It is heat treated. But being a "found" material I have no true knowledge as to what it is. But I heat treated it under the assumption that it is 5160, which makes a very tough durable blade. I use it often on knives and kukris. In tests (with sharpie) the contact points are the edges of the grind, but being my first razor I don't know for sure without having it taken to an edge and honed I guess..