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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.
히타치 특수강, 일본

백3강 / 백3강 白三鋼

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.
59–61 HRC
555759616365+
백3강은 백1강이나 백2강만큼 자주 언급되지는 않지만, 시라가미 계열로 알려진 일본 고탄소강의 또 다른 변형입니다. 탄소 함량이 0.8%로 백1강(1.2%) 및 백2강(1.0%)보다 낮아 다소 무르며 사용 중 관용성이 더 높습니다. 이러한 특성 덕분에 연마가 쉽고 칩핑에 덜 취약하지만, 탄소 함량이 높은 강종에 비해 날 유지력은 다소 떨어질 수 있습니다. 백3강은 전통 일본 식도의 예리한 절삭력과 순수함을 추구하면서도 관리 부담이 적은 칼날을 선호하는 분들에게 적합합니다. 다른 시라가미 강종과 마찬가지로 반응성이 높아 녹과 부식을 방지하기 위한 적절한 관리가 필요합니다. 연마 용이성과 성능 사이의 균형이 뛰어나 고탄소 일본 칼날 입문자나 내구성이 필요한 작업에 좋은 선택지가 됩니다.
Composition

백3강 / 백3강 Element Composition

Compare with
    백3강 / 백3강
    0.8% 0.6% 0.4% 0.2% 0
    C Carbon 0.8%
    Primary hardening element. Raises hardness and wear resistance — but too much increases brittleness and corrosion susceptibility. As a reference: German 1.4112 (~0.5%) sits at the low end; VG-10 (~1.0%) is a common mid-range; SG2 (1.25–1.45%) and ZDP-189 (~3.0%) represent high and extreme ends respectively.
    C
    0.8%
    Mn Manganese 0.2%
    Aids hardenability and strength. Acts as a deoxidiser during smelting. Excess can reduce toughness.
    Mn
    0.2%
    Si Silicon 0.1%
    Strengthens the steel matrix and acts as a deoxidiser. Improves hardness and resistance to oxidation.
    Si
    0.1%
    P Phosphorus 0.025%
    Impurity from the smelting process. Even small amounts cause brittleness — steelmakers keep this as low as possible.
    P
    0.025%
    S Sulfur 0.004%
    Impurity that reduces toughness and promotes brittleness. Intentionally added only in free-machining steels.
    S
    0.004%
    C — Carbon Mn — Manganese Si — Silicon P — Phosphorus S — Sulfur
    Hardness 59–61 HRC
    555759616365+
    Steel
    백3강 / 백3강
    Category
    Carbon
    Manufacturer
    히타치 특수강, 일본
    Hardness
    59–61 HRC