When looking for the right steel for the perfect kitchen knife you have in mind, there is a lot to think about. Every alloy adds something different to the properties of steel. By knowing what the alloying elements do, you can find the best steel for your cooking needs.
Each type of steel has its own chemical makeup and properties. The 10Cr15CoMoV stainless steel is one of the best knife steels.
The 10Cr15CoMoV is one of the best stainless steels, according to knife makers. Even though it’s a strong candidate, it’s important to know if it’s a good knife material for you.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about 10Cr15CoMoV steel. We will look at what 10Cr15CoMoV steel is made of and how it works while comparing it to similar materials.
10cr15comov steel chemical composition
- Carbon (C): 0.95 to 1.05%
- Chromium (Cr): 14.50 to 15.50%
- Molybdenum (Mo): 0.80 to 1.20%
- Cobalt (Co) 1.30 to 1.80%
- Vanadium (V): 0.25 to 0.35%
- Manganese (Mn): 0.30 to 0.50%
Some steel companies also add up to 0.45% silicon 10Cr15CoMoV to remove oxidation and impurities from the steel. Still, 10Cr15CoMoV has impurities of phosphorus and sulfur that add up to less than 0.06% of the whole.
Up to 0.25% nickel can also be in the mix of 10Cr15CoMoV.
How different elements affect the steel’s properties
The properties of steel are largely determined by the proportion of different elements it contains. For example, carbon is the primary hardening element in steel. When steel contains a high amount of carbon, it becomes much harder and stronger, but also less ductile. On the other hand, adding elements like chromium and molybdenum can increase the steel’s resistance to corrosion and wear, while also improving its strength and hardness. Manganese can also be added to improve the steel’s strength and hardenability.
The specific properties of a particular steel alloy will depend on the exact proportions of these and other elements it contains.
10cr15comov steel properties as kitchen knife material
If you are not a metallurgist, the numbers in the chemical composition don’t mean much to you. We need to look at the properties of 10Cr15CoMoV to get a better idea of what a knife made from it should be like.
Hardness
On the Rockwell hardness scale, 10Cr15CoMov has an average hardness of 59 to 62 HRC. Any knife steel could be called hard at this level of hardness.
Even though this is how hard most 10Cr15CoMoV you’ll find in stores is, it does vary. It can be up to 64 HRC or a little less than 58 HRC, depending on how the knife was heated by the person who made it. Heat treatment is a term for the many things that are done to steel to change its chemical and physical properties.
The hardness of the steel changes many of its properties, and so do the properties of the knife. Here’s how the 10Cr15CoMoV does in other situations.
Edge retention
A kitchen knife made of 10Cr15CoMoV should keep its sharp edge well. Carbon and other alloying elements, like vanadium, make this steel more resistant to wear, which helps it keep its edge.
It would be wrong to think otherwise since 10Cr15CoMoV is said to be the same as VG-10 but costs much less. Knives made of 10Cr15CoMoV steel will continue to cut well for a long time. With 10CR15CoMoV steel knives, you only need to sharpen them less than twice a year, at most.
Even though 10Cr15CoMoV is sharp enough to make you forget about your whetstone, it’s not as sharp as VG-10. The main reason for this is that 10CR15CoMoV doesn’t have as fine grains.
Corrosion resistance
10Cr15CoMoV knife steel is very resistant to rust. One of the main reasons why it is so popular is that it doesn’t rust.
The amount of chromium in 10Cr15CoMoV steel is more than enough for it to be called stainless steel. It won’t rust or turn black like carbon steel might. If this is used to make kitchen knives, they will always look shiny.
It’s not just the chromium that makes the metal less likely to rust. The amount of molybdenum we have now has a similar effect, but not as much. Still, it helps 10Cr15CoMoV resist corrosion, which makes it less likely to rust.
Care must still be taken after the blade, though. 10Cr15CoMoV steel doesn’t need much in this case, which is good. After each use, the blade should be cleaned and dried. Learn how to take care of your kitchen knives by reading this guide.
