VG-10's tougher sibling: nickel over cobalt, almost as sharp, harder to chip.
AUS-10
For the Newcomer
AUS-10 is Aichi Steel's answer to VG-10: nearly identical carbon and chromium, but with nickel instead of cobalt as the alloying distinction. The result is a steel that is slightly less hard, slightly more resistant to chipping, and noticeably easier to sharpen, without sacrificing much edge retention. Think of it as VG-10 with the safety margin dialed up, a workhorse steel that over-delivers for its price tier.
About this composition
Nickel vs. cobalt, the key trade. VG-10 chose cobalt, which aids tempering resistance and maximum hardness. AUS-10 chose nickel, which improves toughness and ductility. Cobalt works opposite to nickel in knife steels: cobalt reduces toughness, while nickel increases it. AUS-10's lower cobalt plus nickel combination produces a blade that absorbs impacts better. The cost is a slight reduction in the maximum hardness ceiling and edge retention compared to VG-10.
No cobalt means easier sharpening. Without cobalt's tempering resistance effect, AUS-10's edge responds more readily to whetstones. Vendor testing (yuzuknives) puts AUS-10 at "5 minutes per side" against VG-10's "8–10 minutes per side" on the same stone.
Performance Deep Dive
Edge retention: Very good.
A step up from AUS-8; slightly below VG-10. Most vendor sources cite AUS-10 at roughly 25 to 40% less edge retention than VG-10. Still a significant improvement over German stainless and AUS-8.
Toughness: Good, the steel's strongest relative quality.
Nickel's role as an An element that helps steel hold its tough, ductile internal structure, making the blade less likely to chip. and ductility enhancer meaningfully reduces chipping vs. VG-10. Forum consensus: "AUS-10 is less chippy" under hard use.
Corrosion resistance: Good.
13 to 14.5% Cr, slightly below VG-10's 15%. Both are firmly stainless in kitchen use.
Ease of sharpening: Easy to moderate, meaningfully more accessible than VG-10.
Responds quickly on standard waterstones. 1000 grit brings back a keen edge in minutes. Does not have VG-10's notorious A thin sliver of steel that folds over the edge during sharpening. If not removed, it feels sharp but collapses within a meal, leaving a dull edge. retention problem.
- vs. VG-10: Less edge retention (~25 to 40%); more toughness; easier sharpening; marginally less corrosion
- vs. AUS-8: Better edge retention; slightly harder; marginally less toughness
- vs. N690: Similar edge retention; N690 has better corrosion resistance (17.3% Cr)
In the Kitchen
AUS-10 is the right pick when you want most of VG-10's performance with more forgiveness. The Tsunehisa Tsuchime at $119 to $165 is one of the best value-to-performance combinations in this entire guide: thin grind, real Damascus cladding, Japanese heat treat, and no chipping anxiety. It pairs naturally with gyutos and sujihikis. For sharpening and edge care, see the care section.
Composition
| Element | % | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 1 | High; hardness and carbide formation (range 0.95–1.10) |
| Chromium (Cr) | 13.5 | Stainless threshold; corrosion resistance (range 13.0–14.5) |
| Nickel (Ni) | 0.49 | Key difference from VG-10; toughness and ductility |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 0.2 | Hardenability, corrosion contribution |
| Vanadium (V) | 0.2 | Minor wear resistance |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.5 | Structural |
| Silicon (Si) | 0.8 | Structural |
Steel family: Conventional ingot stainless. Aichi Steel (Toyota Group subsidiary, est. 1934). AUS-10 was developed as the premium tier of Aichi's AUS family, with nickel instead of cobalt as the key distinction from VG-10.
Artisan Makers
| Maker | Knife | Style | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gonbei (Japanese Knife Imports) | 240mm Gyuto | Japanese gyuto, monosteel, workhorse grind | ~$210 | japaneseknifeimports.com |
| Misuzu Hamono | AUS-10 Gyuto 210mm | Japanese gyuto, san mai polished Damascus | ~$210 | chefknivestogo.com |
| Tsunehisa | AUS-10 Tsuchime Damascus Gyuto 210mm | Japanese gyuto, ultra-thin grind (1.7mm spine) | ~$119–$165 | burrfectionstore.com |
| Haruyuki Zanpa | Zanpa Gyuto 210mm | Japanese gyuto, spiral Damascus, HRC 60–61 | ~$234 | knifewear.com |
| Haruyuki Zanpa | Zanpa Sujihiki 240mm | Japanese slicer, spiral Damascus | ~$257 | knifewear.com |