Guide to Kitchen Knife Blade Steel Material Types

Although a knife looks simple, there are many factors that differentiates a knife. 2 of the most important elements are materials and craftsmanship. In this resource guide, we will focus on the different materials that are commonly used for knife blades, so you can make an informed and educated decision on what is the best stainless steel for your application.

A knife blade is more than just carbon & steel alloy combined together. Over time, blacksmith found that adding different elements could increase a knife’s strength or durability.

For example, adding more carbon contents could harden the steel and thus will allow the knife to hold its edge for longer time. But the hardness also comes at a tradeoff. The hardened blade will make it more brittle (similar to ceramics).

Below are some of the most common stainless steel material:

420-series Steel: Also known as 420J1 or 420J2. Each of these steels has slight difference in content composition. It is very commonly used for everyday household knives because of its lower cost & rust resistance.

440-series steel: Also includes 440A, 440B, 440C. These are American steels which shares similar properties to AUS & CrMo steels.

AUS-series steel: These are a group of high-carbon steels that are more commonly used in tactical knives or pocket knives. Because of its hardened edge, it is much more prone to corrosion and rust. This Japanese-made steel is much more expensive and could be further subdivided into: AUS-6, AUS-8, AUS-10.

VG-series steel: These are stainless steel materials that are manufactured by renowned Japanese company Takefu Special Steel. The materials are very high-end and not produced in large quantities. It has Molybdenum & Vanadium added to increase wear & rust resistance. This category includes: VG-1, VG-2, VG-5, VG-7 & VG-10.

CrMo/CrMoV-series Steels: These are a wide range of Chinese made stainless steels which shares some properties with Japanese, American & German steels.

2Cr13 – Low grade materials more commonly used in BBQ accessories, garden tools or economic tools where hardness is not a priority.

3Cr13 – Common low cost stainless steel material that are used in everyday kitchen knives.

5Cr15 / 5Cr15MoV – Commonly used in medium high-end scissors and knife productions. The higher carbon and chromium content makes it ideal for long term use such as professional chefs & hunters.

7Cr17/7Cr17MoV – Commonly used in high-end knives. Has Vanadium added to increase wear & tear resistance.

8Cr13MoV – High-end stainless steel knife material that is more commonly associated with hunting, outdoor & pocket knives.

1.4-series Steels: These are German/European style steels. Including 1.4112 (akin to 440B), 1.4124 (akin to 440C) and 1.4116