Hado Shiosai SG2 13,5cm Japanese handmade ko bunka knife

Located in Sakai, the Hado artisan workshop is the fruit of a collaboration between Tadataka Maruyama (Sakai Fukui sales manager) and Ryuichiro Fukui ( company president). Tadataka had long wanted to become a craftsman and shared this ambition with Ryuichiro, who wanted to relaunch the company's handcrafted production, which at the time only produced knives on an industrial scale. Ryuichiro offered Tadataka an apprenticeship while he set up an in-house craft workshop. After three years of intensive training, Tadataka was able to take charge of the workshop, with the aim of producing handcrafted Japanese knives. The workshop opened its doors in spring 2019! In fact, it was Tadataka Murayama who hand-sharpened this ko bunka knife.

The term Hado (刃道) translates as "the road of blades" in Japanese, and was chosen to name the workshop because of its significance. It symbolizes the craftsmen's ambition to strive for excellence in the art of blade forging, while continuing to improve every day. They put all their tamashi (魂), their soul, into creating exceptional knives that benefit from remarkable cutting performance.

An elegant blade for this hammered knife

This ko-bunka knife features a blade with a San Maï structure (which means "3 layers" in Japanese). As the name suggests, this technique consists of forging a rigid steel core surrounded by a softer steel layer folded in on itself to form the remaining 2 layers. This process balances the hardness of your Japanese knife, while protecting the core of the blade.

Moreover, the core of this blade is made from SG2 Japanese powder-metallurgy steel produced by the renowned Takefu Special Steel. This steel has a high carbon content of around 1.3%, an element that increases the hardness of an alloy. As a result, your Japanese kitchen knife achieves a hardness of 63HRC on the Rockwell scale, offering excellent edge retention for an efficient cutting edge.

Your knife's "flat grind" shape ensures great strength! More generally, a flat grind is aesthetically pleasing and easy to reproduce during your sharpening sessions.

SG2 steel contains around 15% chromium, which increases its resistance to corrosion and makes it considered stainless. However, it is important to maintain it with care to avoid any risk of corrosion.

Another advantage of SG2 steel lies in its micro-structure. Indeed, it is considered "pure" because its micro-carbides are evenly distributed to better resist wear and micro-cracking.

To finish the San Maï, a layer of stainless steel covers the core and balances the blade's hardness. It also reduces the risk of breakage during use. You can observe the superimposition of steels all along the cutting edge of your Japanese kitchen knife: a fine wave of unique, random patterns emerges, adding a touch of elegance!

Finally, the blade of this Hado knife has been polished for added refinement. Your handcrafted Japanese knife also features original octagon-shaped hammering for added character.

The Japanese knife with a refined design

The handle of your bunka knife is made from walnut wood, a robust and durable species. It's a heavy wood with a high density to better resist moisture and warping. Its brown color and fine grain give it a chic appearance that is much appreciated by cooks!

Its octagonal shape is designed to suit both right-handed and left-handed cooks! It offers an ergonomic grip for comfortable use, especially during prolonged cooking.

Finally, wood putty has been added where the blade joins the handle to fill the small gaps. This ensures a watertight seal and prevents water or small food items from seeping inside.

To care for your Hado knife, it should be washed only by hand with a sponge and a mild detergent, avoiding getting the handle wet. Once cleaned, you should dry it immediately with a clean cloth to remove all moisture, and store it in a dry place. Do not put in the dishwasher or leave to soak in the sink.

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