Toughness
The toughness of the steel is a key sign of how long it will last. It means that the steel can take hits without getting broken. For example, knife steel that isn’t very strong will chip or even break into pieces. This is also a sign of being fragile.
There is enough manganese in 10Cr15CoMoV to make it less brittle. When 10Cr15CoMoV steel is tempered, it gets tougher than expected. Tempering is a heat treatment that gets rid of internal stress and lessens how hard something is.
Because manganese makes it less brittle, 10Cr15CoMoV steel is harder than most steels that are about the same hardness. So, the general rule that toughness goes down as hardness goes up doesn’t hold true as much for 10Cr15CoMoV. It’s hard enough and can handle impacts just as well.
Ease of Sharpening
Sharpening 10Cr15CoMoV isn’t particularly hard, but it’s not easy either. This knife steel is hard and doesn’t wear down quickly. There are two things like these that can make it hard to sharpen.
But we can’t say that sharpening 10Cr15CoMoV is a pain. With the right whetstone, it will get a sharp edge. The best way to sharpen knives made of 10Cr15CoMoV steel is with a coarse whetstone, like a 400. Then, you can use a stone with a higher grit to polish the blade and get rid of the burr. Here is where you can check out our best whetstone.
Even if you find it hard to sharpen a 10Cr15CoMoV kitchen knife, getting it sharp again won’t be a problem again and again. There is a good balance between how well it keeps its edge and how easy it is to sharpen.
10Cr15CoMoV steel vs. other steel
When writing about knife steel, we can’t skip comparing it to other options that are similar. Here’s how the 10Cr15CoMov compares to other popular knife steels that are similar.
10Cr15CoMoV vs D2
D2 is a well-known brand name in the knife business. After the right heat treatment, it can make a great kitchen knife. When compared to 10Cr15CoMoV, some of its features are better and some are worse.
If you want a kitchen knife that keeps its edge even better, D2 steel is a good choice. Aside from this, most 10Cr15CoMoV parts do better than their D2 steel equivalents. This is true for resistance to corrosion, toughness, and how easy it is to sharpen.
But if D2 is tempered down to a hardness level in the mid-50s, it can be stronger than 10Cr15CoMoV.
Most cooks, whether they are professionals or just use a knife to make dinner at home, should choose 10Cr15CoMoV. If you cut a lot, maybe for hours at a time, D2 steel can make a better knife.
10Cr15CoMov vs. 9Cr18MoV
Many types of kitchen knives are made from 9Cr18MoV steel. The bond between 10Cr15CoMoV and 9Cr18MoV is like the bond between AUS-8 and AUS-10. One is harder and tougher, which affects how long the edge stays sharp, how well it resists wear, and how well it can be sharpened.
9Cr18MoV is stronger than 10Cr15CoMoV, but 10Cr15CoMoV keeps its edge longer. The corrosion resistance of 9Cr18MoV is better than that of the other, but since they are both stainless steel, the difference is small.
The 10Cr15CoMoV is an upgrade from the 9Cr18MoV. Still, it’s a better kitchen knife all around.
10Cr15CoMoV vs. 440C
Another popular steel used to make knives is 440C. Aside from kitchen knives, 440C steel is also used to make outdoor and everyday carry (EDC) knives.
Many things are the same between 440C and 9Cr18MoV. 440C is similar to both 9Cr18MoV and 10Cr15CoMoV in a lot of ways. The 10Cr15CoMoV knives last longer and stay sharper.
The biggest difference is how well they don’t rust. The amount of carbon in 440C is the same as in 10Cr15CoMoV, but the amount of chromium is higher. This makes 440C more resistant to rust and corrosion. Again, both are stainless, so there isn’t much difference.
The price of 440C is also less than that of 10Cr15CoMoV. For the price of one 10Cr15CoMoV knife, you can buy two 440C kitchen knives.
Final Verdict
We hope that we were able to answer your questions about 10Cr15CoMoV Chinese knife steel. This steel is a lot like VG-10 in a lot of ways. After all, people often say that 10Cr15CoMoV steel is the same as VG-10.
