Stainless steel · Takefu Special SteelVG-10 V金10号
Also called: V Gold 10 · V-Kin 10 · VG10
VG-10 is a stainless stainless steel from Takefu Special Steel: 1.00% carbon, 15.00% chromium, and a maker hardening hardness of ≥60 HRC. In Knife Steel Nerds’ CATRA edge-retention test it cut 479 mm of card at 61.6 HRC.
Composition
| C | Cr | Mo | V | Co |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 | 15.00 | 1.00 | 0.25 | 1.55 |
Mass %. As published by the steelmaker (typical or representative values). Hardness: ≥60.
What the data says
VG-10 is Takefu Special Steel’s stainless blade steel: nominally 1.00% carbon, 15.00% chromium, 1.00% molybdenum, 0.25% vanadium and 1.55% cobalt, with a hardness of 60 HRC or over. Takefu gives these as representative values for the standard; its own text describes the cobalt as 1.5%.
Takefu highlights its corrosion resistance and ease of sharpening. In Knife Steel Nerds’ CATRA test, VG-10 at 61.6 HRC cut 479 mm of card — more than Aogami Super at 65.1 HRC (338 mm) and less than powder-made SG2 at 61.2 HRC (522 mm).
The cobalt is unusual among knife steels; Takefu’s composition is the source to check when a shop quotes different numbers.
VG-10 compared with similar steels
| Steel | Type | C % | Cr % | Maker HRC | CATRA mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VG-10 | Stainless | 1.00 | 15.00 | ≥60 | 479 @ 61.6 |
| SG2 (Super Gold 2) | Powder stainless · PM | 1.25–1.45 † | 14.0–16.0 † | ≥62 | 522 @ 61.2 |
| 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) | — |
Detailed comparison: VG-10 vs SG2
See all 15 steels in the Japanese knife steel chart, or compare up to three at once in the steel explorer.
Care
VG-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 VG-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 VG-10 stainless?
- Yes. VG-10 contains 15.00% chromium, above the roughly 10.5% that defines a stainless steel.
- How hard is VG-10?
- Takefu Special Steel publishes a hardening hardness of ≥60 HRC. The hardness of a finished knife depends on the knifemaker’s heat treatment.
- Who makes VG-10?
- VG-10 is made by Takefu Special Steel.
- VG-10 vs SG2: what is the difference?
- VG-10: C 1.00%, Cr 15.00%, maker hardness ≥60 HRC. SG2: C 1.25–1.45%, Cr 14.0–16.0%, maker hardness ≥62 HRC. In Knife Steel Nerds’ CATRA test they cut 479 mm and 522 mm of card.
Sources
Checked 2026-10-21. Found a better source or an error? Tell us.