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
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
—
14.5%
10.9%
7.3%
3.6%
0
C
1.0%
Cr
14.5%
V
0.3%
Mo
1.0%
Mn
0.5%
Si
0.5%
C — Carbon
Cr — Chromium
V — Vanadium
Mo — Molybdenum
Mn — Manganese
Si — Silicon
Hardness
60–62 HRC
555759616365+
