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Guide to the different knife steels

Important knife steels

Composition, edge retention and corrosion resistance

Stainless knife steels

VG1 Edge retention 3/5 - good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 84,7 %); Carbon (1,00 %); Chromium (14,00 %); Molybdenum (0,30 %).

VG5 Edge retention 3/5 - good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 84,8 %); Carbon (0,75 %); Chromium (14,00 %); Molybdenum (0,30 %); Vanadium (0,15 %).

VG10 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 81 %); Carbon (1,00 %); Chromium (15,00 %); Molybdenum (1,00 %); Vanadium (0,25 %); Cobalt (1,55 %).

VG-MAX Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (value not published); Carbon (value not published); Chromium (value not published); Tungsten (value not published); Molybdenum (value not published); Vanadium (value not published).

VG XEOS Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 76-78 %); Carbon (0,70-0,80 %); Chromium (18,00-19,00 %); Molybdenum (1,85-2,00 %); Manganese (0,68 %); Vanadium (0,35-0,45 %); Silicon (0,25-0,30 %); Nickel (0,12 %); Tungsten (0,11 %); Copper (0,08 %); Niobium (0,01-0,02 %). Source: Spyderco lab analysis.

Ginsan / Silver 3 Edge retention 3/5 - good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 84-85 %); Carbon (0,95-1,10 %); Chromium (13,00-14,50 %); Manganese (bis 1,00 %); Silicon (bis 0,35 %).

Cobalt Special (CoSP) Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 78 %); Carbon (1,05 %); Chromium (16,00 %); Molybdenum (1,50 %); Vanadium (0,25 %); Tungsten (0,25 %); Cobalt (2,50 %).

AUS-10 / AUS-10A Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 4/5 - stain resistant

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 82-86 %); Carbon (0,95-1,10 %); Chromium (13,00-14,50 %); Molybdenum (0,10-0,31 %); Vanadium (0,10-0,27 %); Manganese (bis 0,50 %); Silicon (bis 1,00 %); Nickel (bis 0,49 %).

9Cr18MoV Edge retention 3/5 - good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 76-81 %); Carbon (0,85-0,95 %); Chromium (17,00-19,00 %); Molybdenum (1,00-1,30 %); Vanadium (0,07-0,12 %); Manganese (bis 0,80 %); Silicon (bis 0,80 %); Nickel (bis 0,60 %).

ZA-18 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (value not published); Carbon (value not published); Chromium (value not published); Molybdenum (value not published); Cobalt (value not published); Vanadium (value not published).

X50CrMoV15 (1.4116) Edge retention 2/5 - fair Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 82-84 %); Carbon (0,45-0,55 %); Chromium (14,00-15,00 %); Molybdenum (0,50-0,80 %); Vanadium (0,10-0,20 %); Manganese (bis 1,00 %); Silicon (bis 1,00 %).

14C28N Edge retention 3/5 - good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 84 %); Carbon (0,62 %); Chromium (14,00 %); Nitrogen (0,11 %); Manganese (0,60 %); Silicon (0,20 %).

AEB-L / 13C26 (Swedish steel) Edge retention 3/5 - good Corrosion resistance 4/5 - stain resistant

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 85 %); Carbon (0,67-0,68 %); Chromium (13,00 %); Manganese (0,60-0,70 %); Silicon (0,40 %).

Böhler N690 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 78 %); Carbon (1,08 %); Chromium (17,30 %); Molybdenum (1,10 %); Vanadium (0,10 %); Cobalt (1,50 %); Manganese (0,40 %); Silicon (0,40 %).

ATS-34 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (value not published); Carbon (value not published); Chromium (14,00 %); Molybdenum (4,00 %); Manganese (value not published); Silicon (value not published).

Powder steels

SG2 / R2 / FAXR2 Edge retention 5/5 - excellent Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 77-80 %); Carbon (approx. 1,25-1,45 %); Chromium (approx. 14,00-16,00 %); Molybdenum (approx. 2,30-3,30 %); Vanadium (approx. 1,80-2,20 %). Typical industry values.

SPG STRIX Edge retention 5/5 - excellent Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (value not published); Carbon (value not published); Chromium (value not published).

CPM MagnaCut Edge retention 5/5 - excellent Corrosion resistance 5/5 - stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 82 %); Carbon (1,15 %); Chromium (10,70 %); Molybdenum (2,00 %); Vanadium (4,00 %); Niobium (0,20 %); Nitrogen (0,20 %).

ZDP-189 Edge retention 5/5 - excellent Corrosion resistance 4/5 - stain resistant

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 74 %); Carbon (approx. 3,00 %); Chromium (approx. 20,00 %); Molybdenum (approx. 1,40 %); Tungsten (approx. 0,60 %); Vanadium (approx. 0,10 %); Manganese (approx. 0,50 %); Silicon (approx. 0,40 %).

HAP 40 Edge retention 5/5 - excellent Corrosion resistance 3/5 - semi-stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 72 %); Carbon (approx. 1,30 %); Chromium (approx. 4,00 %); Molybdenum (approx. 5,00 %); Tungsten (approx. 6,00 %); Vanadium (approx. 3,00 %); Cobalt (approx. 8,00 %); Manganese (approx. 0,30 %); Silicon (approx. 0,30 %).

