GOST R9M4K8-MP Knife Steel
Composition Analysis Graph, Equivalents And Overview

R9M4K8-MP(GOST) - High speed tool steel. No direct western analogs, but R9M4K8-MP is quite close to AISI M48 high speed tool steel. Simply put, R9M4K8-MP is M48 with decreased Carbon, and alloyed elements. Even with decreased Carbon and other alloying elements, R9M4K8-MP still has plenty of those compared to many other alloys, high speed or not. High wear resistance and working hardness. Presence of ~8% Cobalt ensures high red hot hardness about which you don't care in the knife, but Cobalt is still a positive alloying element. Some Russian sources indicate R9M4K8-MP has good toughness, which I suppose is in relation to other high speed tool steels in the same class. R9M4K8-MP isn't the steel to make choppers and axes with. R9M4K8-MP is listed and discussed on knife related forums, with positive assessments and comments, however so far I can not find an actual knife made out of it, which doesn't mean they don't exist.

Manufacturing Technology - PM

Country - Russia(RU)

Known Aliases:
GOST - DI102-MP