What Is Yasugi Steel?
Yasugi steel was previously a generic term for steel produced using the tatara iron manufacturing process in the San’in region near Shimane Prefecture, but is now used as a generic term for special steel produced by Hitachi Metals, Ltd. at its Yasugi Works in Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture. The latter is also registered as a trademark and is known as YSS Yasuki Hagane.
Yasugi steel is produced by the direct steelmaking method, a type of tatara ironmaking, and has long been used for knives because it contains few impurities. In particular, the Izumo region of Shimane Prefecture is rich in highly pure diesel called masa sand and forest resources. The Yasugi steel produced in this region has been used for Japanese swords and other high-grade blades.
Uses of Yasugi Steel
Yasugi steel is used as a raw material for Japanese swords and other cutlery. The same is true of YSS Yasuki Hagane, which is currently being manufactured. In particular, the carbon steels called Yoshi, Shiragami, and Aoshi are known as high-grade blade steels and are widely used. These names are derived from the colored paper used to sort the steel, and the specific differences are the content of carbon, tungsten, and chromium.
As Yasuki Hagane is now used as a generic term for special steels, it is used not only for blades but also for tools, automotive parts materials, aircraft materials, electronics materials, and a variety of other applications.