Does VG-10 have any drawbacks?

Sure every steel has advantages and disadvantages.

VG-10 is an exotic stainless designed primarily for toughness rather for edge holding or corrosion resistance. You could find stainless steels that hold an edge longer and others that would be more corrosion resistance. It's used in the Fallkiven fixed blades, as an example. It is a good choice for use as a camp knife or survival knife. It makes sense to use it in that type of product. It would be hard to find a tougher stainless unless you went with a relatively soft product.

There is no universally perfect steel. If there were, I suppose no other steel would be used in knife blades. Take care.

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Fred
Knife Outlet
http://www.knifeoutlet.com

[This message has been edited by Knife Outlet (edited 06-03-2001).]
 
VG-10 holds an edge about as good as a high carbon blade, in my experience (Carbon V, to be exact). It's a bit more difficult to sharpen, though. It seems to have a bite to it for some reason, an aggressive edge that cuts very well. VG-10 contains a small percentage of cobalt (1.3-1.5%), which is supposed to enhance the qualities of the other alloying elements. The only other stainless alloy that contains cobalt that I can find on the charts is ATS-55, with .4%.
 
I'm no expert on steels but I own a few spyderco's with vg-10 steel and you have you have to use these knives to really know how great the steel is!After using it all other steels seem just so so! Can't think of any draw backs I would call a super steel!I do own most of the other so called super steels and vg-10 is my favorite by a long shot.
 
VG-10 seems like a great steel to me. Edge holding and corrosion resistance are excellent - it's got to be one of the top steels in those categories.

I personally don't know about toughness, as I only have pocket knives with VG-10, but there don't appear to be many complaints with Fallkniven's larger fixed blades.

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Cerulean

"The hairy-armed person who figured out how to put an edge on a suitable rock made it possible for us to be recognizably human in the first place." - J.K.M.
 
Interesting thread, especially since I was about to post one along a similar vein. How does the old and new Spydie Viele compare? I believe the old one was AUS-8 or AUS-8A and the new one is VG-10.

And then, since the grinds are similar, perhaps someone can compare the Delica/Endura ATS-55 blade to the Viele VG-10 or AUS-8 blade.

Thanks heaps.
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There are always trade-offs between toughness, edge-holding, sharpening difficulty, and corrosion resistance. I think that VG-10 has a very nice balance. For utility stainless it is my second choice behind BG42.

Here's a link to a previous thread that includes some comments by Sal Glesser at Spyderco.

http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum20/HTML/001620.html


[This message has been edited by Jeff Clark (edited 06-03-2001).]
 
My understanding is that VG-10 has almost all of the properties you'd want in a steel--and really, all the properties you'd ever expect out of a stainless steel. Great edge holding, better corrosion resistance than most quality stainlesses, etc. The only thing it might not have is the ultimate toughness, which is unfair to ask of it. So I guess you could retitle my thread, "why are people using other quality stainlesses when VG-10 is so good?"
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Shmackey:
My understanding is that VG-10 has almost all of the properties you'd want in a steel--and really, all the properties you'd ever expect out of a stainless steel. Great edge holding, better corrosion resistance than most quality stainlesses, etc. The only thing it might not have is the ultimate toughness, which is unfair to ask of it.</font>
Click to expand...

Shmackey,
You took the words right out of my mouth.
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--The Raptor--

 
If we are to believe the comments of Sal, perhaps it is because no one else knows the tricks for the heat treat.

Still, 154CM does have its own appeal. And BG-42 is harder and more suited to small blades (under 3"). But I must say that I am rather unhappy with the ATS-34 as used in the SOG X-Ray Vision. Something's up with the surface finish maybe (beadblast). No matter how much I clean and oil it, it quickly develops surface rust and/or other discolouration. Nothing has happened, even at the edge, of the Spydie Endura (ATS-55) that I wear in my other pocket. One day, I'm going to strip down the Vision and have it professionally polished to mirror finish.
 
Oh yeah, don't forget about the price point. CRKT still uses AUS-8, even though there are other steels which might be better suited, primarily because of price.

Anyway some manufacturers or makers might know tricks to heat treating their own preferred steel so that it performs at its best, for example Kevin McClung with his 01, Bob Dozier with his D2,... I'm sure you'll find many more.

Sometimes it's just because of customer demand/perception. When ATS-34 came out, there was a dearth of AUS-8 and 440C blades.
 
Only generally available in Japan.** Another possible drawback if what I recall reading was true: Part of its great performance is related to a careful or special heat treat.

Of course proper heat treat is important for any steel, but the point being, even if you could get it elsewhere than in Japan, it might not be the same, without a lot of care.

I just have to add, my Spyderco Morans in VG-10 are as sharp as any knives I have ever gotten. The only ones that are were in the same league, cost significantly more.

[**I hope someone can correct me on this
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[This message has been edited by Donald (edited 06-04-2001).]
 
Manufacturers use other alloys because they make money using other alloys. That is the primary requirement when you have a business. VG-10 is available from limited sources and is primarily available in Japan. If customers are happy with AUS-8 and it costs less to buy, is available from more sources and costs less to fabricate it makes a "superior" product. In this context "superior" means a product that makes the manufacturer more money. If you can extract a premium price from more customers if you have ATS-34 on the blade than if you have VG-10 on the blade then ATS-34 makes a "superior" product.

As a customer I am looking for a superior "knife" rather than a superior "product". If I know what I want I go and pay a premium for it. I pay a premium for VG-10. Unfortunately manufacturers can't stay in business just catering to me. For example I love my Buck Vanguard Master Series with the BG42 alloy blade. Buck found it to be a money loser on the general market. Such is life.
 
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