Ever wondered what the difference is between high carbon steel and stainless steel? The tldr is that it all comes down to definitions and chemical compositions. For a steel to be classified as 'stainless' it needs to have a chromium content of 10.5% or more. For a steel to be classified as 'high carbon' it needs to have a carbon content above 1%. 

There are stainless steels that have carbon contents higher than 1% - technically making them 'high carbon' steels too. Confusing right? Read on to find out more.