95Cr18 | 9Cr18Mo Stainless Steel

Both 95Cr18 and 9Cr18Mo are high-carbon and high-chromium martensitic stainless steels specified in Chinese national standards, commonly used in cutting tools, bearings, and precision mechanical parts.95Cr18 contains approximately 0.95% carbon and 17%–19% chromium. After heat treatment, its hardness can reach HRC56–60, combining high hardness with good wear resistance. However, as it contains almost no molybdenum, its pitting corrosion resistance in chlorine-containing or acidic environments is mediocre, making it suitable for bearing steel balls, measuring tools, and conventional cutting tools.In contrast, 9Cr18Mo includes about 1% molybdenum in its composition and has a slightly lower carbon content (0.85%–0.95%). With a hardness of up to HRC58–62, it not only maintains high hardness and wear resistance but also significantly improves corrosion resistance and pitting resistance, performing better in salt spray, humid heat, or acidic environments. Therefore, 9Cr18Mo is often used in high-end razor blades, surgical scalpels, precision measuring tools, as well as molds and parts with high corrosion resistance requirements.

The main difference between the two lies in the presence of molybdenum: 95Cr18 is more economical and suitable for general wear-resistant working conditions; 9Cr18Mo has more comprehensive performance, making it suitable for high-end cutting tools and harsh environments.

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95Cr18 Stainless Steel Types and Options

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Types and Options

The table below shows the size range, surface condition and tolerance details for 95Cr18 Stainless Steel:

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Types and Options

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Customized Options

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Types and Options

  1. Customized chemical composition: GB, DIN, ASTM, JIS and other standard grades can be produced. Chemical composition can be customized individually.
  2. Customized specifications: round steel (diameter), plate (thickness, width) can be customized production.
  3. Specialized packaging for long term storage or extreme transportation conditions: includes spraying black paint all around, wrapping plastic film, spraying anti-rust oil, and shipping in wooden crates.
  4. Customized production based on samples or technical agreements.
  5. 95Cr18 Stainless Steel Electroslag Remelting (ESR): premium option with higher purity and isotropic properties for critical applications.

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Chemical Composition

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Heat Treatment Process

1.Annealing

Purpose: to eliminate internal stresses generated during forging or rolling, reduce hardness, improve cutting performance, and prepare for subsequent processing and heat treatment.
Process parameters:
Heating temperature: 800-850 ℃, holding time 2-4 hours, with the furnace cooling to below 500 ℃, and then air-cooled.

2.Quenching

Purpose: to make the tool steel to obtain martensitic organization, improve hardness and wear resistance.
Process parameters:
Heating temperature: 1000-1050 ℃ (commonly used 1020-1040 ℃), holding time according to the size of the workpiece to determine, generally 30-60 minutes.
Cooling: oil cooling or air cooling (for small size or simple shape of the workpiece), large workpieces can be graded quenching (in the 260-300 ℃ salt bath cooling for a period of time and then air-cooled), in order to reduce the quenching stress, to prevent deformation and cracking.

3.Tempering

Purpose: to eliminate quenching stress, adjust the hardness and toughness, stable organization and size.
Process parameters:
low-temperature tempering: 150-250 ℃, insulation 2-3 hours, air-cooled, tempered hardness of 58-62HRC, for molds requiring high hardness and wear resistance.
Medium temperature tempering: 300-500 ℃, insulation 2-3 hours, air-cooled, tempered hardness of 50-58HRC, can improve the toughness, suitable for molds subject to impact load.
High-temperature tempering: 500 ℃ or more, insulation 2-3 hours, air-cooled, tempered hardness 45-50HRC, mainly for the need for higher toughness of the occasion.

4.Precautions

Heating process should control the rate of heating to avoid too rapid a rise in temperature leading to workpiece surface oxidation and decarburization. Protective atmosphere heating can be used or placed in the furnace charcoal and other anti-decarburization agent.

When quenching and cooling, choose the appropriate cooling medium and cooling method according to the shape and size of the workpiece to ensure the quenching effect while reducing the risk of deformation and cracking.

Tempering must be sufficient to ensure the elimination of internal stresses to avoid mold failure due to stress release during use. For large molds or workpieces with complex shapes, multiple tempering can be used.

