Fork bending (flexiing) is also a functon of the carbon content in the steel, meaning the higher the carbon content the less flexing will result(assuming teh same fork section size). On the down side the higher carbon steel fork will have a tendency to break rather than bend when teh fork heels are worn or teh forks are subject to overloading.

Typically low carbon steel forks come countries in Asia and are of a larger fork section size than US forks of the same capacity. Many of the forks used in the US come from one supplier.