While choosing a high efficiency Blade, following four factors needs to be taken into account:
- edge stability,
- abrasion resistance,
- tensile strength, and
- corrosion resistance
Each of these qualities is affected by the size of the carbides formed during melting while creating a blade. Stainless Steel blades by the nature of its build are strong, hard, tough, abrasion resistant, corrosion resistant, and holds edge well. Stainless blade steels are one of the hardest steel and this is due to the fact that stainless steel has 10% Chromium, which forms a sesquioxide-based surface oxide that sticks to surface of the steel and stops corrosion. This also helps in locking the material into Ferrite phase, which is strong and not ductile. Stainless steel unique selling point is its ability to resist corrosion and has the ability to hold the edges of the material better than other non-stainless steel blades. Typical metals that are there in stainless steel are carbon, iron, and chromium which provides non-rusting ability and make a great cutting blade
Advantages of Stainless Steel:
- They are versatile to use and can be used on various materials.
- Are resistant to corrosion, thus can be easily cleaned.
- Can cut through hardest of advanced materials.
There is no doubt that there are better hacksaw blades out there in the market, then stainless steel blades (ceramic blades), but stainless provides the versatility like no other blade can give. This is majorly due to the presence of:
Carbon- This helps the blade to retain edge, increase its hardness, tensile strength, and reduces wear and provide resistance to abrasion.
Chromium- This helps to further improve resistance to abrasion and increase hardness, toughness, tensile strength, wear and abrasion resistance.
However, in spite of being one of the must have blade in a metal cutter’s repertoire, there are some cons that the blade has and should be kept in mind while choosing a stainless steel blade.
- Stainless steel blades are made off alloys that are costly, and make them costly to produce then other non-stainless steel.
- Stainless steel blade can be difficult to forge
- Stainless Steel blade may require frequent sharpening.
- They are porous in nature and can have bacteria and odors.
- Blade might be not be as sharp as other blades such as ceramic cutting blades.
