Steel comparison · maker data checked 2026-10-21Aogami Super vs SG2
Aogami Super is a carbon steel and SG2 is a stainless powder steel. Aogami Super has 0.30–0.50% chromium and will rust; SG2 has about 14–16% chromium (retailer figure). In Knife Steel Nerds’ CATRA edge-retention test, SG2 cut 522 mm of card at 61.2 HRC and Aogami Super 338 mm at 65.1 HRC — the softer stainless steel cut more.
Side by side
| Aogami Super | SG2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Proterial | Takefu Special Steel |
| Type | Carbon | Powder stainless · PM |
| Stainless | No | Yes |
| C % | 1.40–1.50 | 1.25–1.45 † |
| Si % | 0.10–0.20 | 0.5 † |
| Mn % | 0.20–0.30 | 0.4 † |
| Cr % | 0.30–0.50 | 14.0–16.0 † |
| Mo % | — | 2.3–3.3 † |
| W % | 2.00–2.50 | — |
| V % | 0.30–0.50 | 1.8–2.2 † |
| P % | ≤0.025 | — |
| S % | ≤0.004 | — |
| Maker HRC | ≥60 | ≥62 |
| CATRA mm | 338 @ 65.1 HRC | 522 @ 61.2 HRC |
Mass %, steelmakers’ published typical or representative values. † retailer values (the maker does not publish them). Maker HRC is the hardening hardness the steelmaker publishes, not the hardness of a finished knife. CATRA: Knife Steel Nerds edge-retention test, total card cut. PM = powder metallurgy.
What the data says
- Aogami Super is made by Proterial with 1.40–1.50% carbon, 2.00–2.50% tungsten, 0.30–0.50% chromium and 0.30–0.50% vanadium. SG2 (Super Gold 2) is made by Takefu Special Steel, which does not publish the composition; retailers give about 1.25–1.45% carbon, 14–16% chromium, 2.3–3.3% molybdenum and 1.8–2.2% vanadium.
- SG2 is a powder-metallurgy steel: Takefu explains that it is made from atomised powder that is compacted, sintered, forged and rolled. Aogami Super is a conventionally made steel.
- Maker hardness: Proterial publishes 60 HRC or over for Aogami Super, Takefu 62 HRC or over for SG2.
- Edge retention: Knife Steel Nerds’ CATRA results were 338 mm for Aogami Super (65.1 HRC) and 522 mm for SG2 (61.2 HRC). Knife Steel Nerds explains that steels with more hard carbides from chromium, vanadium or tungsten generally cut more card than simple carbon steels, even at higher hardness.
- Knife Steel Nerds describes Blue Super as having higher edge retention than other carbon steels but relatively low toughness.
- Rust: Aogami Super is not stainless and needs to be dried after use. SG2 is a stainless steel.
- Many shops sell SG2 as “R2”. We could not confirm from a primary source that the two are identical.
Which should you choose?
| If… | Look at |
|---|---|
| You want a stainless knife that needs less care | SG2 |
| You want the longer CATRA edge-retention result | SG2 (522 mm vs 338 mm) |
| You want a carbon steel and do not mind drying it and a patina | Aogami Super |
The steel is only part of a knife: the knifemaker’s heat treatment, the blade geometry and the edge angle matter as much. See all steels in the Japanese knife steel chart, and if you are ordering from Japan, check the import duty calculator first.
Frequently asked questions
- Which holds an edge longer, Aogami Super or SG2?
- In Knife Steel Nerds’ CATRA test, SG2 cut 522 mm of card at 61.2 HRC and Aogami Super 338 mm at 65.1 HRC. Real-world edge life also depends on edge angle, heat treatment and what you cut.
- Is Aogami Super harder than SG2?
- The makers publish 60 HRC or over for Aogami Super and 62 HRC or over for SG2. Knives in Aogami Super are often heat-treated harder; in Knife Steel Nerds’ test samples Aogami Super was 65.1 HRC and SG2 61.2 HRC.
- Does Aogami Super rust?
- Yes. It has only 0.30–0.50% chromium and is not a stainless steel. Dry it after use.
- Is SG2 the same as R2?
- Shops commonly sell them as the same steel, but we could not confirm this from a primary source.
More comparisons
Sources
- Proterial grade page
- Knife Steel Nerds: edge retention of 48 steels (secondary)
- Knife Steel Nerds: is Blue Super actually super? (secondary)
- Takefu: Super Gold 2
- Knives and Stones: SG2 / R2 (composition) (secondary)
Checked 2026-10-21. Found a better source or an error? Tell us.