Japanese Artisan Nakiri Knife 16cm Yoshimi Kato Minamo SG2 Tsuchime

A nakiri knife is a typically Japanese knife. It is designed to cut vegetables with precision and speed. With this Yoshimi Kato Minamo Tsuchime SG2nakiri knife, you'll be able to handle cauliflower, broccoli, peppers and more with ease. In addition to easy, intuitive cutting, its wide steel surface allows you to gently move the cut pieces of food from the board to a container.

A competitive blade:

It's built from a San Mai structure, i.e. it features 3 alternating layers of steel, just like the beginning of a damascus blade.

At the heart of the knife isSG2 powder steel . This high-grade steel is expensive, but has real advantages! Firstly, its hardness of around 63 HRC on the Rockwell scale: this ensures that its cutting quality lasts a long time. And even though it's very hard, SG2 alloy can be sharpened, even by novices. Maintenance is done with a Sharpening stone when you feel that the knife has lost its superb edge!

Note also that, on a microscopic level of analysis, this alloy has a pure base. This means that it is homogeneous, which makes it more resistant (for example, there is less risk of chipping).

Stainless steel, softer than SG2, surrounds and protects it. This difference in steel can be seen at the base of the blade: you can see a fine wire making a wave along its surface.

On the upper part of the cutting surface, a magnificent rosette hammering is revealed: never seen before! The rosettes intersect with refined, delicate lines. This gives the knife great character and inevitably attracts the eye.

To guarantee excellent cuts, the blade is hand-sharpened. The kanji on its surface are engraved by hand.

A pleasing handle for all cooks:

Created in beautiful rosewood, it features beautiful dark shades with warm tones that vary from model to model. It's a dense wood with a fine, pleasant grit. It is also highly resistant to humidity. A pakka wood bolster links the rosewood to the superb blade. Pakka wood (or Pakkawood) is a composite material that blends laminated wood with resin. The result is hard and resistant to knocks and humidity.

Wood pulp fills the space where the blade and handle meet, protecting the interior from water or bits of cut food.

The octagonal shape of the handle conforms to the shape of your palm, for greater control of the knife during use. Both right-handed and left-handed users can use it.

Caring for your beautiful Japanese knife :

The knife should be washed by hand, not put in the dishwasher or the sink. As soon as you've finished washing it, wipe it dry with a soft cloth before storing it in a dry place. Do not leave it in contact with moisture for any length of time.

What about the blacksmith?

Yoshimi Kato San is a renowned figure working in the Takefu knife-making village. The fact that the knife is forged there is further proof of its authenticity, as the area is known as a stronghold of traditional forging. Indeed, many blacksmiths still work here in the traditional way, using methods inherited from the smiths of yesteryear who created the famous Japanese swords.

As for Kato san, he was trained by the best, including Hiroshi Kato San (his father-in-law), a highly respected cutler. In fact, Hiroshi san is one of the greatest master blacksmiths in the area. He created knives almost every day for almost 50 years and is now retired. He is also one of the founding members of the Takefu Cutlery Village!

Yoshimi continues to create his master's knives while having taken over his workshop. He also forges his own lines of knives. He began training late, in 2013. Highly talented, he quickly assimilates the craft.

(Hiroshi san on the left, Yoshimi san on the right)

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