than full anneal for clean stamping of thin blades and razor blanks. | 650 | 900 | 10 | 28 HRC | 3 % IACS |
hardened and tempered for maximum toughness | Choose for choppers, machetes, dive knives and thick-spine tools where chip resistance beats edge holding. | 1,600 | 1,900 | 3 | 56 HRC | — |
standard knife hardening (≈1050–1070 °C austenitize, 180–200 °C temper) | The mainstream production-knife condition: best balance of edge retention, toughness and easy field sharpening. | 1,750 | 2,050 | 2 | 58 HRC | — |
Q&T + cryogenic 59–61 HRC | Sub-zero treatment converts retained austenite for peak hardness and edge stability; toughness and corrosion margin drop, so keep edges thicker. | 1,850 | 2,150 | 1.5 | 60 HRC | — |
What is AUS-8-CR?
AUS-8-CR is AUS-8 supplied in the CR condition — precision-rolled thin strip supplied slightly harder than full anneal for clean stamping of thin blades and razor blanks. AUS-8-CR has a yield strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 90% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi). AUS-8-CR has a density of 7.75 g/cm³ (0.28 lb/in³), lighter than 65% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F). Annealed is the default condition FabDigit quotes; CR is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- High electrical conductivity — 3 % IACS, better than 95% of stainless steel grades
- High strength — 650 MPa (94.3 ksi), better than 90% of stainless steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 24 W/m·K (13.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of stainless steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 10%, worse than 98% of stainless steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 18/100, worse than 97% of stainless steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 50 MPa·√m (45.5 ksi·√in), worse than 92% of stainless steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 350°C (662 °F), worse than 84% of stainless steel grades
- Limited formability — 25/100, worse than 78% of stainless steel grades
AUS-8-CR properties
Typical room-temperature values for AUS-8-CR; 23 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are AUS-8 reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among stainless steel grades.
Physical3
AUS-8-CR has a density of 7.75 g/cm³ (0.28 lb/in³), lighter than 65% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F).
Mechanical16
AUS-8-CR has a yield strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 90% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 10% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
Thermal6
AUS-8-CR is rated for continuous service to 350°C (662 °F). It conducts heat at 24 W/m·K (13.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 81% of stainless steel grades. Thermal expansion is 10.4 µm/m·K (5.78 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
AUS-8-CR conducts electricity at 3 % IACS, better than 95% of stainless steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is fair (52/100), worse than 76% of stainless steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of AUS-8-CR takes about 53 MJ of energy and emits 5 kg of CO₂ — less than 67% of stainless steel grades. Typical recycled content is 35%.
Manufacturability8
AUS-8-CR's machinability is poor (34/100, worse than 55% of stainless steel grades); weldability poor (18/100); formability poor (25/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with AUS-8-CR
Is AUS-8 easy to machine?
Machine, drill and profile only in the annealed state with sharp carbide and rigid setups (~45 % of 1212); once hardened, work by CBN/diamond grinding or EDM only.
Can AUS-8 be welded?
Poor weldability — 0.75 % C martensitic steel cracks readily; if unavoidable preheat 250–300 °C, use 309/312 filler and temper immediately, expect a soft/brittle HAZ.
Can AUS-8 be formed, bent or molded?
Blank, laser or waterjet cut and lightly bend in the annealed condition; hot forge 1050–1150 °C, never below ~900 °C, and always slow-cool/anneal after forging.
What surface finishes work on AUS-8?
Grind, then passivate (citric or nitric per ASTM A967) after hardening; takes a fine satin or mirror polish, and accepts stonewash, bead blast, black oxide or PVD/DLC coatings applied below the tempering temperature.
AUS-8 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.7 – 0.75 | 0.73 |
| Si | ≤ 1 | 0.4 |
| Mn | ≤ 0.5 | 0.4 |
| P | ≤ 0.04 | — |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | — |
| Niaustenite stabiliser, aids toughness | ≤ 0.49 | 0.3 |
| Cr | 13 – 14.5 | 13.75 |
| Mo | 0.1 – 0.31 | 0.2 |
| Vgrain refinement, fine carbides | 0.1 – 0.26 | 0.18 |
| Fe | balance | — |
AUS-8-CR — frequently asked
What is AUS-8-CR used for?
AUS-8-CR is typically used for mid-range production knives, multi-tools and kitchen cutlery. In short: easy-sharpening mid-range blade steel; best formability in family; tougher than 440C-class.
What is the yield strength of AUS-8-CR?
AUS-8-CR has a typical yield strength of 650 MPa (94.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 900 MPa (131 ksi) — stronger than 90% of stainless steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is AUS-8-CR easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (34/100, worse than 55% of stainless steel grades). Machine, drill and profile only in the annealed state with sharp carbide and rigid setups (~45 % of 1212); once hardened, work by CBN/diamond grinding or EDM only.
Can AUS-8-CR be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (18/100). Poor weldability — 0.75 % C martensitic steel cracks readily; if unavoidable preheat 250–300 °C, use 309/312 filler and temper immediately, expect a soft/brittle HAZ.
What surface finishes work on AUS-8-CR?
Grind, then passivate (citric or nitric per ASTM A967) after hardening; takes a fine satin or mirror polish, and accepts stonewash, bead blast, black oxide or PVD/DLC coatings applied below the tempering temperature.
Can AUS-8-CR be formed, bent or molded?
Blank, laser or waterjet cut and lightly bend in the annealed condition; hot forge 1050–1150 °C, never below ~900 °C, and always slow-cool/anneal after forging.
What is the maximum service temperature of AUS-8-CR?
AUS-8-CR is rated for continuous use to about 350°C (662 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between AUS-8 Annealed and AUS-8-CR?
Annealed is the default condition — the as-supplied condition for knife blanks: soft enough to stamp, laser-cut, drill and grind before heat treatment. CR: precision-rolled thin strip supplied slightly harder than full anneal for clean stamping of thin blades and razor blanks. Yield strength is 450 MPa in Annealed versus 650 MPa in CR.
Sources
- AUS series stainless knife steel (AUS-6 / AUS-8 / AUS-10) data — Aichi Steel Corporation (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1: Properties and Selection — Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys (martensitic stainless) — ASM International (1990)
- JIS G 4303 / G 4305 — Stainless steel bars and cold-rolled plates, sheets and strip — JSA (2021)
- ASTM A967 — Chemical Passivation Treatments for Stainless Steel Parts — ASTM (2017)
- Machinery's Handbook, machinability ratings for stainless steels — Industrial Press (2020)
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.