VG-10

Overview

VG-10 is Japan’s answer to the ideal kitchen knife steel, though it has found widespread success in folders and outdoor knives as well. Developed by Takefu Special Steel Co. in the 1990s, VG-10 (where “VG” stands for “V Gold 10”) represents a carefully balanced approach to knife steel design—offering excellent sharpness, good edge retention, outstanding corrosion resistance, and reasonable ease of sharpening.

What sets VG-10 apart is its unique inclusion of both vanadium and cobalt, creating a steel that combines the hardness of high-carbon steels with the stainlessness and corrosion resistance needed for kitchen environments. It has become the gold standard for premium Japanese culinary knives and is trusted by professional chefs worldwide.

Composition and Development

VG-10’s chemical composition reflects thoughtful engineering:

Carbon (~1%): Provides hardness and enables a fine, sharp edge
Chromium (15%): Delivers excellent corrosion resistance
Molybdenum (1%): Enhances strength and hardenability
Vanadium (0.2%): Creates vanadium carbides for improved wear resistance and grain refinement
Cobalt (1.5%): Unique addition that increases strength and toughness while allowing higher hardness
Plus small amounts of manganese and silicon

The cobalt content is particularly notable—VG-10 belongs to a family of “cobalt steels” that use this element to achieve properties that would be difficult to obtain otherwise. Cobalt allows VG-10 to be hardened to higher levels while maintaining better toughness than similar steels without cobalt.

Performance Characteristics

Sharpness and Edge Quality

VG-10 is renowned for its ability to take an exceptionally sharp edge. The fine grain structure and balanced composition allow skilled sharpeners to achieve razor-sharp edges that are ideal for precision cutting tasks. In the culinary world, this translates to clean cuts through delicate ingredients without tearing or bruising.

The steel’s edge geometry stability is excellent—VG-10 edges tend to maintain their profile well rather than rounding over prematurely. This makes it particularly suitable for:

Slicing and dicing in kitchen applications
Fine detail work in bushcraft
Precision cuts in everyday carry tasks

Edge Retention

While not in the extreme category like S90V, VG-10 offers very good edge retention that satisfies most users. In kitchen use, a properly sharpened VG-10 blade can handle weeks of professional use before requiring touch-up. For EDC applications, VG-10 maintains a working edge through typical daily cutting tasks admirably.

The balance here is key: VG-10 stays sharp long enough to be practical but remains accessible enough to sharpen when needed. It’s not so hard that maintenance becomes a chore, nor so soft that frequent sharpening becomes necessary.

Corrosion Resistance

VG-10 excels in corrosion resistance, making it ideal for environments where moisture and acids are present. With 15% chromium—all properly distributed in the steel matrix—VG-10 provides:

Excellent resistance to kitchen acids from tomatoes, citrus, and other foods
Strong performance in humid environments without frequent oiling
Reliable protection against rust in typical use conditions

This makes VG-10 particularly well-suited for:

Kitchen knives exposed to food acids
Coastal or marine environments (though not for continuous saltwater immersion)
Humid climates where carbon steels would require constant maintenance

Toughness

VG-10 demonstrates good toughness—better than high-carbide super steels but not quite matching dedicated tough steels like 3V or even AEB-L. The cobalt content contributes to this respectable toughness, allowing VG-10 to handle:

Normal kitchen tasks including breaking down chickens and cutting through bones (when appropriate)
Typical EDC stresses without chipping
Reasonable outdoor use in camping and hiking scenarios

While you wouldn’t choose VG-10 for a hard-use chopper or survival knife subjected to batoning, it’s plenty tough for the applications it was designed for.

Ease of Sharpening

VG-10 occupies a sweet spot in sharpenability—harder to sharpen than soft stainless steels like 420HC, but much easier than super steels like S90V or M390. Most sharpening methods work well:

Water stones (traditional Japanese approach): Excellent results with medium-grit stones
Ceramic stones: Work very well, particularly for touch-ups
Diamond stones: Fast and effective, though not strictly necessary
Guided systems: Produce excellent results with moderate effort

The steel responds well to sharpening and allows users to achieve various edge profiles from toothy working edges to polished, refined edges depending on technique and grit progression.

Heat Treatment

VG-10 typically receives the following heat treatment:

Austenitization at approximately 1900-2000°F (1040-1095°C)
Quenching (often in oil or between plates for kitchen knives)
Tempering at 300-400°F (150-205°C)

Properly heat-treated VG-10 achieves 58-61 HRC, with most kitchen knives targeting the 60-61 HRC range for optimal sharpness, while folders might run slightly lower (58-60 HRC) for improved toughness.

Japanese kitchen knife makers often use differential hardening techniques with VG-10, creating a harder edge with a tougher spine—though this requires significant expertise.

Common Applications

Kitchen Knives

VG-10 has become synonymous with premium Japanese kitchen cutlery. Major brands including Shun, Tojiro, and countless Japanese artisan makers use VG-10 for:

Chef’s knives (gyuto)
Santoku knives
Paring and utility knives
Specialized Japanese knife shapes (nakiri, yanagiba, etc.)

The steel’s combination of sharpness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance makes it ideal for professional and home cooks who want low-maintenance, high-performance cutlery.

EDC and Folding Knives

Companies like Spyderco have popularized VG-10 in the folding knife world. It offers EDC users:

Excellent corrosion resistance for carry in various conditions
Good edge retention for daily cutting tasks
Reasonable ease of field sharpening if needed
Proven reliability in production knives

Outdoor and Hunting Knives

While not as common as in kitchen or EDC applications, VG-10 appears in outdoor knives where its corrosion resistance and edge-taking ability are valued over maximum toughness.

Practical Considerations

Pros:

Excellent corrosion resistance for kitchen and outdoor use
Takes an exceptionally sharp edge with fine geometry
Good balance of edge retention and sharpenability
Proven track record across multiple knife categories
Reasonable toughness for intended applications
Works well with most sharpening methods

Cons:

More expensive than budget stainless options
Not ideal for hard use or heavy chopping tasks
Requires proper heat treatment to achieve best performance
Some edge retention trade-off compared to super steels
Can chip if used inappropriately (twisting, prying)

Comparison Context

VG-10 sits in the “premium mid-range” category:

Better edge retention than: 420HC, 8Cr13MoV, AUS-8
Similar performance to: 154CM, ATS-34, some variants of 14C28N
Not quite matching: M390, S30V, S90V in wear resistance
Better corrosion resistance than: Most carbon steels, D2, 154CM
More sharpenable than: Most powder metallurgy super steels

Conclusion

VG-10 represents thoughtful steel design that prioritizes balance and real-world usability. It doesn’t chase the maximum of any single property but instead delivers a combination that works exceptionally well for its intended applications.

For kitchen knives, VG-10 is nearly ideal—sharp enough for professional culinary work, stainless enough to not require constant attention, and accessible enough for home sharpening. For EDC folders, it provides reliable performance without demanding exotic sharpening equipment or excessive maintenance.

This is a steel that gets out of your way and lets you work. It’s proven, dependable, and performs exactly as intended across a wide range of cutting tasks. If you want a knife that maintains a great edge, resists corrosion, and can be maintained with basic skills and equipment, VG-10 is an excellent choice.