A Guide to the Best Steel for Chef Knives
Now, I am not going to list the composition of every steel type and pretend you understand the differences! Even I don't!
I will tell you about the differences I’ve noticed as a chef of 20 years and a business owner selling Japanese knives. These are my opinions based on my experience and my customers. Feel free to argue…
Chef knives are an essential tool in any kitchen, and choosing the correct steel can make a significant difference in the knife's quality, durability and longevity. The unique steel they use for Japanese chef knives contributes to their sharpness and precision.
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing the best steel for chef knives is stainless or non stainless. A non-stainless steel knife may hold a sharper edge for longer but may be prone to rust and corrosion, which can concern some people. As an alternative, many stainless steels are popular for chef knives due to their corrosion resistance and easy maintenance.
Ultimately, the best steel for a chef knife will depend on the individual's needs and preferences. Several popular knife steel types are available, each with properties and characteristics that can affect sharpness and ease of maintenance.
Popular Types of Steel Used for Japanese Chef Knives
Japanese chef knives are known for their sharpness, thinness, and precision, which result from using unique Japanese steels and heat treatment in Japanese forging styles. In fact, the type of steel used in their construction plays a significant role in their performance. Here are some of the most popular types of steel used for Japanese chef knives:
Steels Types
At first, steel names may seem confusing.
When you realise that there are only a few main types of steel used in Japanese knives, which are made mainly by two companies: Hitachi & Takefu.
High-carbon steel is a popular choice for chef knives because of its ability to hold an edge. This type of steel contains at least 0.5% carbon. Most good Japanese knives have high-carbon steel. However, everything in life has positives and negatives, and steel is no different.
Japanese names vs English names
- Shirogami - White paper steel, commonly called white steel. Shiroi is white in Japanese: White steel
- Aogami - Blue paper steel or blue steel. Aoi is blue in Japanese: Blue steel
- Ginsan - Gin meaning silver, and san is the number 3. Also called silver3 steel: Ginsan steel
Non-stainless Steels:
Shirogami Steel (White Steel):
White steel comes in numbered variations: 1, 2 and 3. The main difference between the variations is White #1 has the most carbon, and as you progress down, 2 and 3 have less and less carbon.
#1 steel is most common and has about 1.25-1.35% carbon and not much else.
#2=%1.05-1.15
#3=%0. 0.80-0.90
White steel #1 is known for taking a crazy sharp edge and being accessible to sharpen. With little other than iron and carbon, this knife may rust easily without knife care. It tends to be more brittle. Compared to other steels made by Hitachi, white steel tends to chip, crack, and snap more easily.
White steel is still super popular with knife nerds worldwide who know how to take care of their knives and love it for its ease of sharpening and wicked edge retention, even if it comes at the cost of durability.
Pros
- Sharpness: Holds a crazy sharp edge and is very easy to sharpen- Edge Retention: Some of the best edge retention when heat-treated correctly.
Cons
- Rust and Staining: High carbon steel is susceptible to rust and staining if not properly cared for. It is essential to clean and dry the blade after each use and to store it in a dry place to prevent rust.
- Durability: Not recommended as a first knife! Many people consider this steel to be very brittle.
- Price: More expensive than most steels.
- Potential for chipping: Often chips even with recommended knife care.
Aogami Steel (Blue Steel):
Blue steel, like white steel, comes in a few different variations: 1 & 2.
It is the same deal as white steel; #1 has more carbon and tends to be more brittle than #2 (with the same amount of carbon respectively).
However, blue steel generally has many more bits and pieces in its composition.
It has a tiny bit of chromium, which makes it a tiny bit more resistant than white.
It also has tungsten(only in #2) phosphorus & Sulphur! These additions make the steel slightly more durable but less easy to sharpen.
Most people prefer blue steel over white steel. The trade-off is that you gain durability and lose a tiny bit of edge retention and ease of sharpening. Blue steel has the same carbon content with a few additions, making this steel easier to use and more durable.
Pros
- Edge Retention: Excellent edge retention when heat treated correctly.
Cons
- Rust and Staining: High carbon steel is susceptible to rust and staining if not properly cared for. It is essential to clean and dry the blade after each use and to store it in a dry place to prevent rust.- Durability: Blue steel tends to be a lot more durable than white steel. Following knife care instructions is advised.
- Price: More expensive than most steels
Aogami Super (Super Blue Steel):
Super Blue has more carbon @ %1.40-1.50 than blue #1
More Chromium than white steel (and the same as blue steel) means a little more corrosion resistance. More Tungsten than blue steel and an addition of Vanadium, making it stronger. Slightly harder to sharpen than white and blue steel.
Conclusion: Regarded as Hitachi’s best carbon steel.
Pros
- Edge Retention: Excellent edge retention when heat treated correctly.
- High Quality: Regarded as Hitachi’s best carbon steel.
Cons
- Rust and Staining: High carbon steel is susceptible to rust and staining if not properly cared for. It is essential to clean and dry the blade after each use and to store it in a dry place to prevent rust.- Durability: Super Blue steel tends to be much more durable than white steel. Following knife care instructions is still advised.
