We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. Any products or services put forward appear in no particular order. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
VG-10 is a stainless knife steel that offers a familiar middle ground for everyday cutting. It has moderate abrasive edge retention and does not need the same sharpening approach as a high-vanadium steel such as S90V. If you like to keep an edge sharp with regular maintenance, VG-10 can be a practical choice in the right knife.
What Is VG-10 Steel?
VG-10 is a stainless steel from Takefu Special Steel in Japan. Its composition includes chromium, molybdenum, vanadium and cobalt. This profile covers VG-10 itself; the maker also lists other grades with similar names, so those should not be treated as interchangeable.
Performance Ratings
For the science, we turn to Dr. Larrin Thomas of Knife Steel Nerds, who has kindly allowed us to share his ratings here.
| Property | VG-10 |
|---|---|
| Abrasive edge retention | |
| Toughness | |
| Corrosion resistance |
Heat treatment, hardness and geometry affect actual knives.
Explore VG-10’s Tradeoffs
Choose a steel above to highlight its position and see all three exact ratings below. The full map fits your screen.
Stainless
VG-10
- Abrasive edge retention
- 4.5
- Toughness
- 4
- Corrosion resistance
- 7.5
All 48 rated materials. Numbers group steels at identical coordinates; colors describe stainless classification, not corrosion scores. Neither direction means a universally better knife.
VG-10’s ratings are shown above. Enable JavaScript to select another steel, or browse the full ratings table.
Edge Retention and Practical Use
VG-10 scores 4.5 for abrasive edge retention, alongside 154CM and CPM 154. That is useful for mixed everyday cutting, although steels with higher wear ratings can suit long sessions through abrasive material better. A thin blade that slices easily may be more appealing than a thicker one with a higher steel score.
Toughness and Chipping
Its toughness rating is 4. A finished VG-10 knife can still chip if the edge is too thin for the work or meets a hard object. If that happens, the edge angle and your cutting task are worth considering alongside the steel. The rating is a material comparison, not a diagnosis of every chipped blade.
If greater toughness interests you, our 14C28N profile explains its different balance.
Sharpening and Corrosion Resistance
Suitable conventional sharpening stones can work well with VG-10. Diamond abrasives are also an option, but you do not need to choose them solely because this is a stainless steel. Maintain a consistent bevel and pay attention to burr removal before deciding that the knife needs more grinding.
VG-10's corrosion-resistance rating is 7.5. Clean and dry it after wet or food-preparation work, and avoid leaving salt residue on the blade. The steel offers stainless convenience rather than immunity to rust.
Choosing a VG-10 Knife
Choose for the blade shape, handle and intended task first. VG-10 is capable enough that a well-suited knife can be more rewarding than an awkward design with a more expensive alloy. Check the exact model's steel and heat-treatment information when available, rather than judging it from the name of the steel alone. For the wider range of options, see our knife steel guide.
Composition
Takefu lists these as representative composition values; they are not a certificate for an individual batch. Our steel composition guide explains what the elements do and how to read these values.
VG-10: Selected nominal/typical values, mass %; not a batch certificate or complete analysis. Takefu: VG10.
| Element | VG-10 |
|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 1% |
| Chromium (Cr) | 15% |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 1% |
| Vanadium (V) | 0.25% |
| Cobalt (Co) | 1.55% |
