VG10 is produced by Japanese steelmaker Takefu Special Steel, in contrast, 8Cr13MoV is a conventionally cast carbon steel developed in China.
8Cr13MoV is developed in China, with around 0.8% carbon, 13-14.5% chromium, and small amounts of molybdenum and vanadium.
VG10 contains 1% carbon, 15% chromium, 1.5% cobalt, and additions of molybdenum and vanadium.
8Cr13MoV vs VG10 Steel At A Glance
| Property | VG10 Steel | 8Cr13MoV Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness | Can achieve hardness around HRC 60 | Can reach up to 64 HRC |
| Toughness | Lower toughness than 8Cr13MoV Steel | Toughness is higher VG10 steel. |
| Edge Retention / Wear Resistance | Better edge retention than 8Cr13MoV. | Lower edge retention than VG10 in CATRA. |
| Corrosion Resistance | Slightly better corrosion resistance 8Cr13MoV Steel | Good corrosion resistance but slightly lower than VG10. |
| Ease of Sharpening | Relatively easy to grind and sharpen. | Easier to sharpen and polish compared to VG10. |
Hardness
VG10 steel can achieve a hardness of around 60 HRC or lower. On the other hand, 8Cr13MoV steel can achieve a peak hardness of 64 HRC but it is generally heat treated to a lower 60 HRC.
Hardness of a knife steel plays a significant role in influencing other properties like toughness, wear resistance, and edge retention.
For example, a higher hardness heat treatment of 8Cr13MoV (62 HRC) results in a lower toughness compared to the lower hardness treatment (60 HRC).
Toughness
Toughness is the ability of knife steel to resist chipping, breaking or cracking under impact.
8Cr13MoV stainless steel exhibits slightly better toughness than VG10 stainless steel in unnotched charpy impact tests.
VG10 steel in unnotched Charpy impact tests averaged 5.8 ft-lbs of toughness when heat treated to around 60.7 HRC.
This level of toughness is in line with other higher carbide stainless steels like CPM S45VN steel.
On the other hand, 8Cr13MoV toughness values were higher than most other conventional high carbon stainless steels like VG10, and 154CM, but lower than finer steels like AEB-L.
The higher toughness of 8Cr13MoV offers better edge stability and resistance to chipping or rolling compared to VG10 when heat treated to similar hardness levels.
Edge Retention
VG-10 Steel exhibits slightly better edge retention or wear resistance compared to 8Cr13MoV steel.
According to CATRA slicing edge retention test, VG10 showed better edge retention performance than 8Cr13MoV.
VG10 performed slightly similar to 440C in the CATRA test, which is in line with its volume of chromium carbides.
VG10’s higher chromium content (15%) leads to more chromium carbides, improving its wear resistance and edge retention compared to 8Cr13MoV.
8Cr13MoV edge retention in the CATRA test was able to average around 395 mm of cardstock
VG10 edge retention is better than 8Cr13MoV, due to its higher chromium content and resulting higher volume of chromium carbides.
This better edge retention makes VG10 more suitable for applications where maintaining a sharp edge for an extended period such as in kitchen knives.
Corrosion Resistance
8Cr13MoV and VG10 steel are both stainless steels with excellent corrosion resistance. However, VG10 steel can achieve marginally better corrosion resistance than 8Cr13MoV.
The better corrosion resistance of VG10 can be attributed to its higher chromium content (15% vs 13-14.5% in 8Cr13MoV) and the presence of 1% molybdenum, which enhances the steel’s ability to form a passive protective oxide layer.
As a blade steel, the slightly better corrosion resistance of VG10 makes it more suitable for applications where the blade may be exposed to moisture for extended periods.
Ease of Sharpening
8Cr13MoV steel is generally easy to sharpen and grind than VG-10 steel.
The presence of fewer large, hard carbides in 8Cr13MoV’s microstructure makes it easier to sharpen and polish compared to VG10.
8Cr13MoV microstructure contains a fine carbide structure but with many larger carbides mixed in.
While not as fine as some stainless steels like AEB-L and 14C28N, the microstructure of 8Cr13MoV is better than higher carbon conventional steels like VG10, 440C and 154CM.
Final Thoughts on 8Cr13MoV vs VG10 Steel
My experience with VG10 and 8Cr13MoV steels has been positive they are reasonably easy to sharpen and maintain, while providing decent corrosion resistance against rusting.
Their edge retention performance, while not exceptional, gets the job done for general cutting tasks.
A key distinguishing factor is that the Chinese-produced 8Cr13MoV demonstrates slightly better toughness compared to the Japanese VG10 steel.
This enhanced toughness could make 8Cr13MoV more suitable for knives intended for high-impact tasks where resistance to chipping or rolling of the edge is crucial.
Conversely, the finer carbide structure of VG10 gives it an advantage in wear resistance and edge retention over extended use.