GOST R9M4K8 Knife Steel
Composition Analysis Graph, Equivalents And Overview

R9M4K8(GOST) - High speed tool steel. No direct western analogs, but R9M4K8 is quite close to AISI M48 high speed tool steel. Simply put, R9M4K8 is M48 with decreased Carbon, and alloyed elements. Even with decreased Carbon and other alloying elements, R9M4K8 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 has good toughness, which I suppose is in relation to other high speed tool steels in the same class. R9M4K8 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 - Ingot

Country - Russia(RU)

Known Aliases:
GOST - DI102

NOTE - Approximate composition based on manufacturer's or standard reference information and other alloys in the same reference group is shown.