With a 170 mm blade and a tall profile, this santoku ('three virtues': vegetables, meat, fish) is made for push cuts on the board. The rounded tip and compact format suit everyday tasks: slicing onions, dicing carrots, chopping herbs, trimming a cut of meat. The kurouchi finish, the black forge skin left on the blade body, gives this santoku a matte, textured surface.
The sanmai construction uses a hagane core with jigane cladding on both sides. The hard hagane forms the edge, while the softer jigane supports the cutting edge behind it. The kurouchi generally covers the spine and upper flanks, and the polished bevel contrasts with that matte surface. The handle is walnut, paired with a 170 mm blade that stays manageable on a standard-sized cutting board.
The core of this santoku is Shirogami #2 (White Steel #2), a non-stainless carbon steel from Hitachi (Proterial) with no chromium or tungsten, with jigane cladding on each side. Its hardness sits between 60 and 63 HRC. It takes a very acute edge, and the edge responds to a whetstone in a few passes, with somewhat less brittleness than Shirogami #1. In return, it reacts to moisture: a gray patina develops gradually on the exposed hagane and naturally protects the blade.
Care
Wipe the blade immediately after each use, especially after acidic foods. Patina is normal, and a thin coat of camellia oil suits storage. Avoid abrasives on the kurouchi and never wash in the dishwasher.
