Stainless Steel VG-10
VG-10 is a Japanese (Takefu) cobalt-alloyed martensitic stainless steel with chromium and vanadium carbides, supplied as knife-grade strip and as San-mai and Damascus-clad laminates.
Reference datasheet — VG-10 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the HT60 condition
VG-10 tempers and conditions
VG-10 is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. HT60 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | As-delivered soft condition for blanking, drilling, grinding of blank profiles before hardening. | 460 | 780 | 15 | 20 HRC | — |
San-mai clad | Choose for kitchen knives needing a hard 60 HRC edge with a tough, easily ground and corrosion-tolerant body. | 1,000 | 1,400 | 6 | 61 HRC | 2.9 % IACS |
Hardened & tempered, 58-59 HRC | Higher-temper option for thin or heavily used blades where chip resistance matters more than edge retention. | 1,750 | 2,000 | 3 | 59 HRC | 2.9 % IACS |
HT60Default Hardened & tempered, 60-61 HRC | The standard commercial blade hardness — best balance of edge retention, sharpenability and corrosion resistance. | 1,850 | 2,150 | 2 | 61 HRC | — |
Hardened, cryogenic-treated & tempered, 61-62 HRC | Sub-zero treatment converts retained austenite for maximum hardness and dimensional stability; toughness drops slightly. | 1,950 | 2,250 | 1.5 | 62 HRC | 2.9 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways VG-10 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
DAMASCUS | Damascus-clad | Surface finish |
What is VG-10?
VG-10 is a Japanese (Takefu) cobalt-alloyed martensitic stainless steel with chromium and vanadium carbides, supplied as knife-grade strip and as San-mai and Damascus-clad laminates. It is selected for about 60.5 HRC hardness with 1850 MPa yield and 2150 MPa tensile strength plus a 60-point corrosion rating, and it has become a de-facto standard for premium kitchen and pocket knife blades. The trade-offs are 2 % elongation, a machinability score of 12 and a 180 °C service limit set by the 150-200 °C temper. AUS-10 or 154CM are the nearest alternatives. VG-10 has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 83% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F). VG-10 has a yield strength of 1,850 MPa (268 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,150 MPa (312 ksi) — stronger than 100% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 2% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
What is VG-10 used for?
- premium kitchen knives
- Damascus-clad blades
- pocket knives
Advantages
- High strength — 1,850 MPa (268 ksi), better than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 85/100, better than 97% of stainless steel grades
- Conducts heat well — 25 W/m·K (14.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 93% of stainless steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 2.9 % IACS, better than 87% of stainless steel grades
Limitations
- Limited ductility — 2%, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Low fracture toughness — 18 MPa·√m (16.4 ksi·√in), worse than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 180°C (356 °F), worse than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 12/100, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades
- Limited formability — 5/100, worse than 99% of stainless steel grades
VG-10 properties
Typical room-temperature values for VG-10-HT60; bars are the position among stainless steel grades.
Physical3
VG-10 has a density of 7.7 g/cm³ (0.278 lb/in³), lighter than 83% of stainless steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F).
Mechanical13
VG-10 has a yield strength of 1,850 MPa (268 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,150 MPa (312 ksi) — stronger than 100% of stainless steel grades. Elongation at break is 2% and the elastic modulus is 200 GPa (29 Msi).
Thermal6
VG-10 is rated for continuous service to 180°C (356 °F). It conducts heat at 25 W/m·K (14.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 93% of stainless steel grades. Thermal expansion is 10.4 µm/m·K (5.78 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
VG-10 conducts electricity at 2.9 % IACS, better than 87% of stainless steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (60/100), worse than 58% of stainless steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of VG-10 takes about 55 MJ of energy and emits 5 kg of CO₂ — more than 50% of stainless steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability6
VG-10's machinability is not recommended (12/100, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades); weldability poor (15/100); formability not recommended (5/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the stainless steel family
Yield strength against density for every stainless steel grade FabDigit runs. VG-10 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with VG-10
Is VG-10 easy to machine?
Profile and drill in the annealed condition with rigid setups and carbide tooling; once hardened to 60 HRC only grinding, wire EDM or waterjet are practical.
Can VG-10 be welded?
Effectively non-weldable for structural purposes — high carbon causes brittle martensite and cracking; laser tack or silver braze only, accepting local softening.
Can VG-10 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only in the annealed state; harden 1030-1060 °C, quench in oil/plate/gas, cryo optional, temper 150-200 °C twice for 60-61 HRC.
VG-10 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.95 – 1.05 | 1 |
| Cr | 14.5 – 15.5 | 15 |
| Mo | 0.9 – 1.2 | 1.05 |
| Vgrain refinement, hard MC carbides | 0.1 – 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Coraises matrix strength / hardenability | 1.3 – 1.5 | 1.4 |
| Mn | ≤ 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Si | ≤ 0.6 | 0.5 |
| Pimpurity | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Simpurity | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on VG-10?
Takes a fine mirror or satin finish; passivation improves stain resistance; ferric-chloride etching reveals the pattern on Damascus-clad laminates; avoid plating that requires baking above the tempering temperature.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on stainless steel parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Passivation
Organic Coating
Thermal Spray
How much does VG-10 cost?
VG-10 is a high-cost stainless steel ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
VG-10 — frequently asked
What is VG-10 used for?
VG-10 is typically used for premium kitchen knives, damascus-clad blades and pocket knives. In short: de-facto premium blade standard; cobalt-alloyed, 60 HRC; best stain resistance here.
What is the yield strength of VG-10?
VG-10 has a typical yield strength of 1,850 MPa (268 ksi) and a tensile strength of 2,150 MPa (312 ksi) — stronger than 100% of stainless steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is VG-10 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (12/100, worse than 100% of stainless steel grades). Profile and drill in the annealed condition with rigid setups and carbide tooling; once hardened to 60 HRC only grinding, wire EDM or waterjet are practical.
Can VG-10 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (15/100). Effectively non-weldable for structural purposes — high carbon causes brittle martensite and cracking; laser tack or silver braze only, accepting local softening.
What surface finishes work on VG-10?
Takes a fine mirror or satin finish; passivation improves stain resistance; ferric-chloride etching reveals the pattern on Damascus-clad laminates; avoid plating that requires baking above the tempering temperature.
Can VG-10 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only in the annealed state; harden 1030-1060 °C, quench in oil/plate/gas, cryo optional, temper 150-200 °C twice for 60-61 HRC.
What is the maximum service temperature of VG-10?
VG-10 is rated for continuous use to about 180°C (356 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between VG-10-HT60 and VG-10-ANN?
HT60 is the default condition — the standard commercial blade hardness — best balance of edge retention, sharpenability and corrosion resistance. ANN: as-delivered soft condition for blanking, drilling, grinding of blank profiles before hardening. Yield strength is 1,850 MPa in HT60 versus 460 MPa in ANN.
How much does VG-10 cost?
VG-10 is a high-cost stainless steel ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- VG-10 Cutlery Steel Data and Heat Treatment Guide — Takefu Special Steel Co., Ltd. (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1: Properties and Selection — Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys (martensitic stainless section) — ASM International (1990)
- ASTM E140 Hardness Conversion Tables for Metals — ASTM International (2019)
- Knife steel composition and heat-treat comparison datasets — Knife Steel Nerds / CATRA test literature (2021)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.