Martensitic stainless steels represent the smallest family of stainless steels available on the market.
The smallest of the families of stainless steels, the martensitic steels, have high mechanical features and are the only ones, among stainless steels, that can be tempered. Tempering enhances their mechanical features.
Martensitic steels have a lower quantity of carbon so as to keep the hardness high. In some cases in order to obtain an even higher superficial hardness, nitrogen is added.
Generally, this steel family has a lower workability, which is partly increased by adding a small percentage of Nickel (2/3%).