Yuzo Black SLD ebony and olive wood 16.5cm Japanese santoku knife knife

The Yuzo Hamono Black SLD 16.5cm santoku knife is versatile, helping you to make all kinds of cuts! It's ideal for slicing, chopping, carving and even chiseling! Use it for precision work or larger cuts, for example, on meats. Do not use it on hard foods such as squash, cheese wheels or bones.

This knife is made by the famous Tadafusa forge in Sanjo, Japan.

The santoku knife that represents Japanese quality

Your santoku has a handle made fromebony wood in various shades. This dense wood is resistant to cracking and is ideal for regular use. With its octagonal shape, you benefit from a pleasant grip and controlled handling for both right- and left-handed users.

The bolster is made fromolive wood, which is resistant to both humidity and temperature changes. Its warm tones are a perfect match for the darker shades of ebony. As wood is a living material, the grain of your knife is unique and differs from one model to another. A white micarta ring joins the olive and ebony, linking the bolster to the handle.

Wood pulp is used to fill the gaps between the two materials, making them watertight against moisture or small foodstuffs that may find their way in.

This Japanese santoku has a blade with a San Maï structure that is typically Japanese: it's a blade with 3 superimposed layers of steel. A hard core forms the base of the blade, surrounded by a layer of softer steel that protects it and gives it greater strength. Thanks to this process, you get a balanced blade with a rigid core that is made softer by the layer that covers it.

The core of this knife is made of Japanese SLD steel invented by the world-renowned steelmaker Hitachi.

In the early days of its manufacture,SLD steel was used in machines to cut other steel alloys in order to construct various parts, for example, for mechanical engineering. Recognizing its quality attributes, Hitachi turned it into an alloy in its own right. For example, SLD steel has a durable cutting edge that sharpens easily when required.

The composition of this alloy includes a high carbon content of around 1.6%. This is a real advantage, as carbon adds hardness to an alloy. What's more, a hard alloy has better edge retention over time. With this high carbon content, it achieves a hardness of 63HRC on the Rockwell scale, with the aim of having a knife that performs well for a long time, despite its uses.

SLD steel is composed of around 13% chromium, to benefit from oxidation resistance, while remaining an oxidizable steel! It's a hybrid between oxidizable and stainless steel, so you need to maintain it with care, as it has a high carbon content that makes it reactive.

The micro-structure of SLD steel is an advantage! At the microscopic level, its micro-carbides are evenly distributed, improving resistance to wear and micro-cracking.

Coated with a layer of stainless steel, this provides better corrosion resistance to the SLD steel core (without making it stainless), while giving it greater "flexibility". This knife does not become flexible, but it is more resistant to impact than steel that is too hard and becomes brittle.

Finally, this blade has a rough forged finish that makes it darker. It is not polished, and therefore presents a more traditional aesthetic for your knife. The blade is also hammered with unusual criss-cross patterns, making for an original design.

Caring for your Japanese knife

To best care for your santoku knife, we recommend washing it by hand with a sponge and mild detergent. Do not soak it in the sink or put it through the dishwasher. To preserve ebony for a long time, it's best to avoid getting it wet. Once washed, quickly dry your knife for dry storage.

As this knife is oxidizable, it is essential to keep it away from moisture. Over time, the blade may change color: this is normal! This is due to the acidity of the food and the humidity in the air, which can have an impact on the color - it's a natural reaction.

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