12C27 Stainless Steel Bar Stock – Swedish Knife-Making Steel (Annealed)

12C27 Stainless Steel Bar Stock – Swedish Knife-Making Steel (Annealed)

This 12C27 stainless steel bar stock is precision rolled and annealed, ready for your next knife-making project. Produced by Alleima (formerly Sandvik), 12C27 is a premium Swedish steel known for its fine grain, excellent edge retention, and high corrosion resistance — ideal for both outdoor and kitchen knives.

This steel requires heat treatment, either in a temperature-controlled gas forge or kiln, or by sending it to a professional heat-treating service.

Heat Treating 12c27 in a gas forge to 56-58 HRC:

• Heat steel to 1080 C (1976 F)
• Hold for 5 min (for 2.5 mm thick blades)
• Quench in Canola oil, heated to 40 C (104 F)
• Into freezer* (optional step, aiming for -20 C)
• No hold time, just get blade cold and quickly onto Tempering
• Temper in stove, at 170 C for 2 hours  (338 F)
• Let blade cool to room temperature
• Temper in stove, at 170 C for 2 (338 F)

*Sandvik/Alleima suggest 3 hardening profiles; with no freeze, -20C and -70C. 

The difference is only a couple of HRC points in hardness from no freeze to -70 C profiles. So this steel can be hardened to a great blade without investing in a dry-ice or cryo setup.

Heat treatment, more info: LINK

Whether you're an experienced bladesmith or a beginner, this steel offers forgiving performance and professional results. Reliable, versatile, and durable — exactly what modern knifemakers need.