Heat Treatment Specifications
Austenitizing
Temperature780°C(1436°F)
Soak Time10 minutes
Tempering
Temperature175°C(347°F)
Time120 minutes
Cycles2x
Quench Medium
water
Target Hardness
60 - 61 HRC
Performance Characteristics
Toughness5/10
Edge Retention6/10
Corrosion Resistance0.5/10
Ease of Sharpening8.5/10
Overall Score20/40
Interesting Facts
- 1Hitachi Metals production - Yellow Paper series
- 21.0-1.1% carbon - comparable sharpness to Shirogami/Aogami #2
- 3Less pure than Shirogami but more affordable
- 4Ranks above SK series, below Aogami/Shirogami
- 5Excellent compromise: traditional craft + affordable price
- 6Develops protective patina with use
Famous Uses
Culinary school knives
Fish processing facilities
Budget yanagiba
Best For
Yanagiba
Deba
Usuba
Traditional Japanese knives
Similar Steels
Not Recommended For
- Wet environments
- Western markets
- Beginners
Expert Tips
- 1Named for yellow paper wrapper
- 2Cheaper than White/Blue steel
- 3Easy to sharpen on whetstones
- 4Will develop patina
- 5Popular in culinary schools