Stainless steel · Aichi SteelAUS-10 AUS-10
Also called: AUS10 · 10A
AUS-10 is a stainless stainless steel from Aichi Steel: 0.95–1.10% carbon, 13.00–14.50% chromium, and a maker hardening hardness of HRC 60 (reference value).
Composition
| C | Si | Mn | Ni | Cr | Mo | V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.95–1.10 | ≤0.8 | ≤1.0 | ≤0.30 | 13.00–14.50 | 0.10–0.30 | 0.10–0.25 |
Mass %. As published by the steelmaker (typical or representative values). Hardness: 60 (reference value), Aichi Techno Metal Fukaumi.
What the data says
AUS-10 is the higher-carbon member of Aichi Steel’s AUS series: 0.95–1.10% carbon and 13.00–14.50% chromium, with small additions of molybdenum and vanadium and a reference hardness of 60 HRC.
On paper it is close to Ginsan — the same carbon range and similar chromium — with the addition of molybdenum and vanadium. Compared with VG-10 it has less chromium and no cobalt.
As with AUS-8, the values come from Aichi Steel’s group company Aichi Techno Metal Fukaumi.
AUS-10 compared with similar steels
| Steel | Type | C % | Cr % | Maker HRC | CATRA mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS-10 | Stainless | 0.95–1.10 | 13.00–14.50 | 60 (reference value) | — |
| AUS-8 | Stainless | 0.70–0.80 | 13.00–14.50 | 59 (reference value) | — |
| Ginsan (Silver #3) | Stainless | 0.95–1.10 | 13.00–14.50 | ≥59 | — |
| VG-10 | Stainless | 1.00 | 15.00 | ≥60 | 479 @ 61.6 |
See all 15 steels in the Japanese knife steel chart, or compare up to three at once in the steel explorer.
Care
AUS-10 is a stainless steel, so occasional wetness will not rust it the way it rusts a carbon steel, but washing by hand and drying it keeps the edge and handle in good condition.
Buying a AUS-10 knife from a shop in Japan? Japanese kitchen knives currently pay about 31% US import duty — use the import duty calculator to compare with a US retailer.
Frequently asked questions
- Is AUS-10 stainless?
- Yes. AUS-10 contains 13.00–14.50% chromium, above the roughly 10.5% that defines a stainless steel.
- How hard is AUS-10?
- Aichi Steel publishes a hardening hardness of HRC 60 (reference value) (reference value from Aichi Techno Metal Fukaumi). The hardness of a finished knife depends on the knifemaker’s heat treatment.
- Who makes AUS-10?
- AUS-10 is made by Aichi Steel.
- AUS-10 vs AUS-8: what is the difference?
- AUS-10: C 0.95–1.10%, Cr 13.00–14.50%, maker hardness HRC 60 (reference value). AUS-8: C 0.70–0.80%, Cr 13.00–14.50%, maker hardness HRC 59 (reference value).
Sources
Checked 2026-10-21. Found a better source or an error? Tell us.