Abstract:In order to comprehensively analyze the factors affecting the sharpness and edge retention of stainlesssteel kitchen knives, the hardness, sharpness, edge retention, edge angle, edge thickness, material and microstructure of stainlesssteel kitchen knives of different brands were tested. The analysis results showed that: (1) the hardness of the kitchen knife had little influence on sharpness and edge retention. However, when the blade hardness was in range of 5557 HRC, the sharpness and edge retention of the products were relatively high; (2) the edge angle had great influence on the sharpness and edge retention of the kitchen knife, and the effect on the edge retention was greater than that of sharpness; (3) when the edge thickness was less than 0.46 mm, the sharpness and edge retention had no obvious change with the gradual increase of edge thickness. When the edge thickness was higher than 0.46 mm, both the sharpness and edge retention of the kitchen knife decreased rapidly; (4) when the material was same, and the edge angle and the edge thickness were very similar, the morphology and distribution of tempered martensite, retained austenite content, shape and quantity of carbides in the microstructure of the kitchen knife greatly affected the sharpness and edge retention of the final products.