Zapp Tooling Alloys' pride and joy: high-performance high-speed steel.
Z-Max is one of Zapp's high-speed steels, reigning supreme in one of the few ultra-hardest ranges used in blades.

Hardness
Z-Max's hardness is incredibly high, ranging from 68 to 72 HRC, making it the toughest steel in this range.
While its toughness in this hardness range isn't significantly different from other steels like CPM Rex121, Maxamet, and the former Hitachi Metals' Hap72, its hardness provides exceptional wear resistance and strength, making it an attractive feature of this hardness range.

Wear Resistance
Z-Max's wear resistance is solid and in a high-end class, reaching an incredible level not found in other steels.
However, because it's so hard, chipping requires time to repair, so it must be used carefully.
However, it's not a problem for camping use, and its wear resistance is so good that sharpening isn't necessary.

Toughness
Z-Max's toughness is nearly equivalent to D2 at a hardness of 68HRC. Its hardness is comparable to D2, which is quite astonishing. Its strength at this hardness is particularly outstanding for piercing applications.
Its ability to penetrate bullet-hard targets is exceptional, offering a different approach to strength characteristics than Z-Tuff.

Sharpness
Zapp's third-generation powder metallurgy technology produces an extremely clean microstructure that further refines the excellent sharpness of carbon steel, resulting in an exceptionally smooth blade that smoothly cuts through any surface, making it a joy to use.

Corrosion Resistance
Z-Max's corrosion resistance is not particularly impressive. Its chromium content is only 4%, while its 5% molybdenum content makes it slightly better than high-carbon steel. However, it is slightly more susceptible to rust than D2, so it is recommended to cover it with a coating.

Fighting Model

The decision to use Z-Max came at the request of Masaya Asada, a former member of the French Foreign Legion.

His unique military background, including extensive combat experience, particularly knife fighting, led him to engage in actual knife combat with local militias during his time in Central Africa, and the importance of fighting knives as survival knives in Guiana, South America. This led him to question: "Is there an ideal steel that is the hardest, most durable, and has the sharpest cutting edge?" Z-Max PM was the super steel that met his needs.

Steel