What is PM-V11 steel?

After more than two years of research and testing, Veritas has introduced plane blades made from the innovative PM-V11 steel to the market. The "PM" refers to the manufacturing process known as powder metallurgy. In this process, molten metals are atomized, forming fine particles that cool into a fine powder. This powder is then heated under pressure to form a casting. To produce PM-V11, a special blend of metals is melted into a patented alloy. This results in a steel with a very fine and uniform grain structure, which is inherently much more resilient than other steels produced using conventional methods.

Blades made from PM-V11 become dull very slowly and are highly resistant to damage during use. They are just as easy to sharpen as blades made from A2 steel. Very sharp edges can be honed on PM-V11 blades that remain sharp for a long time. If they do become dull, they can be quickly sharpened again using water stones or other common sharpening methods. Tests have shown that it takes twice as long for PM-V11 edges to become dull compared to A2 steel edges. This is a significant improvement over previously common tool steels.

Powder metallurgically produced blades can be sharpened with most Japanese water stones. However, we recommend using Shapton water stones for these blades.