When looking at the quality kitchen or outdoor knives; you’ll notice that vg10 and 440c steel are two more popular steel for knife blades.
VG10 steel is made with carbon, Chromium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Molybdenum, Vanadium, and Cobalt. While they have similar histories and composition, a few key differences could affect performance for specific users.
Knife Relevant Products Table
No products found.
VG10 steel
VG10 steel is excellent for using particular types of stainless steel often used in knife blades. Its G stands for gold, which refers to the superb standard that this stainless steel level is considered to have met.
Mostly it is made from Japan, and the steel is the Japanese cutlery market that has traditionally made the most use of this particular type of steel in its knives.
Most people use the steel for their kitchen cutlery; that has put VG10 stainless steel to perfect use over the years since the designation was officially created.
Most knife users think that VG10 is a higher quality metal. Thus, it is relatively common for the kitchen and work tools to be fairly common. But finding the steel being used in more collectible or display items, such as swords, is considered relatively rare.
VG10 Steel Chemical composition
| Materials | Quantity | Works |
| Carbon | 1.05 % | Improves hardness Wear/corrosion resistance Unfortunately a high amount of it decreases strength. |
| Chromium | 15.5 % | Great for tensile strength and Edge retention. Even it enhances corrosion resistance and wear resistance. |
| Manganese | 0.5 % | It improves hardness and brittleness. |
| Phosphorus | 0.03% | Improves strength. |
| Molybdenum | 1.2% | It increase Machinability and strength |
| Vanadium | 0.3% | Increases wear resistance and hardenability. |
| Cobalt | 1.5% | It can improve the individual effects of other components. |
440c
Even the 440C gained the most popularity in the last 20 years, thanks to the famous knife Buck 110, so do you know how come it steel is so popular? However, we decide to do a 440c steel review and compare with VG10 so you can read this review.
Read More What is CPM M4 Steel? [Steel Knife Review]
So when you’re coming here, it means you’re too searching for information about the 440C steel right? You came to the right place!
Besides, 440C is mid-range stainless steel made from the 440 series high in Carbon; and it provides excellent wear resistance and corrosion resistance, used for budget and mid-range knives.
440c steel composition
| Materials | Quantity | Works |
| Carbon | 1.1% | It will increase hardness Wear/corrosion resistance Unfortunately a high amount of it decreases strength. |
| Chromium | 17.00% | Perfect for tensile strength and Edge retention. On the other hand it enhances corrosion resistance and wear resistance |
| Molybdenum | 0.70% | It increase Machinability and strength |
| Manganese | 0.80% | It improves hardness and brittleness. |
| Silicon | 0.50% | Perfect for strength. |
| Phosphorus | 0.20% | It wills increases strength. |
| Sulfur | 0.02% | The ingredient improve machinability, and decreases strength. |
Conclusion:
A knife with a blade made with either vg10 or 440c is using high-quality blade steel. On the other hand, both can withstand long-term use.
Besides, with their slight technical difference, most knife users will not likely notice any performance changes between these two high-quality steel.