Aogami Super knife steel belongs to the group of blue paper steels and is one of the hardest knife steels in the world. With a carbon content of 1.4 - 1.5%, Aogami Super steel is extremely hard. In comparison, Shirogami 1 has a carbon content of 1.25 - 1.35%.
Other alloying components of Aogami Super are chromium, tungsten, molybdenum and vanadium. Tungsten gives the steel an increased wear resistance compared to Shirogami steels.
Aogami Super - the best knife steel?
Aogami Super is definitely a knife steel with outstanding properties. An extreme hardness of up to 66 HRC enables a small grinding angle and thus a sharp blade. The other components of the steel such as tungsten and molybdenum make it tough and wear-resistant, yet easy to sharpen.
An all-purpose knife such as a Santoku knife made of Aogami Super steel is the ideal introduction to the world of Japanese kitchen knives.
Does Aogami Super knife steel rust?
Like all Aogami and Shirogami steels, Aogami Super is a steel that is susceptible to corrosion. This effect is deliberately accepted in Japanese chef's knives, as only steels with a high carbon content can reach extreme hardness levels of up to 66 HRC.
The susceptibility to corrosion is also not a problem per se: if a few simple care tips are taken into account, Japanese knives with corrosion-prone knife steels last significantly longer than their Western counterparts made of (supposedly) stainless steels. Western chef's knives usually reach a maximum hardness of 57 HRC and can therefore never be ground as sharp as blades made of Aogami Super steel.