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
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Shibata Koutetsu Chromax K-Tip Sujihiki 240mm
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Shibata Koutetsu Chromax K-Tip Gyuto 240mm
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Shibata Koutetsu Chromax Boss Nakiri 175mm, Rosewood Handle
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Shibata Koutetsu Chromax K-tip Petty 135mm
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Takamura Hamono Seisakujo
Takamura Chromax Tsuchime Santoku 170mm
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Shibata Koutetsu Chromax Boss Nakiri 175mm, Ebony White Ring Handle
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