and heat treatments can vary and make a big difference
better is not very easy to say... they are different for sure. Here's a brief rundown on steels made by hitachi-
The most basic and cheap steels made by hitachi are the sk steels (sk3, sk4, sk5). These are pretty simple carbon steels that arent particularly pure (sulfur and phosphorus). When you increase the purity a bit, you get yellow steel (yellow 3, yellow 2). These are more pure than the sk steels, but still not super pure. The lower the number, the more carbon the steel has (i.e. sk3 has more carbon than sk4, and yellow 2 has more carbon than yellow 3). When you increase the purity of yellow steel, you get white steel. (white 3, white 2, and white 1). White steel is a simple, pure carbon steel that takes a great edge, sharpens easily, and has good toughness. From white steel, when you add a bit of chromium and tungsten, you get blue steel (i.e. white #2 plus a bit of chromium and tungsten yields blue #2... the carbon level is equal). Blue steel has better edge retention and corrosion resistance than white steel at the cost of not getting quite as sharp, being a bit more difficult to sharpen, and being a bit more brittle. Blue #1 would be white #1 with chromium and tungsten added. Blue super is created by taking blue #1 and adding even more carbon, chromium, and tungsten. It has the best edge retention and corrosion resistance at the cost of being more brittle and tougher to sharpen. So if you wanted to make a scale with the white and blue steels most often used in kitchen knives, with one side being the easiest to sharpen and having the best toughness and the other side having the best edge retention and corrosion resistance (but being a bit more brittle), on the first end you would have white #2 (or white #3, but #2 is more common) and on the other side, blue super.
Does that make sense?
I see said the blind man.
better is not very easy to say... they are different for sure. Here's a brief rundown on steels made by hitachi-
The most basic and cheap steels made by hitachi are the sk steels (sk3, sk4, sk5). These are pretty simple carbon steels that arent particularly pure (sulfur and phosphorus). When you increase the purity a bit, you get yellow steel (yellow 3, yellow 2). These are more pure than the sk steels, but still not super pure. The lower the number, the more carbon the steel has (i.e. sk3 has more carbon than sk4, and yellow 2 has more carbon than yellow 3). When you increase the purity of yellow steel, you get white steel. (white 3, white 2, and white 1). White steel is a simple, pure carbon steel that takes a great edge, sharpens easily, and has good toughness. From white steel, when you add a bit of chromium and tungsten, you get blue steel (i.e. white #2 plus a bit of chromium and tungsten yields blue #2... the carbon level is equal). Blue steel has better edge retention and corrosion resistance than white steel at the cost of not getting quite as sharp, being a bit more difficult to sharpen, and being a bit more brittle. Blue #1 would be white #1 with chromium and tungsten added. Blue super is created by taking blue #1 and adding even more carbon, chromium, and tungsten. It has the best edge retention and corrosion resistance at the cost of being more brittle and tougher to sharpen. So if you wanted to make a scale with the white and blue steels most often used in kitchen knives, with one side being the easiest to sharpen and having the best toughness and the other side having the best edge retention and corrosion resistance (but being a bit more brittle), on the first end you would have white #2 (or white #3, but #2 is more common) and on the other side, blue super.
Does that make sense?
Perhaps to some it does? I used to own a moritaka in AS, my Kiritsuke is in Ginsanko. Perhaps that is why I didn't readily see reasons outside the natural drawbacks of AS, and I should have done a better job of listing those natural drawbacks further than Brittleness. I am not much of a metallurgist; however I do know that yellow steel isn't all that great for single bevels but I've seen it used far more frequently than AS.
better is not very easy to say... they are different for sure. Here's a brief rundown on steels made by hitachi-
The most basic and cheap steels made by hitachi are the sk steels (sk3, sk4, sk5). These are pretty simple carbon steels that arent particularly pure (sulfur and phosphorus). When you increase the purity a bit, you get yellow steel (yellow 3, yellow 2). These are more pure than the sk steels, but still not super pure. The lower the number, the more carbon the steel has (i.e. sk3 has more carbon than sk4, and yellow 2 has more carbon than yellow 3). When you increase the purity of yellow steel, you get white steel. (white 3, white 2, and white 1). White steel is a simple, pure carbon steel that takes a great edge, sharpens easily, and has good toughness. From white steel, when you add a bit of chromium and tungsten, you get blue steel (i.e. white #2 plus a bit of chromium and tungsten yields blue #2... the carbon level is equal). Blue steel has better edge retention and corrosion resistance than white steel at the cost of not getting quite as sharp, being a bit more difficult to sharpen, and being a bit more brittle. Blue #1 would be white #1 with chromium and tungsten added. Blue super is created by taking blue #1 and adding even more carbon, chromium, and tungsten. It has the best edge retention and corrosion resistance at the cost of being more brittle and tougher to sharpen. So if you wanted to make a scale with the white and blue steels most often used in kitchen knives, with one side being the easiest to sharpen and having the best toughness and the other side having the best edge retention and corrosion resistance (but being a bit more brittle), on the first end you would have white #2 (or white #3, but #2 is more common) and on the other side, blue super.
Does that make sense?
yellow steel and white #3 are often misunderstood in the western markets... there are kitchen applications they work well for when done with a skillful hand. For example, white #3 honyaki gyuto is a smart idea... it can be a nice balance of toughness to edge retention and ease of sharpening... much more user friendly than say a white #1 mizuhonyaki wa-gyuto that many people seem to think is a great idea (i probably get this kind of request at least once a week). I think there is a tendency in the western markets to want the max. of everything- i.e. max hardness, max edge retention, max toughness, max amount of carbon, and so one. However, a much more useful and effective approach is understanding the strengths and weakness of different materials and matching those properties to the task at hand. This, however, also requires a deep understanding of the tasks, and is often an area where mistakes are made. Not to go on a complete rant here, but lets take a look at yanagiba for example. There is a group of people who want to take their yanagiba to the highest grit and highest polish that can possible be achieved. What is clear to me is that they have not yet mastered the use of a yanagiba (nor do i claim to have, but i do feel like i have a very solid understanding at this point). The edge of a yanagiba needs to be sharp, but with some bite. Not enough to cause damage to the item being cut, but enough to keep the user connected to the cut (avoiding the feeling of the knife just falling through food with no feeling or so quick you cant tell whats going on).
/rant
its generally considered to be a joke and only for export
Thanks once again for the excellent and insigtful commetns/answers, Jon. Can you say a little more about why Japanese makers/chefs don't like AS? mpp
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