TYPES OF STEEL AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
There are various types of Japanese knives depending on the purpose. Here are some of the more popular types.
Types of steel
Some of the popular and widely available steel used to make knives are mainly high carbon steels and stainless steels :
1. The higher the rockwell hardness( HRC ), the harder and better the knife cuts.
2. The higher the carbon content( C% ), the harder and sharper the knife is. However, it is difficult to sharpen.
3. The higher the chromium content, the less rusty the knife is. If it contains more than 11% chromium, the steel belongs to the stainless steel.
High carbon steel
| Steel Grade | HRC | C% | Cr% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aogami Super | 65~67 | 1.45 | 0.4 |
| Aogami #1 | 63~65 | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| Aogami #2 | 62~64 | 1.1 | 0.35 |
| Shirogami #1 | 61~64 | 1.3 | - |
| Shirogami #2 | 60~63 | 1.1 | - |
| Tamahagane | - | 1.2~1.5 | - |
Stainless steel
| Steel Grade | HRC | C% | Cr% |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZDP189 | 65~67 | - | - |
| SPG2 | 64~66 | - | - |
| Gingami #3 | 60~61 | 1.00 | 13.75 |
| VG10 | 60~61 | 1.00 | 14.5~15.5 |
| AUS 10 | 59~60 | 0.95 | 13~14.5 |
| AUS 8 | 56~58 | 0.80 | 13~14 |
Element symbols : HRC = Rockwell hardness, C = Carbon, Cr = Chromium
HRC ( Dulability of sharpness ) vs Ease of sharpening
High carbon steel
a : HRC ( Dulability of sharpness )
b : Ease of sharpening
Stainless steel
c : HRC ( Dulability of sharpness )
d : Ease of sharpening
PRODUCTION PLACES
Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture
Tosa City, Kochi Prefecture
Tanegashima, Kagoshima Prefecture
Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture
LOCATION
Mailer Street, Mornington
Dunedin 9011
New Zealand