Blue steel / Aogami

Aogami #2 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 1/5 - not stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 97 %); Carbon (1,05-1,15 %); Chromium (0,20-0,50 %); Tungsten (1,00-1,50 %); Manganese (0,20-0,30 %); Silicon (0,10-0,20 %).

Aogami #1 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 1/5 - not stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 97 %); Carbon (1,25-1,35 %); Chromium (0,20-0,50 %); Tungsten (1,00-1,50 %); Manganese (0,20-0,30 %); Silicon (0,10-0,20 %).

Aogami Super Edge retention 5/5 - excellent Corrosion resistance 1/5 - not stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 94-95 %); Carbon (1,40-1,50 %); Chromium (0,30-0,50 %); Tungsten (2,00-2,50 %); Molybdenum (0,30-0,50 %); Vanadium (0,30-0,50 %); Manganese (0,20-0,30 %); Silicon (0,10-0,20 %).

White steel / Shirogami

Shirogami #3 Edge retention 2/5 - fair Corrosion resistance 1/5 - not stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 98,6 %); Carbon (0,80-0,90 %); Manganese (0,20-0,30 %); Silicon (0,10-0,20 %); other accompanying elements (trace only).

Shirogami #2 Edge retention 3/5 - good Corrosion resistance 1/5 - not stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 98,4 %); Carbon (1,05-1,15 %); Manganese (0,20-0,30 %); Silicon (0,10-0,20 %); other accompanying elements (trace only).

Shirogami #1 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 1/5 - not stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 98,2 %); Carbon (1,25-1,35 %); Manganese (0,20-0,30 %); Silicon (0,10-0,20 %); other accompanying elements (trace only).

Semi-stainless knife steels

SLD Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 3/5 - semi-stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 84,6 %); Carbon (1,50 %); Chromium (12,00 %); Molybdenum (0,90 %); Vanadium (0,30 %); Manganese (0,40 %); Silicon (0,30 %).

SKD11 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 3/5 - semi-stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 82,7-86,6 %); Carbon (1,40-1,60 %); Chromium (11,00-13,00 %); Molybdenum (0,80-1,20 %); Vanadium (0,20-0,50 %); Manganese (bis 0,60 %); Silicon (bis 0,40 %).

D2 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 3/5 - semi-stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 82,9-86,7 %); Carbon (1,40-1,60 %); Chromium (11,00-13,00 %); Molybdenum (0,70-1,20 %); Vanadium (approx. 0,80 %); Manganese (0,30-0,50 %); Silicon (0,30-0,50 %).

Chromax Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 2/5 - slightly stain resistant

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (value not published); Carbon (value not published); Chromium (value not published); Molybdenum (value not published); Vanadium (value not published); Manganese (value not published).

Carbon and special knife steels

ApexUltra Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 1/5 - not stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 93,6 %); Carbon (1,25 %); Tungsten (2,60 %); Chromium (1,50 %); Vanadium (0,40 %); Manganese (0,30 %); Silicon (0,35 %).

V-Toku1 Edge retention 4/5 - very good Corrosion resistance 1/5 - not stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 96,1 %); Carbon (1,15 %); Chromium (0,35 %); Tungsten (2,25 %); Vanadium (under 0,20 %).

SK-5 / SK85 Edge retention 2/5 - fair Corrosion resistance 1/5 - not stainless

Composition in percent by weight

Iron (approx. 97,4-99,0 %); Carbon (0,80-0,90 %); Manganese (0,10-0,50 %); Silicon (0,10-0,39 %); Chromium (bis 0,30 %); Nickel (bis 0,25 %); Copper (bis 0,25 %).

What the alloying elements do

Iron

Base metal of all steels listed here and always the largest share.

Carbon

Enables high hardness and improves edge retention. A high content can make the blade more brittle.

Chromium

Improves corrosion resistance and wear resistance. A lot of chromium does not automatically mean perfect rust resistance.

Molybdenum

Improves strength, hardenability and often corrosion resistance as well.

Vanadium

Forms very hard carbides, refines the grain and increases wear resistance and edge retention.

Tungsten

Increases wear resistance and hot hardness; typical in blue steels and high-speed steels.

Cobalt

Strengthens the steel matrix and supports high hardness and long edge retention.

Nickel

Mainly increases toughness and strength and can support corrosion resistance.

Niobium

Forms very hard carbides, refines the grain and increases wear resistance and edge retention.

Copper

In small amounts can affect corrosion resistance; usually only present in small quantities in knife steel.

Manganese / Silicon

Support production and hardenability; usually present only in small amounts.

Nitrogen

Can improve hardness, microstructure stability and corrosion resistance; especially important in nitrogen-alloyed steels.

Note on corrosion resistance: Even a steel described as stainless can develop stains and corrosion with salt, acid, moisture or food residue left on the blade. Clean and dry knives after use.

Note on edge retention: High edge retention usually comes from high hardness and wear-resistant carbides. Such steels are typically more demanding to sharpen. Steels with lower edge retention are usually easier and quicker to resharpen.

Collection: Santoku – Shirogami

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