Bohler M390 Microclean: Producer Data and Scissor Limits
Steel typesRead a steel claim as a four-layer record
A grade can be useful evidence, but a finished shear adds maker execution, geometry, condition, and service history. Apply to Bohler M390 Microclean: Producer Data and Scissor Limits
- 01 Identify the grade Use a producer or traceable maker designation.
- 02 Name the source layer Separate mill data, maker data, seller copy, and measurement.
- 03 Record execution Heat treatment, geometry, assembly, and finished-blade values stay model-specific.
- 04 Keep the history Condition, use, care, impacts, and service affect the working edge.
Do not inferOne element, HRC value, country adjective, price tier, or steel name cannot rank sharpness, toughness, corrosion resistance, or service life.
Description
Bohler publishes M390 Microclean as a powder-metallurgy martensitic chromium steel for industrial and knife applications. That does not certify a finished hair scissor.
Short answer
Bohler M390 Microclean is a documented powder-metallurgy steel. The producer data provides material context, not a certificate for any finished hair scissor.
Verify the exact model, material traceability, finished-blade evidence, geometry, fit, care, warranty, and qualified service route.
What Bohler publishes
Bohler’s current M390 Microclean product page describes the grade as a corrosion-resistant martensitic chromium steel produced by powder metallurgy.
The page publishes this average composition:
| Element | Average content |
|---|---|
| Carbon | 1.90% |
| Silicon | 0.70% |
| Manganese | 0.30% |
| Chromium | 20.00% |
| Molybdenum | 1.00% |
| Vanadium | 4.00% |
| Tungsten | 0.60% |
The producer page also categorises material properties such as wear resistance, corrosion resistance, toughness and ductility, machinability, dimensional stability, polishability, and micro-cleanliness. Those are Bohler’s material-level categories, not ScissorPedia product scores.
Product-form and application boundary
Bohler lists long products and plates, with a warning that presented data can be product-form specific and that the detailed datasheet should be consulted.
Listed applications include custom hand knives, industrial and machine knives, mould and extrusion uses, food-processing components, packaging, pumps, wear applications, and other industrial contexts.
Professional hair scissors do not appear in the current application list. That does not prove no maker uses M390. It means a seller’s M390 scissor claim needs product-specific documentation.
What the producer page does not prove
Do not infer for a finished scissor:
- a universal 60 to 62 HRC range;
- ultra-premium status or an ultimate steel ranking;
- a cut count, service interval, or lifespan;
- sharpness, glide, feel, balance, or flex;
- drop, chip, bend, or repair outcome;
- suitability for dry, wet, point, slide, or other work;
- corrosion immunity in salon exposure;
- required diamond, CBN, ceramic, stone, wheel, or belt service;
- manufacturer, country of origin, or authorised seller; or
- value from material cost or rarity.
These are separate product, test, service, and transaction claims.
Verify an M390-labelled scissor
Ask for:
- maker, model, product code, condition, and handedness;
- written confirmation that M390 applies to the blades;
- producer, product form, certificate, heat, or traceability record;
- finished-blade hardness evidence and method, if published;
- blade, edge, back, ride, pivot, and handle geometry;
- intended tasks and stated limitations;
- maker-approved care, cleaning, lubrication, and storage;
- qualified inspection, adjustment, sharpening, repair, and parts;
- warranty exclusions and third-party service effects; and
- seller identity, trial, return, and complete delivered cost.
If the seller cannot tie the grade to the exact product, keep material identity unresolved.
Material property versus finished-tool result
| Producer material context | Finished-scissor evidence still needed |
|---|---|
| Powder-metallurgy route | Actual blade material and traceability |
| Average composition | Product certificate or maker confirmation |
| Very high wear-resistance category | Edge geometry, condition, workload, and test |
| Good corrosion-resistance category | Surface, care, exposure, and product test |
| Good toughness and ductility category | Finished hardness, geometry, impact method, and sample |
| High polishability category | Actual finishing process and edge condition |
Do not convert a qualitative producer category into a universal number or salon outcome.
Exact-model comparison
| Decision field | Candidate A | Candidate B |
|---|---|---|
| Maker, model, code, and handedness | ||
| Material identity and traceability | ||
| Finished-blade measurement evidence | ||
| Geometry and intended task | ||
| Fit-trial observations | ||
| Care and adjustment instructions | ||
| Warranty, parts, and service | ||
| Trial, return, and seller | ||
| Complete ownership cost |
M390 receives no automatic points for powder metallurgy, composition, price, or rarity.
Service planning
The material name does not define the original scissor geometry or the correct service process.
Before purchase, identify a technician qualified for the exact maker and model. Confirm inspection, isolation triggers, permitted user care, geometry records, warranty effects, parts, shipping, and post-service checks.
Service by observed condition and maker guidance, not a generic M390 timetable.
Image policy
A powder cloud, steel billet, industrial mould, custom knife, microscope texture, or unrelated scissor cannot certify an M390 hair scissor.
A future technical visual should use the current Bohler data as a source-locked evidence card with live composition, product-form, application, and finished-product caveats. Exact product imagery must be official or rights-cleared and tied to a documented M390 model.
Primary source
Sources Reviewed
1 scoped source behind this entry- Secondary Knife Steel Nerds (Dr. Larrin Thomas) (independent testing)
Frequently Asked Questions
5 answers you can open one at a timeWhat is Bohler M390 Microclean?
Bohler describes M390 Microclean as a corrosion-resistant martensitic chromium steel produced by powder metallurgy and publishes average composition, property categories, product forms, and applications.
Was M390 designed specifically for hair scissors?
The current producer page lists industrial, machine-knife, custom hand-knife, mould, food-processing, and other applications. It does not list professional hair scissors. An M390 scissor therefore needs exact-model evidence.
What is the hardness of M390 scissors?
There is no universal finished-scissor value verified here. The exact maker must document the finished blade, heat treatment, measurement method, location, range, and tolerance.
Does M390 guarantee longer edge life?
No. Bohler publishes high material wear-resistance context, but finished-scissor edge life depends on traceability, heat treatment, geometry, assembly, condition, task, care, and the test or failure definition.
How should M390 scissors be sharpened?
Follow the exact scissor maker’s service instructions. Do not select an abrasive, machine, angle, process, or interval from the material name alone.
Comments & questions
Questions or feedback on this topic? Add a comment below.