Effect of carbide characteristics on abrasive wear behavior during knife honing: A comparative study of martensitic stainless steel and spring steel

The resharpenability of knife steels is crucial for extending kitchen knife service life, yet the underlying mechanisms governing edge reconstruction during sharpening remain poorly understood. This study investigates the microstructural evolution and surface integrity of 60Cr16MoMA martensitic stainless steel and 60Si2Mn spring steel during simulated honing. Pin specimens were subjected to reciprocating friction against a whetstone for 30 cycles, and the worn surfaces were characterized using SEM, XRD, TEM, and 3D optical profiler. Results show that although 60Cr16MoMA exhibits lower surface roughness after honing process, it develops poorer surface integrity compared to 60Si2Mn. The presence of sub-micron carbides in 60Cr16MoMA hinders uniform material removal during sharpening, causing preferential matrix wear and carbide-induced surface protrusions that compromise edge geometry. In contrast, 60Si2Mn achieves more uniform material removal despite developing higher surface roughness, maintaining better edge integrity. These findings provide mechanistic insights into why carbon/spring steels are empirically easier to sharpen than martensitic stainless steels, offering guidance for knife material selection.