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Hitachi / Japan

Aogami Super

High Carbon Tool Steel (Non-Stainless)63–67 HRCConventional Ingot Steel Process

Composition

Core alloying elements define the baseline trade-off between wear resistance, corrosion behavior, and toughness.

Material Overview

Aogami Super (Blue Super Steel) represents the pinnacle of Hitachi's traditional Blue Paper steel lineup. Building upon Aogami #1, it contains higher carbon content along with increased tungsten, chromium, and molybdenum. This composition delivers significantly improved wear resistance and edge retention while maintaining the fine-grained characteristics that Japanese craftsmen value. Aogami Super is capable of achieving extremely high hardness levels while retaining remarkable cutting efficiency. It is frequently found in premium handcrafted Japanese kitchen knives where long-lasting sharpness is a top priority. Although it offers outstanding performance, it requires careful maintenance due to its non-stainless nature and can be more prone to chipping than tougher steels.

Comparable Steels:

  • Aogami Super > Aogami #1 in edge retention and wear resistance

  • Aogami Super > Aogami #2 in hardness and cutting longevity

  • Aogami Super ≈ ZDP-189 in edge retention, but easier to sharpen

  • Aogami Super > 52100 and 1095 in wear resistance

  • Aogami Super < CPM-S90V and M398 in extreme wear resistance

  • Aogami Super > VG-10 in cutting performance and edge stability

  • Aogami Super < CPM MagnaCut in corrosion resistance and toughness

Blue Steel Family Ranking:

Aogami Super > Aogami #1 > Aogami #2 in edge retention and wear resistance.
Aogami #2 > Aogami #1 > Aogami Super in toughness and forgiveness.
Aogami Super is generally considered the flagship traditional Japanese carbon steel for maximum cutting performance.

Performance Radar

Use four core metrics to understand the usable operating envelope of this steel at a glance.

Edge Retention
Toughness
Corrosion Resistance
Sharpenability
Edge Retention
10.0
Toughness
7.0
Corrosion Resistance
2.0
Sharpenability
7.0

Advantages

  • Exceptional edge retention
  • Extremely high hardness potential
  • Outstanding cutting efficiency
  • Very fine and aggressive edge characteristics
  • Superior wear resistance among traditional carbon steels
  • Highly respected in premium Japanese knife making

Disadvantages

  • Very low corrosion resistance
  • Requires regular cleaning and oiling
  • More prone to chipping than tougher steels
  • More difficult to sharpen than Aogami #2
  • Not ideal for impact-heavy tasks or abusive use

At A Glance

Aogami Super is the highest-performance steel in the Blue Paper family, offering exceptional edge retention, extreme sharpness, and elite cutting performance for premium Japanese knives.