Kei Kobayashi SG2 21cm handmade Japanese chef's knife

Japanese knives are the guarantors of proven efficiency in the kitchen. They are now appreciated worldwide, equipping the best chefs, from the home to the most fashionable restaurants.

The KnifeLeader team is delighted to offer you Kei Kobayashi SG2 knives, handcrafted knives created by a young blacksmith, first known as a very talented sharpener. In fact, it was after many years of sharpening and finishing other blacksmiths' kitchen knives that Kobayashi San decided to create his own line. SG2 knives are among the elite of cutlery, combining formidable efficiency with a design rarely seen before. The whole is very sober, but highly efficient - watch your fingers!

This 21cm chef's knife is an asset in the kitchen, enabling you to cut all kinds of food. It's a bit of a jack-of-all-trades! You can use it to chop, mince or minced meat, vegetables or fresh herbs.

Its blade is called San Mai, meaning it's built on 3 layers of steel, like a simplified damascus.

The heart of the knife is made of SG2 powdered steel, an expensive high-end alloy with many advantages. With a hardness of around 63 HRC, it retains its sharpness over the long term, so you save on sharpening sessions. What's more, despite its hardness, SG2 steel is easy to sharpen if the need arises, which is a plus for such a rigid alloy.

You can also maintain it with a Sharpening stone. Its razor-sharp edge will surprise you from the very first use. Another advantage of SG2 steel is its purity. At the microscopic level, its structure is very homogeneous, which makes it more resistant (for example, there's less risk of chipping when you use it).

This high-performance core is then surrounded by a layer of softer stainless steel, which protects it by sandwiching it. You can see this mix of steels at the base of the blade: an irregular thread runs along the edge, showing the bonding of the various steels.

The blade is sharpened by hand, on a grindstone, to guarantee excellent cutting performance. The Japanese characters on its surface are engraved by hand, adding an appreciable touch ofauthenticity to the knife.

The top edge, as well as the surface at the base of the blade, have been polished to make them more pleasant to the touch. Indeed, many cooks hold their knife high up on the handle, and can even rest their index finger on the back of the knife. Polished edges don't dig into the flesh!

The knife's handle is another of its many assets. It's made from Pakkawood, an antibacterial composite material combining laminated wood and resin, all hot-pressed together. The result is hard and robust. This material is appreciated in professional kitchens for its thermal and mechanical resistance. With its heptagonal shape, it sits perfectly in the palm of your hand, making it a pleasure to use over the long term. Its deep, warm-toned color and varnished appearance give it plenty of cachet. It contrasts perfectly with the cold blade.

To care for your knife, wash it by hand to maintain its appearance and effectiveness over time (no dishwasher). Then wipe with a soft cloth and store in a dry place. It should not be left in contact with moisture for any length of time.

Opt for performance combined with simplicity, for cooking in the purest Japanese tradition!

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