Strider Knives 60 NiTiNOL Blades

For those that missed it, Strider Knives debuted knives at the 2008 Blade Show with blades made of a metal named 60 NiTiNOL.  NiTiNOL is short for Nickel Titanium Naval Ordinance Laboratory, indicating its’ composition and where it was originally developed.  As the number 60 implies, NiTiNOL contains 60% nickel with titanium making up the remaining material.  Since its’ invention, processes have been developed to make NiTiNOL a high strength, wear-resistant metal alloy. 

In the last few months, Crucible Research was able to develop methods of production for NiTiNOL.  Property sheets indicate that 60 NiTiNOL has a hardness of 62 Rockwell C or more.  Strider material states that the 60 NiTiNOL used in their knives is 65 Rockwell C. 

Some of the other desirable traits of the metal are non-corrosiveness and approximately 25% less weight than steel. 

I am hopeful that other manufacturers will work with Crucible in manufacturing blades made of NiTiNOL alloys. 

Here is a link to the Strider Knives Crucible 60 NiTiNOL press release.