Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature800°C(1472°F)
Soak Time10 minutes
Tempering
Temperature200°C(392°F)
Time120 minutes
Cycles2x
Quench Medium
oil
Target Hardness
62 - 63 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness6/10
Edge Retention5.5/10
Corrosion Resistance1.5/10
Ease of Sharpening8/10
Overall Score21/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Most popular Aogami grade for kitchen knives
- 21.05-1.15% carbon, 1.0% tungsten
- 3Better toughness than #1, easier to sharpen
- 4Good balance of edge retention and usability
- 5Popular choice for professional Japanese chefs
Famous Uses
Professional gyuto
Deba
General Japanese chef knives
Best For
Japanese kitchen knives
Professional culinary use
Home kitchen use at 63+ HRC
Similar Steels
Not Recommended For
- Wet environments
- Reluctance to sharpen often
- Rough work
Expert Tips
- 1Trending choice switching from Aogami 1
- 2Increased toughness reduces damage risk
- 3Near-equivalent performance to Blue #1