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Quality Inspection

SKD5 Tool Steel Quality Inspection

1.Surface Condition Inspection

FCS factory has a very strict quality inspection team, we will carefully check the surface condition of each piece of tool steel to ensure that the steel surface is free from cracks, folds, knots, oxidized skin, pitting, scratches and other defects.

2.Chemical Composition Testing

To verify whether the content of alloying elements meets the standard requirements and to safeguard the basis of the mechanical properties of the material. We will let the staff use full-spectrum direct reading spectrometer to analyze multiple elements at the same time. Sampling needs to remove the surface oxidation layer, using a block specimen to stimulate the test.

3.Dimension and Tolerance Inspection

FCS factory will use professional measuring tools to inspect the dimensions and tolerances of the steel to ensure compliance with the customer's contract requirements. Corresponding gauges will be selected according to the dimensional accuracy requirements, including tape measure, high-precision vernier calipers (0.02mm), micrometers (0.001mm), and special inspection gauges. Inspection items cover: diameter, thickness, width, length, hole diameter, chamfering dimensions, etc., to ensure that the tolerances and dimensions meet the contract requirements.

4.Hardness test

Our FCS factory will use professional hardness tester to test the hardness of steel to ensure that it meets the customer's contract requirements.

5.Ultrasonic Testing

Ultrasonic Testing Standard (UT Test Standard) is: Sep 1921-84 Class3 D/d,E/e.
FCS factory uses ultrasonic testing equipment to detect macro defects inside the material (such as cracks, shrinkage holes, inclusions, white spots, etc.), and every piece of round steel and plate will be examined by a second flaw detection test before shipment to ensure that the quality is qualified before shipment.

6.Microstructure Inspection

(1) Metallographic Analysis

FCS factory will use metallographic analysis instrument to detect the microstructure state after heat treatment, including carbide distribution, martensite morphology, residual austenite content, etc.

 (2) Grain size rating

FCS factory will use the comparative method to determine the austenite grain size by comparing the microstructure of the specimen with the standard rating chart, to ensure that it meets the customer's requirements.

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Technical Specifications

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Product Applications

Precision Cutlery Manufacturing

Our 95Cr18 stainless steel has become the material of choice for high-end knife manufacturers who require superior edge retention and good corrosion resistance. The material is capable of achieving a hardness of 58-60 HRC while maintaining sufficient toughness to give knives an edge life up to three times longer than conventional stainless steel knives. Manufacturers appreciate the material's excellent grindability and polishability, which creates a razor-sharp edge with a mirror finish. A leading kitchen knife manufacturer reported a 40% reduction in customer returns due to dulling issues after switching to our 95Cr18 steel.

High-performance bearing applications

In seawater and corrosive environments, where standard bearing steels can quickly deteriorate, 95Cr18 offers an ideal solution. Its combination of high hardness and corrosion resistance extends bearing life by 300% in salt water exposure applications. The consistent quality of our steel and tight tolerance controls ensure uniform hardness within the component, preventing premature failure. Offshore equipment manufacturers have documented a reduction in maintenance costs of more than 25% with bearings made from our 95Cr18 material.

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Competitive Advantage Comparison

 95Cr18 Stainless Steel Competitive Advantage Comparison

95Cr18 Stainless Steel Customer Success Stories

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95Cr18 Stainless Steel Pricing Structure Information

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95Cr18 Stainless Steel Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How does 95Cr18 compare to Western 440C stainless steel?

A1: 95Cr18 is the Chinese standard equivalent of 440C stainless steel with very similar chemical composition and performance characteristics. The main difference is in the standardization and testing protocols, where our material conforms to GB/T standards rather than ASTM or EN standards. In practical applications, properly processed 95Cr18 can provide properties that are indistinguishable from those of premium 440C materials.

Q2: What is the maximum hardness 95Cr18 can achieve?

A2: With proper heat treatment, 95Cr18 can always achieve a hardness of 58-60 HRC. This requires precisely controlled temperatures during austenitization (1030-1050°C), oil quenching, and controlled tempering at 150-180°C. Higher hardness values prioritize wear resistance, while slightly lower temperatures (tempered to 54-56 HRC at 200-250°C) provide better toughness for applications requiring impact resistance.

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