All of our blade blanks are custom hand ground from 440C Stainless Steel in our own shop by knifemaker Jeff Mutz. In order to keep costs down and get you a quality blade blank at a reasonable price, these are rough ground to 80 grit and need fit and finishing. Our blade blanks come heat treated to a 58-59c Rockwell hardness. We can provide several finishes for these blades at a reasonable cost. If you have a custom design you want made, fax or e-mail us the dimensions and we will give you a quote. All blades are 100% guaranteed. All blades can be modified to suit your needs. Other steel types are available.