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which steel is better overall?
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one more newbie questions about vg10 and 154cm
- Thread starter mosquitojoyride
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I thought they were equivalents? 
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2002
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VG10 is a Japanese steel, 154CM is an American equivalent to ATS-34. I really like VG-10. 154 CM is good stuff as well. Both are well into the "premium stainless steel" category, with 154-CM / ATS-34 being something of a gateway steel (kind of like a gateway drug, but involving less mental incapacitation and more financial incapacitation). Carbon content is similar, other alloying elements are somewhat different. VG-10 has vanadium content, so (I think) it should be able to create vanadium carbides, which are awesomely hard. Might contribute to edge characteristics, but there are better people to ask.
Generally, though, it seems that more people comment on VG-10's performance than 154-CM. On the other hand, a lot of it comes from the Spyderco nuts, and since Spyderco doesn't really make anything from 154-CM, there isn't really an objective conclusion to draw from this... On the third hand, Spyderco is well known for its knives' performance, and the fact that they use VG-10 can be construed as an indicator of quality... I give up. Buy something in each steel and then give me the one you like least
Generally, though, it seems that more people comment on VG-10's performance than 154-CM. On the other hand, a lot of it comes from the Spyderco nuts, and since Spyderco doesn't really make anything from 154-CM, there isn't really an objective conclusion to draw from this... On the third hand, Spyderco is well known for its knives' performance, and the fact that they use VG-10 can be construed as an indicator of quality... I give up. Buy something in each steel and then give me the one you like least
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VG-10 is a little tougher than 154CM or ATS-34. By that I mean it can handle slightly more "abuse" - prying etc. I believe 154CM/ATS-34 can be hardened a little more but not much more and usually isn't.
Many of my kitchen knives are VG-10 or shirogami. I have hacked through frozen food with some of my 15 degree beveled VG-10 gyutos with no serious damage to the edge. A harder and more brittle shirogami blade would develop some chips in the edge. I can assure you VG-10 is tough. On the other hand, I have a TOPS fixed blade made from 154CM that has withstood some abuse relatively elegantly. It has 25 degree bevels, however, so the comparison isn't apples to apples. However I would certainly consider it tough enough.
I have 1 kitchen knife and several pocket knives in S30V and I think they are probably closer to VG-10 than the 154CM is. They seem to feel like each other during sharpening and perform closely enough that I wouldn't know one from the other just from using them. All of these steels perform quite well, both in folders and in fixed blades. If I had to pick my very favorite stainless steels, I think I would opt for VG-10 or S30V on the fixed blades and BG42 on the pocket knives.
Many of my kitchen knives are VG-10 or shirogami. I have hacked through frozen food with some of my 15 degree beveled VG-10 gyutos with no serious damage to the edge. A harder and more brittle shirogami blade would develop some chips in the edge. I can assure you VG-10 is tough. On the other hand, I have a TOPS fixed blade made from 154CM that has withstood some abuse relatively elegantly. It has 25 degree bevels, however, so the comparison isn't apples to apples. However I would certainly consider it tough enough.
I have 1 kitchen knife and several pocket knives in S30V and I think they are probably closer to VG-10 than the 154CM is. They seem to feel like each other during sharpening and perform closely enough that I wouldn't know one from the other just from using them. All of these steels perform quite well, both in folders and in fixed blades. If I had to pick my very favorite stainless steels, I think I would opt for VG-10 or S30V on the fixed blades and BG42 on the pocket knives.