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Steel chart: hardness, care and rust

Choose up to three steels, or a knife series, to see the typical hardness its maker states, whether it rusts and what that means for care and sharpening.

Short answer

Higher HRC means a thin edge lasts longer but chips more easily and takes longer to sharpen. Stainless steels need a hand wash and a dry. Carbon steels such as Shirogami and Aogami must be wiped dry right away, oiled for storage, and will build a patina.

Compare steels

Steels (pick up to three)

X50CrMoV15

German stainless

Typical hardness
HRC 56-58
Scale
546066
Type
Stainless, low rust risk
Care
Hand wash and dry. Low rust risk in a home kitchen.
Edge retention
Short
Chip risk
Low
Sharpening speed
Fastest
Seen in
Wusthof, Zwilling

VG-10

Japanese stainless

Typical hardness
HRC 60-61
Scale
546066
Type
Stainless, low rust risk
Care
Hand wash and dry. Low rust risk in a home kitchen.
Edge retention
Long
Chip risk
Moderate
Sharpening speed
Moderate
Seen in
Tojiro DP, Shun Sora, Enso HD

Aogami Super

Blue paper carbon steel

Typical hardness
HRC 63-65
Scale
546066
Type
Carbon, rusts if left wet
Care
Wipe dry immediately. Oil for storage. Expect a patina.
Edge retention
Longest
Chip risk
Highest
Sharpening speed
Slowest
Seen in
Traditional makers

Typical hardness as makers state it. One maker's heat treatment can sit above or below the range. Indigo bars are stainless, black bars carbon.

Where each steel sits

German stainless 56-58
VG-10, VG-MAX 60-61
SG2 / R2 62-64
Aogami Super 63-65
54565860626466HRC
Edge retention
rises with hardness
Chip risk
rises with hardness
Ease of sharpening
falls with hardness

Steels on the chart: X50CrMoV15 HRC 56 to 58; Cromova 18 HRC 56 to 58; AUS-10 HRC 59 to 60; VG-10 HRC 60 to 61; VG-MAX HRC 60 to 61; FC61 HRC 61 to 61; Ginsan (Silver 3) HRC 60 to 61; SG2 / R2 HRC 62 to 64; ZDP-189 HRC 64 to 66; Shirogami 1 and 2 HRC 61 to 64; Aogami 1 and 2 HRC 61 to 64; Aogami Super HRC 63 to 65.

Typical hardness ranges as makers state them. Indigo bars are stainless steels, the black bar a carbon steel.

  • X50CrMoV15

    Typical HRC
    56-58
    Type
    Stainless
    Edge retention
    Short
    Chip risk
    Low

  • Cromova 18

    Typical HRC
    56-58
    Type
    Stainless
    Edge retention
    Short
    Chip risk
    Low

  • AUS-10

    Typical HRC
    59-60
    Type
    Stainless
    Edge retention
    Moderate
    Chip risk
    Low to moderate

  • VG-10

    Typical HRC
    60-61
    Type
    Stainless
    Edge retention
    Long
    Chip risk
    Moderate

  • VG-MAX

    Typical HRC
    60-61
    Type
    Stainless
    Edge retention
    Long
    Chip risk
    Moderate

  • FC61

    Typical HRC
    about 61
    Type
    Stainless
    Edge retention
    Long
    Chip risk
    Moderate

  • Ginsan (Silver 3)

    Typical HRC
    60-61
    Type
    Stainless
    Edge retention
    Long
    Chip risk
    Moderate

  • SG2 / R2

    Typical HRC
    62-64
    Type
    Stainless
    Edge retention
    Very long
    Chip risk
    High

  • ZDP-189

    Typical HRC
    64-66
    Type
    Stainless
    Edge retention
    Longest
    Chip risk
    Highest

  • Shirogami 1 and 2

    Typical HRC
    61-64
    Type
    Carbon
    Edge retention
    Very long
    Chip risk
    High

  • Aogami 1 and 2

    Typical HRC
    61-64
    Type
    Carbon
    Edge retention
    Very long
    Chip risk
    High

  • Aogami Super

    Typical HRC
    63-65
    Type
    Carbon
    Edge retention
    Longest
    Chip risk
    Highest
Typical ranges as makers state them. Edge retention and chip risk follow hardness; heat treatment and edge geometry matter as much.

Stainless or carbon

Stainless steels carry enough chromium to resist rust with normal care: wash by hand and dry. Carbon steels such as Shirogami and Aogami take a very keen edge but rust if left wet. Wipe them dry right away, oil them for storage and expect a gray or blue patina, which is normal. Care for each is covered in care, rust and repair.

What hardness changes

A harder steel holds a thin edge for longer, so you sharpen less often. The cost is brittleness: hard edges chip on bones, frozen food and twisting cuts, and they take longer to sharpen on a stone. Softer German stainless rolls instead of chipping, and a few strokes on a honing rod bring it back. More on this in steel and hardness.