Unlike other types of stainless steel, martensitic steels cannot be manufactured as such; they must undergo specific heat treatments. It is only through these treatments that their internal structure changes, achieving the unique combination of high wear resistance and durability that characterises them.

It all starts with QUENCHING (austenitization), a heat treatment that involves heating steel to high temperatures to transform its structure and harden it. This process is essential for correcting the initial structure of the raw material, as it often consists of ferrite deformed by carbon that was unable to diffuse. By raising the temperature, we force the material to reorganize itself: the initial ferrite disappears to make way for austenite, which is capable of absorbing carbon. Thanks to its special chemistry, we do not need sudden cooling; its ability to harden in air allows the structure to consolidate as the temperature drops, turning into the extremely hard martensite we are looking for.

However, the story does not end here. After quenching, TEMPERING is performed, a process that consists of reheating the piece to temperatures lower than those used for quenching in order to release stresses in the material. This step is crucial for reducing the extreme brittleness of the newly formed martensite and adjusting the final hardness, achieving high toughness even for high-temperature applications (650 °C).

The surprise benefit: Corrosion. Many people think that heat is only used to make steel hard, but there is more to it than that. When quenching and tempering are performed correctly, martensitic steels not only gain mechanical strength, but also improve their corrosion resistance.

Martensitic stainless steel is not born, it is made. Without these heat treatments, its potential would remain dormant; with them, its structure awakens to offer the strength and reliability we demand in every piece.