V2C, V1, and V2 are refined from superior quality steel. We have minimized several elements in the chemistry including P, S, Cu, As and the other damaging impurities. Therefore, these changes significantly increase cutting quality of the steel which is the most important as a cutlery steel. These changes improve the following features for V2C, V1 and V2.
1. Low impurities
2. Easy heat treatment
3. Satisfactory processing (hot forging works)
In addition to this V1 or V2 has an additional small amount of Cr to improved toughness and hardenability in heat treatment. These steels have a good quenching hardness, and full of durability as blade without break and bend in both thick and thin cutlery sections.
To make finer spheroidal cementite which is an important point in knife steels to enhance toughness after quenching and prevent cracks after hardening. Annealing is sometimes tending to be undervalued compared to quenching, but slow cooling is as significant as furnace cooling and ash cooling in the forge. V2C, V1 and V2 are easy to spheroidize anneal.
| C | Cr | Ni | Hardness | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V2C | 1.00 | ≦0.30 | ≦0.10 | HRC64≦ |
| V1 | 1.15 | 0.40 | ≦0.25 | HRC64≦ |
| V2 | 1.00 | 0.40 | ≦0.25 | HRC64≦ |
Shiro2 has a better quenching performance in thicker sizes than SK carbon tool steel series, due to the addition of Nickel and Chromium. The toughness of the steel is also good which makes it suitable for various purposes, including tools and sharp, thin bladed kitchen knives, as well as axes, cleavers and machine knife blades in thicker sizes. Shiro2 is easy to spheroidise anneal which helps the formation of uniformly dispersed cementite after the blades are quenched and tempered. Therefore, Shiro2 has improved toughness which reduces chipping and extends edge retention. Crystallisation is reduced by the addition of Ni and Cr. The sensitivity to quenching temperature is slow, even when the quenching temperature (austenite) is slightly increased, reducing the appearance of coarse-grained martensite. Therefore, the homogeneity of the steel is constant.
| C | Cr | Ni | Hardness | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiro2 | 1.00 | ≦0.30 | 1.00 | HRC63≦ |
※The chemical composition values listed on this website are representative data for the standard values of each steel grade.
