The pattern is cladding; the edge is the core steel underneath · review
A 20 cm (7.9 in) Damascus chef’s knife with a VG-10 core stated at 60 HRC — the best-known Japanese cutlery steel, named rather than implied.
What we would actually buy 60 HRC in VG-10 is arguably the most usable hard Japanese specification there is. The unaddressed etching question is the gap.
A 20 cm (7.9 in) Damascus-clad chef’s knife with a VG-10 core stated at 60 HRC, finished using what the maker describes as traditional Japanese techniques, with an ergonomic non-slip handle.
The best-known Japanese kitchen core steel. It takes a very keen edge, holds it well, and resists corrosion better than carbon steels. Naming it puts this knife in a category you can reason about.
The balance point of hard Japanese blades: keen enough to feel completely different from a European knife, and less prone to chipping than a 62 HRC blade. Still not a knife for bones.
The layer count, and whether the pattern is forged or etched. Given that the core is named and the hardness published, the omission is more likely to be brevity than concealment — but it is not stated.
Not found on the American Amazon store, where the buy link falls back to a local search rather than to a page that does not exist.
Prices and availability are what Keepa reported on the date this page was updated; both move.
| Blade length | 20 cm (7.9 in) |
|---|---|
| Core steel | VG-10 |
| Hardness | Stated 60 HRC |
| Finish | Stated made using traditional Japanese techniques |
| Handle | Ergonomic, non-slip, stated balanced |
| Amazon reference | B0GGC99685 |
| EAN | 0739290506014 |
A listing is not an offer: the reference exists on these stores, availability changes daily.
A Japanese stainless cutlery steel with vanadium and cobalt, widely used for kitchen knife cores. It is well understood, takes a keen edge, and is commonly hardened to around 60 HRC.
Less brittle, slightly shorter edge retention. For a household knife that will occasionally meet something it should not, 60 is the more forgiving choice.
7.8/ 10
60 HRC in VG-10 is arguably the most usable hard Japanese specification there is. The unaddressed etching question is the gap.
Someone who wants VG-10 specifically, at a domestic price.
Amazon reports what buyers took in the month before this page was last checked: at least 200.
The figure is a floor, rounded by Amazon, and read through Keepa — it says what buyers picked, not what a maker claims.
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for cookware and kitchen knives and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
SET · genuine 67-layer Damascus · VG-10 core · high-carbon stainless · stated balanced weight distribution
The most expensive entry in this hub, and a set rather than a single knife: 67-layer Damascus over a VG-10 core, sold on balance and finish.
Best for: A gift at the top of the range, or a matched set bought once.
20 cm (7.9 in) blade · Japanese 10Cr15MoV core · stated 62 HRC · 67 forged layers · stated not laser-etched
A 20 cm (7.9 in) Damascus chef’s knife that publishes everything that matters: a Japanese 10Cr15MoV core at a stated 62 HRC, 67 forged layers, and an explicit statement that the pattern is not etched.
Best for: A cook who sharpens their own knives and wants a hard, keen main blade.
≈ $70
SET OF 3 · santoku 17 cm (6.7 in) blade + two others · VG-10 core at a stated 60 ± 2 HRC · pakkawood handles · wooden gift box
A three-knife Damascus set — not a single knife — with a VG-10 core stated at 60 ± 2 HRC, pakkawood handles and a wooden presentation box.
Best for: A gift, or a starting set for someone who wants three matched Damascus knives.
≈ $140
