Tsunehisa SLD Damascus 21cm Japanese chef's knife

Japan is a country of tradition: that's why you'll find blacksmiths whose manufacturing methods are derived from those of the old-time blacksmiths who created Samurai swords. Tsunehisa Japanese knives are made here by a small team of skilled experts. With Tsunehisa, the emphasis is on sharpness! This manufacturer allows you to appreciate Japanese expertise while benefiting from an authentic yet timeless design.

Professionals and passionate amateurs alike will be delighted by the performance offered by Tsunehisa knives.

Model:

This Tsunehisa SLD Damascus 21cm chef's knife is made from top-of-the-range materials, and will be with you for a long time, for clean and pleasant work in the kitchen. It's considered a jack-of-all-trades knife, enabling you to cut, chop, chisel or mince with ease, and this on different types of food such as meat, vegetables, fresh herbs...

The blade

The heart of the blade is made of Japanese SLD steel, produced by Hitachi steelworks (renowned in Japan). Basically, it's SKD11 alloy, a standard but very hard steel used in machines that stamp metal parts. It's appreciated for this kind of task, as it doesn't crumble easily, even with regular pressure applied to it.

Hitachi has decided to modify it a little to make it perfect for kitchen use. To this end, it has modified its composition to achieve a carbon content of between 1.4 and 1.6%, which is very high compared to the Western average of 0.5%. When a knife has a very rigid wire, it retains its sharpness much longer. Also, it can withstand a razor finish, which you can achieve when you go to sharpen it: it will be able to hold such a high degree of performance!

Also, the alloy has a chromium content of between 11 and 13%, and it is said that above 13%, a steel is considered stainless. We're not going so far as to call this steel stainless, but we can say that it is nonetheless quite resistant to corrosion, when we take into account its impressive carbon content.

This SLD core is then surrounded by several layers of softer steels that blend together. This creates the damascus effect. The cutting surface is original, and the patterns on each knife unique.

As well as being aesthetically pleasing, damascus balances the hardness of the core to give the blade a slight suppleness (it doesn't become flexible, but is rather more resistant to impact).

All in all, the cutting performance of this knife's blade is close to that of a knife made from Aogami Super (one of the best steels available in cutlery), while being slightly more resistant to corrosion.

Handle:

The handle is made from Pau Ferro wood, a dense, non-porous exotic species that is very practical in the kitchen. Its grit remains fine and its color varies, always in fairly warm hues. The veins you see are unique to each knife.

Its octagonal shape makes it comfortable to hold, so it's suitable for both right- and left-handed cooks. It's also lightweight, for ease of use and durability.

A clear Pakkawood bolster links the blade to the handle. Pakkawood or Pakka wood is a highly resistant composite material, often used in the kitchen. It is considered antibacterial, and stands up well to temperature variations and humidity. Its light color contrasts perfectly with the warm wood and damask blade.

Finally, wood paste fills the gap between the blade and the handle, to prevent liquid or small pieces of food from seeping in.

How to care for your knife :

Wash by hand (dishwashers are forbidden, as is soaking in the sink). Once washed, wipe with a soft cloth immediately afterwards for complete care. This will help to preserve it for a long time to come, because even though it has a good chromium content, it is still highly enriched in carbon (which is oxidizable, remember).

Note also that the cutting edge may become discolored with use, and this is perfectly normal, as carbon reacts to the acidity of the food being cut or the humidity in the air.

Tsunehisa SLD knives are waiting for you here!