The SLD Damascus is the visually upgraded version of the Hikari gyuto - the same Hitachi SLD semi-stainless core, the same convex grind and 50/50 edge geometry, the same octagonal ebony handle, with Damascus stainless cladding wrapped around the blade rather than plain stainless. For cooks who want the practical advantages of SLD steel and the layered aesthetics of Damascus, this is the combination. SLD sits between reactive carbon and fully stainless - harder and more wear-resistant than most stainless options, with better corrosion resistance than standard carbon steels. It is a steel that cuts with the precision and clarity you associate with high-hardness carbon, without demanding the same level of reactive maintenance.
The Damascus cladding does double duty here - it adds visual depth that shows well on a 214mm blade, and the layered surface reduces food sticking compared to a polished flat finish. The convex grind is a detail worth understanding: where a flat grind creates a straight wedge from spine to edge, a convex grind bows slightly outward, which reduces the blade-food contact area during the cut and adds a measure of toughness to the edge geometry. Sharpened to 50/50 at an acute angle, this knife cuts with the directness you expect from a Japanese gyuto at a price that reflects the Hatsukokoro commitment to delivering serious performance without a premium markup.
What Customers Are Saying: The one reviewer bought this as her first Japanese knife, and nearly a year of daily use later, she is still on the same edge it came with. Extremely sharp out of the box, slices through vegetables of every size, and still her go-to knife every day.
Care Instructions: Although SLD is semi-stainless, it is not fully stainless. Hand wash and dry promptly after use. Do not leave wet or store in a damp environment. Avoid cutting frozen foods or hard materials, and do not twist the blade during use.Maker: Hatsukokoro
Location: Sakai, Japan
Construction: San Mai
Edge Steel: SLD Semi-Stainless
Cladding: Stainless Damascus
Edge: Double Bevel, 50/50
Handle: Octagonal Ebony
Weight: 5.1 oz (144 g)
Blade Length: 214 mm
Total Length: 350 mm
Spine Thickness at Heel: 2 mm
Blade Height: 49 mm
The Damascus cladding does double duty here - it adds visual depth that shows well on a 214mm blade, and the layered surface reduces food sticking compared to a polished flat finish. The convex grind is a detail worth understanding: where a flat grind creates a straight wedge from spine to edge, a convex grind bows slightly outward, which reduces the blade-food contact area during the cut and adds a measure of toughness to the edge geometry. Sharpened to 50/50 at an acute angle, this knife cuts with the directness you expect from a Japanese gyuto at a price that reflects the Hatsukokoro commitment to delivering serious performance without a premium markup.
What Customers Are Saying: The one reviewer bought this as her first Japanese knife, and nearly a year of daily use later, she is still on the same edge it came with. Extremely sharp out of the box, slices through vegetables of every size, and still her go-to knife every day.
Care Instructions: Although SLD is semi-stainless, it is not fully stainless. Hand wash and dry promptly after use. Do not leave wet or store in a damp environment. Avoid cutting frozen foods or hard materials, and do not twist the blade during use.
Reviews
1 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) First Knife, Love It, December 7, 2025
