Steel Signals #1 – On the Closures of Crucible and Buderus 

2025 has been a year of heavy transitions in the world of high-performance steels.

Earlier this year, Crucible Industries ceased operations, ending a storied chapter in American powdered metallurgy. Their beloved CPM line includes steels like CPM S35-VN, CPM-3V, and MagnaCut is now being produced in partnership between the US based rolling mill Niagara Specialty Metals (NSM) and by Erasteel, a European based manufacturing group. 

Intial Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) will be taking place in Sweden. HIP is essentially the powder metal equivalent of a traditional smelt done at a much higher level of precision and technology. The rolling will still be done by NSM in upstate New York. The new product has been active on our shelves for a few months now and we’re very pleased with the consistency and quality across the board. 

We want to take a moment to recognize that NSM has stepped up in a huge way. They’ve been working closely with both Erasteel and others to keep the Crucible legacy alive, ensuring that US makers, manufacturers, and suppliers have continued access to many of the grades we’ve come to rely on. Knowing that they have put forth the effort to ensure these grades are still rolled in the United States should be a big deal to any of you that uses their product in your hobby or business. 

We’ll continue to stock and support the materials and decisions made at NSM and we’ll continue expanding those offerings to serve both makers and manufacturers alike. 

The Closure of Buderus Edelstahl

Unfortunately, we now face another closure that hits close to home:
Buderus Edelstahl, our German partner of more than 15 years, is set to shut down on October 31st.

This one hurts. Buderus has been a backbone of our inventory, supplying a wide range of high-carbon and alloy steels that thousands of makers have relied on. From solo bladesmiths to high-output production teams, Buderus steels helped fuel years of craft and growth. 

From W-2 to 80CrV2 to Nitro-V, Buderus produced quality steel for thousands and thousands of us. A lot of us don’t even remember a time where Buderus steel was not readily available from bar to sheet or machined part. Not to mention all the laminates and damascus produced from 1084 and 15N20 over the years. It is certainly not easy to wrap up over a decade of relationships and hard work in a few sentences. 

Their closure marks the end of a key relationship that’s been instrumental to our story. And while we’re doing everything we can to secure as much stock as we can, we must be clear:

Once supplies run out some alloys may not be returning for a long time. If at all. 

Due to the sudden and short timeline of the Buderus closure we are working on new sources and discussing new possibilities with current vendors but cannot give lead time or price point to a lot of our upcoming replenishment needs. We’ll be posting more newsletters and increasingly active on social media platforms to keep everyone more informed about ongoing stock situations. 

Overstock Deals During the Transition

In the meantime, we’re offering bulk discounts on a select list of Buderus overstock to help customers maintain stable pricing and steady access in what’s becoming an unpredictable global market.

The overstock sale also allows us to build a supply buffer; especially for custom makers, small-batch production, and hobbyists as we work to pivot our sourcing. And hopefully have a smooth transition into those new vendors. 

That said, the landscape has changed. We’re now in the middle of new round of pricing driven by:

  • Raw material inputs
  • Overseas and domestic production costs
  • Tariffs and regulations
  • Future replenishment costs & volumes

If your yearly usage is up into the hundreds or thousands of pounds, reach out to our sales team for a list of overstock, we’ll do everything we can to take care of anyone looking for cost control and confidence in supply moving forward. 

We’ll do everything we can to stay competitive while protecting both continuity of supply and the quality of service that defines NJSB. 

Our Path Forward: Services, Supply, and Community

NJSB isn’t just a materials supplier anymore, we’re a service house, a custom shop, and a community partner.

In the face of these global shifts, we’re doubling down on the core pillars that will define our next chapter:

  • Expanding services like waterjet cutting, grinding, and machining 
  • Increasing custom shop production and launching new product lines
  • Working with new and current suppliers to keep the steel flowing
  • Being more involve in community events, opening up classes, and using our platform to educate
  • Staying committed to the community that’s stood with us through every phase of this journey

 A Team Sport, Reforged

But more than any of that, this moment is a reminder:

Crafting and manufacturing have always been team sports.

Nobody builds alone. And not if we’re aiming to thrive. Even a one-man shop has a network of suppliers and supporters.

We’re taking inspiration from the keiretsu model; an interwoven network of businesses that grow stronger together, built on transparency, mutual benefit, and long-term trust.

That’s the kind of future we want to help shape here in the States. An American keiretsu, a collective of makers, manufacturers, suppliers and service providers, each playing their part and watching each other’s six.

We’ll be running leaner, sure. Smarter. More intentional about inventory. More focused on free cash flow. And more invested than ever in being a true partner to those who craft; whether that’s blades, tools, parts, or brands.

We’re not going anywhere. We’re just sharpening the blade again.

If you have questions, want to talk shop, or need help planning your supply path forward we implore you to reach out. We’re in this together.

-Pete Bruno

NJSB General Manager

Contact our sales team:

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Message to Our Community

To our community-

Honestly, there is no proper way to explain this. On Monday night, January 3rd 2022 we lost a beloved member of our team here at NJ Steel Baron and, more importantly, of our family. Many of you know Brandi Coughlin as the voice answering so many of your shipping questions, fulfilling your material requests, and delivering consistent quality service for her many years here. We knew her as much more: an avid baker, horror film buff, caring friend, dog lover, devoted aunt, sister, and just one of the best humans you could ever meet.

We are in mourning. There is not a single person here who did not count Brandi as a close friend and confidant. We all know that she would want us to keep going no matter how much we may miss her.

She loved this place as well as the communities and people we have had the pleasure of meeting and helping along the way. We could not have gotten this far without her. We were blessed to have her in our lives for as long as we did. Even through her bouts of fighting off an auto-immune disease, she was a constant force here and never shied away from any challenge put before her.

She truly believed in the work we are doing, in building a community of craftsman, in building each other up. She will always be the gold standard for being a part of NJSB and, more importantly, has set the bar for what it means to be a great friend and human.

We ask that you bear with us as we navigate the next few days. No one really expects to lose someone at thirty-two years of age, let alone someone who has had such an impact on the lives of so many people.  She leaves behind people who considered her part of their family as well as her loving partner, all who worked side by side with her here. We promise to keep moving as best we can and appreciate all your support.

Brandi, we love you and we will miss you.

A viewing will be held on Saturday, January 8th, 2022 from 2PM-6PM. All are welcome to pay their respects. 

De Luccia-Lozito Funeral Home

265 Belmont Avenue

Haledon, NJ 07508

In lieu of sending cards or flower arrangements Brandi’s family has requested anyone who wants to send donations the The American Lupus Foundation.

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