Stainless
Stainless Steel
"Stainless" means stain-resistant, not stain-proof. In kitchen use, the steel can still discolour or pit if exposed to acidic environments — citrus, vinegar, or salt water — for extended periods. Wash and wipe dry after every use, and avoid leaving the blade soaking in water. With basic care, a stainless knife is very low-maintenance and a great everyday choice. Takefu Special Steel, Japan 🇯🇵
"Stainless" means stain-resistant, not stain-proof. In kitchen use, the steel can still discolour or pit if exposed to acidic environments — citrus, vinegar, or salt water — for extended periods. Wash and wipe dry after every use, and avoid leaving the blade soaking in water. With basic care, a stainless knife is very low-maintenance and a great everyday choice. Takefu Special Steel, Japan 🇯🇵
Chromax クロマックス鋼
Hardness
Rockwell C Hardness(HRC) measures how resistant a steel is to permanent deformation. For kitchen knives:
55–58 HRC — Soft. Easy to sharpen and forgiving of rough use, but dulls faster. Typical of most German knives.
59–61 HRC — Balanced. Good edge retention with manageable sharpening. Common in mid-range Japanese knives.
62–64 HRC — Hard. Excellent edge retention, holds a very fine edge. Requires more care and a fine stone to sharpen.
65+ HRC — Very hard. Exceptional edge longevity but more brittle — more prone to chipping if used roughly.
Higher is not always better — it depends on how you use and maintain your knife.
55–58 HRC — Soft. Easy to sharpen and forgiving of rough use, but dulls faster. Typical of most German knives.
59–61 HRC — Balanced. Good edge retention with manageable sharpening. Common in mid-range Japanese knives.
62–64 HRC — Hard. Excellent edge retention, holds a very fine edge. Requires more care and a fine stone to sharpen.
65+ HRC — Very hard. Exceptional edge longevity but more brittle — more prone to chipping if used roughly.
Higher is not always better — it depends on how you use and maintain your knife.
60–62
HRC
555759616365+
Chromax steel is a conventionally smelted stainless steel, not powder metallurgy (PM/SG2/R2-type).
It’s produced by Takefu Special Steel Company (same maker as VG10, SG2/R2, etc.).
Type: Conventional ingot steel (not PM)
Category: High-chromium stainless
Traits:
Good corrosion resistance (higher than VG10)
Easy sharpening
Tougher / less brittle than many PM steels
Moderate edge retention (below SG2/R2)
It’s produced by Takefu Special Steel Company (same maker as VG10, SG2/R2, etc.).
Type: Conventional ingot steel (not PM)
Category: High-chromium stainless
Traits:
Good corrosion resistance (higher than VG10)
Easy sharpening
Tougher / less brittle than many PM steels
Moderate edge retention (below SG2/R2)
Composition
Chromax Element Composition
Compare with
Chromax
—
5.0%
3.8%
2.5%
1.3%
0
C
1.0%
Cr
5.0%
V
0.5%
Mo
1.0%
Mn
0.9%
Si
0.4%
P
0.03%
S
0.03%
Ni
0.25%
C — Carbon
Cr — Chromium
V — Vanadium
Mo — Molybdenum
Mn — Manganese
Si — Silicon
P — Phosphorus
S — Sulfur
Ni — Nickel
Hardness
60–62 HRC
555759616365+
Knives in Chromax
View all
Iron Clad
Shibata Koutetsu Chromax K-Tip Sujihiki 240mm
Iron Clad
Shibata Koutetsu Chromax K-tip Petty 135mm
Sold Out
Takamura Hamono Seisakujo
Takamura Chromax Tsuchime Santoku 170mm
Sold Out
Iron Clad
Shibata Koutetsu Chromax Boss Nakiri 175mm, Ebony White Ring Handle
Sold Out
Iron Clad
