Carbon Steel
Carbon Steel
Carbon steel is reactive — it will rust quickly if not properly cared for. Always wash immediately after use, dry thoroughly, and apply a thin coat of food-safe oil (camellia, mineral) before storage. Over time it develops a patina that offers some natural protection and, for many users, becomes part of the knife's character. Rewarding to use, but not recommended if you want a "wash and forget" knife. Hitachi Metals (now Proterial), Japan 🇯🇵
Carbon steel is reactive — it will rust quickly if not properly cared for. Always wash immediately after use, dry thoroughly, and apply a thin coat of food-safe oil (camellia, mineral) before storage. Over time it develops a patina that offers some natural protection and, for many users, becomes part of the knife's character. Rewarding to use, but not recommended if you want a "wash and forget" knife. Hitachi Metals (now Proterial), Japan 🇯🇵
White 3 / Shirogami #3 白三鋼
Maker's hardening 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.
60 HRC or more
555759616365+
White Steel No.3, while not as commonly referenced as White Steel No.1 or No.2, is another variant in the family of Japanese high-carbon steels, known as Shirogami steels. It has a lower carbon content (0.8%) compared to White Steel No.1 (1.2%) and No.2 (1.0%), making it slightly softer and thus more forgiving during use. This characteristic makes it easier to sharpen and less prone to chipping, but it may not hold an edge as long as its higher carbon counterparts. White Steel No.3 is suited for those seeking the fine edge and purity of traditional Japanese cutlery but prefer a blade that requires less meticulous maintenance. Like other Shirogami steels, it is highly reactive and requires proper care to prevent rust and corrosion. This steel is appreciated for its balance between ease of sharpening and performance, offering a good entry point for those new to high-carbon Japanese knives or for applications that benefit from a more durable edge.
Composition
White 3 / Shirogami #3 Element Composition
Compare with
White 3 / Shirogami #3
—
0.8%
0.6%
0.4%
0.2%
0
C
0.8%
Mn
0.2%
Si
0.1%
P
0.025%
S
0.004%
C — Carbon
Mn — Manganese
Si — Silicon
P — Phosphorus
S — Sulfur
Typical values from third-party sources.
Hardness
60+ HRC
555759616365+
White 3 / Shirogami #3 Composition
What's in White 3 / Shirogami #3
What each element does in your knife.
| Element | Composition | What it does in your knife |
|---|---|---|
| CCarbon | 0.8–0.9% | The primary hardening element. More carbon means a harder edge that holds longer — but past a point it trades away toughness and rust resistance. |
| MnManganese | 0.2–0.3% | Aids hardenability and strength and acts as a deoxidiser in smelting. Too much can reduce toughness. |
| SiSilicon | 0.1–0.2% | Strengthens the steel matrix and acts as a deoxidiser, improving hardness and resistance to oxidation. |
| PPhosphorus | ≤ 0.025% | An impurity from smelting. Even small amounts promote brittleness, so steelmakers keep it as low as possible. |
| SSulfur | ≤ 0.004% | An impurity that reduces toughness and promotes brittleness; only ever added deliberately in free-machining steels. |
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is White 3 steel used for?
Published by K&S Education Desk; staff review pending
What is the difference between White 1, White 2 and White 3?
Published by K&S Education Desk; staff review pending
Knives in White 3 / Shirogami #3
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Yoshikazu Ikeda
BFCM2025 Old Stock Yoshikazu Ikeda Honyaki White 3 Gyuto 240mm Camphor Set SP2
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BFCM2025 Old Stock Yoshikazu Ikeda Honyaki White 3 Gyuto 240mm SP1
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Yoshikazu Ikeda
Yoshikazu Ikeda Honyaki Sakimaru Sujihiki 450mm White 3 Steel
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Satoshi Nakagawa
Nakagawa White Steel Honyaki Yanagiba 270mm Mirror Polish
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Nakagawa White Steel Honyaki Yanagiba 300mm Mirror Polish
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Nakagawa White Steel Honyaki Sakimaru Takobiki 300mm Mirror Polish
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Satoshi Nakagawa
Nakagawa White Steel Honyaki Sakimaru Takobiki 270mm Mirror Polish
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Satoshi Nakagawa
Nakagawa White Steel Honyaki K-tip Yanagiba 300mm Mirror Polish
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Satoshi Nakagawa
Nakagawa White Steel Honyaki K-tip Yanagiba 270mm Mirror Polish
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Sakai Takayuki
Sakai Takayuki White 3 Japan Kinse Yanagiba 240mm
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Sakai Takayuki
Sakai Takayuki White 3 Japan Kinse Yanagiba 330mm
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Sakai Takayuki
Sakai Takayuki White 3 Japan Kinse Yanagiba 300mm
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Sakai Takayuki
Sakai Takayuki White 3 Japan Kinse Yanagiba 270mm
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Sakai Takayuki