Still Looking for VG-1 Review

C

Confederate

Joined
Sep 5, 2005
Messages
2,826
Cold Steel is still the only knife manufacturer I know of that's making blade steel out of VG-1, and though we know the metallurgic properties of it, has anyone actually ever tested VG-1 against other steels like AUS8 and VG-10?

Also, has anyone had any personal experience with it? Seems I read a recent post by someone who complained of some edge rolling, but don't recall if it was VG-1 or AUS8A. I don't have any experience with VG-1, but I like Cold Steel's AUS8A and find that it suits my purposes just fine.

Anyway, I occasionally see folks asking about it, but have never seen any cuttin or edge retention tests. If anyone knows of any tests, please post here.
 
Al Mar makes some of their Chef's knives in VG-1.

I used the 8" Model for about 2.5 years as a pastry/line cook. Non-scientific results are: took a good edge, stayed sharp for a while and didn't stain. Most of the time sharpness was lost by slight edge rolling, requiring a few strokes on a ceramic rod (sharpmaker) or a fine stone.

Oddly enough the knife couldn't be used on a regular kitchen steel, doing so caused massive chipping and required a complete rebeveling of the edge to repair.
 
I've only used it in kitchen knives and for keeping a polished edge while slamming repeatedly into a cutting board, it's excellent. My main gripe is that it's stainless. I like steels that get all blue, brown, and purple and VG-1 just taunts you in that respect.

If my brain is working, it says STR has a VG-1 Master Hunter and no complaints about the edge-taking/edge-holding.
 
I have a K5 and K7; they've proven to be excellent. (K5 SE and K7 PE.)
The edges were wicked out of the box and stayed that way for a good long time.
 
hardheart said:
think I'm gonna grab a PE K4 just to see how it is.
Click to expand...

The K4s look pretty sweet. The rebirth of the Hai Hocho in PE and serrated. I think I'll try one of each when they come out. :thumbup:

Actually, I think the Hocho was 3", but these are close enough.
 
So VG-1 is used primarily as kitchen cutlery, right? Is the consensus generally that it's better than AUS8A?

I get a little suspicious when a knife company changes steel with no apparent reason. Cold Steel, I suspect, got the VG-1 at a better price than AUS8A, or why change? AUS8A is used by many knife manufacturers and the CS Voyagers and such already had a good reputation. I applaude CS for upgrading from 440A to AUS8A but, again, I know they got a big batch of 440A for a very good price and they went through it making Pro-Lites, Night Forces, Ti-Lites and Recon 1s. When it dried up, those knives for the most part vanished, except for the Ti-Lites and Recon 1s, which were upgraded to AUS8A.

On paper, VG-1 looks to have a bit more carbon, but users of both VG-1 and VG-10 are almost unanimous in saying that VG-10 is vastly superior, despite VG-1's ease of touching up and sharpening. That much I accept. The issue with VG-1 compared to AUS8A is which can take the finer edge and how well do they hold their edges? Corrosion resistence means next to nothing to me. If it were up to me, the Voyagers would sport carbon V blades.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top