VG-10 vs VG-MAX (VG10 vs VG Max)
Quick answer
VG-MAX is the steel Takefu makes for Shun as an evolution of VG-10, with more carbon, chromium, tungsten and vanadium added according to Shun. In practice the two behave almost the same, because both are hardened to about 60 to 61 HRC: similar edge retention, similar corrosion resistance and similar sharpening on a whetstone. Choose the knife for its shape, handle and price, not for VG-MAX over VG-10.
Hardness figures are published by the makers. The comparative scores are relative rankings rather than measurements.
| VG-10 | VG-MAX | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Takefu Special Steel, Japan | Takefu Special Steel for Shun |
| Who uses it | Many makers (Tojiro DP, Shun Premier, others) | Shun Classic only |
| Typical hardness | About 60 to 61 HRC | About 60 to 61 HRC |
| Published composition | Yes: about 1% carbon, 15% chromium, 1% molybdenum, 0.2% vanadium, 1.5% cobalt | Not fully published; Shun states more carbon, chromium, tungsten and vanadium than VG-10 |
| Stainless | Yes | Yes |
| Kitchen difference | None you can feel at the same hardness and edge angle | None you can feel at the same hardness and edge angle |
| VG-10 | VG-MAX | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Japanese | Japanese |
| Hardness | 60 to 61 HRC | 60 to 61 HRC |
| Stainless | Yes | Yes |
| Edge retention | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Toughness | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Corrosion resistance | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Ease of sharpening | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Found in | Tojiro DP, many premium Japanese knives | Shun Classic |
The short answer
Both steels are hardened to about 60 to 61 HRC, so neither holds an edge meaningfully longer or chips meaningfully less than the other in a kitchen. VG-MAX is Shun's evolution of VG-10 with more carbon, chromium, tungsten and vanadium, which on paper gives a slightly finer grain. In daily use the blade geometry, the handle and how you sharpen matter far more than which of these two steels is in the knife.
What VG-10 is like to live with
The benchmark premium Japanese stainless. It takes a very fine edge and holds it, and at 60 to 61 HRC it will chip if used on bone or a frozen edge.
As a stainless steel with a corrosion score of 5 out of 5, it handles ordinary kitchen use without trouble. Sharpening scores 3 out of 5, meaning it needs a proper stone and real technique.
What VG-MAX is like to live with
Kai's own variant of the VG family, with more carbon and added vanadium. In use it behaves very much like VG-10.
As a stainless steel with a corrosion score of 5 out of 5, it handles ordinary kitchen use without trouble. Sharpening scores 3 out of 5, meaning it needs a proper stone and real technique.
The trade underneath both of them
Hardness, edge retention, toughness and ease of sharpening are not four independent qualities that a good steel maximises. They trade against each other. Adding carbon and hardening further gives a finer, more wear-resistant edge and makes the steel more brittle and harder to abrade. Every kitchen steel is a chosen point on that curve, and the makers who use these alloys chose very similar points here.
Geometry matters at least as much. How thin the blade is behind the edge, and the angle it is ground to, decide how a knife feels in the cut far more than the alloy does. German knives are typically ground about 14 to 20 degrees per side and Japanese double-bevel knives about 10 to 16, and that difference is more noticeable in the hand than the difference between these two steels.
Knives in these steels
- IGNITED CUTLERY
8 Inch Chef Knife, German Stainless Steel, Ivory White Handle
8 inUnder $25 Check priceBudget band; Amazon shows the current price - Wüsthof
Wüsthof Classic Ikon 8" Chef's Knife
8 inUnder $250 Check priceBudget band; Amazon shows the current price - Shun
Shun Classic 8" Kiritsuke Knife
8 inUnder $250 Check priceBudget band; Amazon shows the current price
Sources
- Shun Cutlery, blade steels page (VG-MAX described as VG-10 with added carbon, chromium, tungsten and vanadium)
- Takefu Special Steel published VG-10 composition (about 1 percent carbon, 15 percent chromium, molybdenum, vanadium and cobalt)
Common questions
Is VG-MAX better than VG-10?
Slightly, on paper. Shun says the extra carbon, chromium, tungsten and vanadium give a finer grain and a sharper, longer-lasting edge. At the same 60 to 61 HRC hardness the difference in daily use is small.
Is VG-MAX (VGMAX) steel good?
Yes. VG-MAX is a stainless, cobalt-bearing steel hardened to about 60 to 61 HRC, which is the same range as VG-10 and well above the 56 to 58 HRC of most German kitchen knives. That hardness takes a 16 degree edge and holds it through weeks of home use; the trade is that it chips rather than rolls if you twist it in a bone or a frozen block. Written VGMAX, VG Max or VG-MAX, it is one steel.
Which knives use VG-MAX and which use VG-10?
VG-MAX is exclusive to Shun and is used in the Shun Classic line. VG-10 is used by many makers, including Tojiro DP and a wide range of Japanese and Western brands.
Does either one rust?
Neither, in normal use. Both are stainless with high chromium content, so ordinary kitchen work will not corrode them. Both should still be washed and dried by hand, because a dishwasher pits the surface and knocks the edge against other items.
Is the more expensive steel worth it?
Only if your maintenance habits match it. Premium steel in the hands of someone who never sharpens is an expensive blunt knife within a year, because it eventually dulls like everything else and is harder to restore. The upgrade that reliably improves daily cooking is a whetstone and the willingness to use it, and that upgrade costs less than either knife.
