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. Takefu Special Steel, Japan 🇯🇵
"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. Takefu Special Steel, Japan 🇯🇵
VG1 V金1号
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.
58–61
HRC
555759616365+
VG1 is the starting point of our V steel series, which is refined using high-quality raw materials with minimal impurities. It is a stainless blade steel with a fine structure, high toughness, exceptional hot forging, easy heat treatment, and excellent corrosion resistance.
Since it contains 1.0% carbon (C), hard primary and secondary carbides coexist in the matrix, contributing to wear resistance.
It contains 14% chromium (Cr), which is maximally effective in improving corrosion resistance and strength. Molybdenum (Mo), together with chromium (Cr), forms hard complex carbides, which greatly contribute to improved wear resistance and corrosion resistance.
VG1 has achieved the four major requirements for knives: (1) high hardness, (2) high toughness, (3) high wear resistance, and (4) high corrosion resistance, making it suitable for a wide range of uses, including knives, hair cutting shears, and industrial machine blades for food processing.
Since it contains 1.0% carbon (C), hard primary and secondary carbides coexist in the matrix, contributing to wear resistance.
It contains 14% chromium (Cr), which is maximally effective in improving corrosion resistance and strength. Molybdenum (Mo), together with chromium (Cr), forms hard complex carbides, which greatly contribute to improved wear resistance and corrosion resistance.
VG1 has achieved the four major requirements for knives: (1) high hardness, (2) high toughness, (3) high wear resistance, and (4) high corrosion resistance, making it suitable for a wide range of uses, including knives, hair cutting shears, and industrial machine blades for food processing.
Composition
VG1 Element Composition
Compare with
VG1
—
13.0%
9.8%
6.5%
3.3%
0
C
0.95%
Cr
13.0%
Mo
0.3%
C — Carbon
Cr — Chromium
Mo — Molybdenum
Hardness
58–61 HRC
555759616365+
VG1 Composition
What's in VG1
What each element does in your knife.
| Element | Spec range | What it does in your knife |
|---|---|---|
| CrChromium | 13.0–15.0% | Raises corrosion resistance; at roughly 13%+ free chromium the steel qualifies as stainless. Also improves hardenability and wear. |
| CCarbon | 0.95–1.05% | The primary hardening element. More carbon means a harder edge that holds longer — but past a point it trades away toughness and rust resistance. |
| MoMolybdenum | 0.2–0.4% | Improves hardenability and toughness, boosts corrosion resistance, and helps the steel hold hardness under heat. |
| NiNickel | 0.25% | Improves toughness and ductility without sacrificing hardness, and adds a small boost to corrosion resistance. |
Composition from zknives (K&S steel dataset) reference material. These ranges come from the K&S steel composition dataset, which is derived from zknives; maker figures are cited separately only when they are used on the page.
Knives in VG1
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Masutani
Masutani VG1 Nashiji Small Santoku 135mm
Masutani
Masutani VG1 Nashiji Nakiri 165mm Slim
Masutani
Masutani VG1 Tsuchime Nakiri 165mm Slim
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Tsunehisa
Tsunehisa VG1 Gyuto 210mm Pakkawood
Masutani
Masutani VG1 Tsuchime Gyuto 185mm Western Handle
Masutani
Masutani VG1 Tsuchime Santoku 170mm Black Chacate Handle
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Masutani
Masutani VG1 Tsuchime Nakiri 165mm Black Chacate Handle
Masutani
