Stainless
Stainless Steel
"Stainless" means stain-resistant, not stain-proof. In kitchen use, the steel can still discolour or pit if exposed to acidic environments — citrus, vinegar, or salt water — for extended periods. Wash and wipe dry after every use, and avoid leaving the blade soaking in water. With basic care, a stainless knife is very low-maintenance and a great everyday choice. Sandivk, Sweden 🇸🇪 Uddeholm, Sweden 🇸🇪
"Stainless" means stain-resistant, not stain-proof. In kitchen use, the steel can still discolour or pit if exposed to acidic environments — citrus, vinegar, or salt water — for extended periods. Wash and wipe dry after every use, and avoid leaving the blade soaking in water. With basic care, a stainless knife is very low-maintenance and a great everyday choice. Sandivk, Sweden 🇸🇪 Uddeholm, Sweden 🇸🇪
Swedish Steel スウェーデン鋼
Hardness
Rockwell C Hardness(HRC) measures how resistant a steel is to permanent deformation. For kitchen knives:
55–58 HRC — Soft. Easy to sharpen and forgiving of rough use, but dulls faster. Typical of most German knives.
59–61 HRC — Balanced. Good edge retention with manageable sharpening. Common in mid-range Japanese knives.
62–64 HRC — Hard. Excellent edge retention, holds a very fine edge. Requires more care and a fine stone to sharpen.
65+ HRC — Very hard. Exceptional edge longevity but more brittle — more prone to chipping if used roughly.
Higher is not always better — it depends on how you use and maintain your knife.
55–58 HRC — Soft. Easy to sharpen and forgiving of rough use, but dulls faster. Typical of most German knives.
59–61 HRC — Balanced. Good edge retention with manageable sharpening. Common in mid-range Japanese knives.
62–64 HRC — Hard. Excellent edge retention, holds a very fine edge. Requires more care and a fine stone to sharpen.
65+ HRC — Very hard. Exceptional edge longevity but more brittle — more prone to chipping if used roughly.
Higher is not always better — it depends on how you use and maintain your knife.
58–60
HRC
555759616365+
Swedish steel is a broad term used for a few different types of steel manufacturerd by two major Swedish steel companies: Sandivk and Uddeholm. For some unknown reason, the Japanese knife makers seem to settled for just using the term "Swdish Steel" rather than publishing their specifics however the following steel are often used in knife making:
Uddeholm: AEB-L
Sandvik: 12C27, 14C28, 19C27
These steel types have similar carbon content (0.6-0.7) and are generally treated to around HRC 59-60.
Uddeholm: AEB-L
Sandvik: 12C27, 14C28, 19C27
These steel types have similar carbon content (0.6-0.7) and are generally treated to around HRC 59-60.
Composition
Swedish Steel Element Composition
Compare with
Swedish Steel
—
13.0%
9.8%
6.5%
3.3%
0
C
0.65%
Cr
13.0%
Mn
0.4%
Si
0.4%
P
0.003%
S
0.01%
C — Carbon
Cr — Chromium
Mn — Manganese
Si — Silicon
P — Phosphorus
S — Sulfur
Hardness
58–60 HRC
555759616365+
Knives in Swedish Steel
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Masamoto Sohonten SW K-tip Gyuto 210mm SW3121KT
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Masamoto Sohonten SW Gyuto 240mm SW3124
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Masamoto Sohonten
Masamoto Sohonten SW Gyuto 210mm SW3121
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Masamoto Sohonten