- Price: Super blue also tends to be one of the most expensive steels.
Stainless Steels:
Silver 3/ Ginsan:
This is one of the most popular stainless steels with Japanese knife makers.
Very similar to white #2 in carbon content but with one main difference: Chromium! (%13-14.5) Chromium is the corrosion-resistant addition.
Easy to care for and one of the easier stainless steels to sharpen. This comes at a cost.
Although Ginsan steel is easier to sharpen than other stainless steel, it is still noticeably harder to sharpen than non-stainless steel alternatives. This is the price of corrosion resistance.
Conclusion: Stainless steel version of white steel.
Harder to sharpen than white steel. High-quality steel with corrosion resistance.
Pros
- Sharpness: Holds a sharp edge fairly well and is easier than most stainless steels to sharpen, although not as easy as white steel.- Edge Retention: Good edge retention when heat treated correctly.
- Ease of use: Super easy to care for. Ginsan can still rust if poorly treated, but this is very uncommon.
Cons
- Sharpening: Ginsan is still noticeably harder to sharpen than non-stainless steels- Durability: Fairly durable. Following knife care instructions is still advised.
- Price: Japanese knives with ginsan steel tend to be in the mid to high price point.
VG-10 Steel
VG-10 is a common, high-quality steel used in Japanese chef knives made by Takefu Special Steel Co., Ltd. VG-10 is one of the best stainless steels used by Japanese craftsmen. This steel is used in everything from a $150 knife like Tojiro to a $600 handmade knife.
It is similar to ginsan steel but with Molybdenum, Vanadium, Cobalt and Manganese, giving it excellent edge retention, corrosion resistance and more durability.
Conclusion: VG-10 steel is also relatively easy to sharpen, making it a great all-around steel for chef knives and fantastic for anyone new to Japanese knives.
Pros
- Edge Retention: Good edge retention when heat treated correctly.
- Ease of use: Super easy to care for. It's tough to rust.
Cons
- Sharpening: Slightly more challenging to sharpen than Ginsan in my experience. VG-10 is still noticeably harder to sharpen than stainless steel.- Durability: Very durable for a Japanese knife. Following knife care instructions is still advised.
SG2/R2
A steel made by Takefu Special Steel Co., Ltd. Unpopular yet very underrated steel with great edge retention and durability, considering the high heat treatments possible with this steel.
Conclusion: One of the best stainless steels on the market by far (if not the best!)
Pros
- Edge Retention: Extremely good edge retention when heat treated correctly with very high heat treatments possible.
- Ease of use: Stainless steel. Super easy to care for.
- Durability: Better than most Japanese steels. Following knife care instructions is still advised.
- Unmatched: This steel makes people rethink what they know about sharpness and edge retention in stainless steel.
Cons
- Sharpening: SG2 is still noticeably harder to sharpen than non-stainless steels. Older knives are a pain to sharpen.- Price: One of the most expensive steels, which is also very difficult to produce.
SLD Steel
A semi-stainless steel made by Hitachi.
Like SG2, SLD steel is extremely underrated. It has a very high carbon content with fantastic performance that rivals/surpasses ginsan. SLD is classed as a semi-stainless with %12 chromium and can be subject to corrosion if not cared for correctly.
Pros
- Edge Retention: Good edge retention when heat treated correctly.
- Ease of use: Almost stainless steel. It is easier to care for than most non-stainless steels.
Cons
- Sharpening: Slightly harder to sharpen than most non-stainless steels.- Price: An expensive steel.
- Semi-stainless: Not stainless yet, not a carbon steel- Rust spots are a common complaint with SLD steel. A Rust Eraser is advised when making purchases of this steel.
Other Steels and Unpopular Steels
AUS-10 Steel:
- A high-carbon stainless steel made very similar to VG10.
Hap 40:
- I have only used this steel a little, but I would guess it is somewhere between stainless steel and carbon steel with only 3.70-4.70% chromium.
- Potentially vulnerable to rust and corrosion with high heat treatments possible.
- Very different to many steel compositions.
ZDP189:
- Extremely high carbon content at 3%.
- High in chromium also at 20%.
- Extremely high heat treatments possible up to 67RHC!
- Older knives are an absolute pain to sharpen.
Swedish Stainless Steel:
- A good quality steel that isn't as expensive as other steel types. Normally found in mid-tier range knives.
- Easy to use and care for.
- Better than most stainless steel on the market.
Damascus Steel (Not really a steel type)
Damascus steel is a cladding for 95% of blades on the market.
It is put on the outside of another core steel and used for aesthetic purposes.
Damascus purists say “wootz” is the real Damascus. That may be so, but not many knife makers use Wootz in knife making, and it is extremely rare.
Don't Settle for Less - Buy High-Quality Japanese Knives!
The steel used in Japanese kitchen knives offers many advantages and is suitable for various skill levels - from beginners to experts. Everyone from cooking enthusiasts to seasoned chefs has a deep appreciation for the aesthetics of Japanese steel, the cutting power of the Japanese blade styles, and the unique make of each knife.
See our range of Japanese chef knives if you’re looking for a Japanese knife with multipurpose versatility.