Stainless steel · Takefu Special SteelVG-1 V金1号
Also called: V Gold 1 · V-Kin 1 · VG1
VG-1 is a stainless stainless steel from Takefu Special Steel: 1.00% carbon, 14.00% chromium, and a maker hardening hardness of ≥61 HRC.
Composition
| C | Cr | Mo |
|---|---|---|
| 1.00 | 14.00 | 0.30 |
Mass %. As published by the steelmaker (typical or representative values). Hardness: ≥61.
What the data says
VG-1 is the first grade of Takefu’s V-steel series: nominally 1.00% carbon, 14.00% chromium and 0.30% molybdenum, with a hardness of 61 HRC or over.
Compared with VG-10 it has slightly less chromium, less molybdenum, and no vanadium or cobalt in the published composition. Takefu describes the V-steels as having a fine structure and good corrosion resistance.
No independent CATRA result for VG-1 was available to us; we will add one if a reliable test is published.
VG-1 compared with similar steels
| Steel | Type | C % | Cr % | Maker HRC | CATRA mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VG-1 | Stainless | 1.00 | 14.00 | ≥61 | — |
| VG-10 | Stainless | 1.00 | 15.00 | ≥60 | 479 @ 61.6 |
| Ginsan (Silver #3) | Stainless | 0.95–1.10 | 13.00–14.50 | ≥59 | — |
| AUS-10 | Stainless | 0.95–1.10 | 13.00–14.50 | 60 (reference value) | — |
See all 15 steels in the Japanese knife steel chart, or compare up to three at once in the steel explorer.
Care
VG-1 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 VG-1 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 VG-1 stainless?
- Yes. VG-1 contains 14.00% chromium, above the roughly 10.5% that defines a stainless steel.
- How hard is VG-1?
- Takefu Special Steel publishes a hardening hardness of ≥61 HRC. The hardness of a finished knife depends on the knifemaker’s heat treatment.
- Who makes VG-1?
- VG-1 is made by Takefu Special Steel.
- VG-1 vs VG-10: what is the difference?
- VG-1: C 1.00%, Cr 14.00%, maker hardness ≥61 HRC. VG-10: C 1.00%, Cr 15.00%, maker hardness ≥60 HRC.
Sources
Checked 2026-10-21. Found a better source or an error? Tell us.