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 🇯🇵
VG5 V金5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.
58–59
HRC
555759616365+
VG5 is a stainless blade steel from Takefu Special Steel. Compared with Takefu's VG2, it has more carbon and molybdenum, with vanadium added for finer carbides. Takefu also lists it for consumer kitchen tools.
Composition
VG5 Element Composition
Compare with
VG5
—
14.0%
10.5%
7.0%
3.5%
0
C
0.75%
Cr
14.0%
V
0.15%
Mo
0.3%
C — Carbon
Cr — Chromium
V — Vanadium
Mo — Molybdenum
Typical values from third-party sources.
Hardness
58–59 HRC
555759616365+
VG5 Composition
What's in VG5
What each element does in your knife.
| Element | Composition | 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 | 0.7–0.8% | 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. |
| CuCopper | ≤ 0.25% | A minor player in knife steel — a small lift to corrosion resistance, and often present only as a residual rather than a deliberate addition. |
| VVanadium | 0.1–0.2% | Forms extremely hard vanadium carbides for superior edge retention, and refines the grain for a finer, tougher edge. |
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 VG5
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Shibamasa
Shibamasa VG5 Santoku 170mm
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Tamahagane
Tamahagane San Bread Knife 230mm SNH-1118H
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Hatsukokoro
Hatsukokoro VG5 Hayabusa Santoku 180mm Black Chacate
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Hatsukokoro
Hatsukokoro Hayabusa VG5 Migaki Petty 120mm
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Hatsukokoro
