Knife steel head to head
Quick answer
Two steels compared on hardness, retention, toughness and how hard each is to bring back. There are 20 tables in this set, each one worked through for a specific combination rather than described in general terms.
- Knives
X50CrMoV15 vs VG-10
VG-10 is the harder steel at 60 to 61 HRC against 55 to 58. It holds an edge longer and is more prone to chipping, while X50CrMoV15 is the tougher of the two.
- Knives
X50CrMoV15 vs X55CrMo14
X50CrMoV15 is the harder steel at 55 to 58 HRC against 55 to 56. X50CrMoV15 holds an edge longer, scoring 3 out of 5 for retention against 2.
- Knives
VG-10 vs SG2 / R2 powder steel
SG2 / R2 powder steel is the harder steel at 63 to 64 HRC against 60 to 61. It holds an edge longer and is more prone to chipping, while VG-10 is the tougher of the two.
- Knives
VG-10 vs VG-MAX
VG-10 and VG-MAX behave almost identically in a kitchen.
- Knives
SG2 / R2 powder steel vs ZDP-189
ZDP-189 is the harder steel at 64 to 66 HRC against 63 to 64. They score the same for edge retention, 5 out of 5 each.
- Knives
X55CrMo14 vs AUS-8
AUS-8 is the harder steel at 57 to 58 HRC against 55 to 56. It holds an edge longer and is more prone to chipping, while X55CrMo14 is the tougher of the two.
- Knives
AUS-8 vs AUS-10
AUS-10 is the harder steel at 58 to 60 HRC against 57 to 58. They score the same for edge retention, 3 out of 5 each. They are equally tough, 4 out of 5 each.
- Knives
VG-MAX vs SG2 / R2 powder steel
SG2 / R2 powder steel is the harder steel at 63 to 64 HRC against 60 to 61. It holds an edge longer and is more prone to chipping, while VG-MAX is the tougher of the two.
- Knives
Shirogami 2 (White 2) vs Aogami 2 (Blue 2)
Both are hardened to about 61 to 63 HRC, so hardness does not separate them. Aogami 2 (Blue 2) holds an edge longer, scoring 5 out of 5 for retention against 4.
- Knives
Shirogami 2 (White 2) vs VG-10
Shirogami 2 (White 2) is the harder steel at 61 to 63 HRC against 60 to 61. They score the same for edge retention, 4 out of 5 each.
- Knives
X50CrMoV15 vs 1.4116
4116 is its EN material number and X50CrMoV15 is the name that spells out its composition.
- Knives
440C vs X50CrMoV15
440C is the harder steel at 58 to 60 HRC against 55 to 58. They score the same for edge retention, 3 out of 5 each.
- Knives
Sandvik 14C28N vs X50CrMoV15
Sandvik 14C28N is the harder steel at 58 to 60 HRC against 55 to 58. They score the same for edge retention, 3 out of 5 each.
- Knives
Ginsan (Silver 3) vs VG-10
Both are hardened to about 60 to 61 HRC, so hardness does not separate them. They score the same for edge retention, 4 out of 5 each.
- Knives
Ginsan (Silver 3) vs Shirogami 2 (White 2)
Shirogami 2 (White 2) is the harder steel at 61 to 63 HRC against 60 to 61. They score the same for edge retention, 4 out of 5 each.
- Knives
AUS-10 vs VG-10
VG-10 is the harder steel at 60 to 61 HRC against 58 to 60. It holds an edge longer and is more prone to chipping, while AUS-10 is the tougher of the two.
- Knives
1.4116 vs X55CrMo14
4116 is the harder steel at 55 to 58 HRC against 55 to 56. 4116 holds an edge longer, scoring 3 out of 5 for retention against 2. They are equally tough, 5 out of 5 each.
- Knives
ZDP-189 vs VG-MAX
ZDP-189 is the harder steel at 64 to 66 HRC against 60 to 61. It holds an edge longer and is more prone to chipping, while VG-MAX is the tougher of the two.
- Knives
440C vs AUS-8
440C is the harder steel at 58 to 60 HRC against 57 to 58. They score the same for edge retention, 3 out of 5 each.
- Knives
Aogami 2 (Blue 2) vs SG2 / R2 powder steel
SG2 / R2 powder steel is the harder steel at 63 to 64 HRC against 61 to 63. They score the same for edge retention, 5 out of 5 each.
Common questions
Where do these figures come from?
Every number on these pages is calculated from the same material properties and published manufacturer specifications that the calculators use, so the two can never disagree. Each page is labelled as resting on either a published standard or a kitchen convention, and where no defensible figure exists the page says so rather than inventing one.
Why are there so many of these pages?
Because the useful answer is almost always specific. A page that tells you what size pan four seared portions need is far more useful than a page about pan sizing in general, and there are genuinely that many combinations worth working through. Each one carries its own worked table rather than a generic one.
Are the prices on these pages current?
Product prices come from live retailer data at build time and they move constantly, which is why every product card carries that warning rather than presenting a figure as fixed. The calculated figures, meaning areas, capacities, temperatures and hardness, do not change.
