SLD is a Japanese tool steel first and a kitchen knife steel second, and that background is what makes it such a practical choice. It holds an edge noticeably longer than most stainless steels, yet its semi-stainless chemistry means it shrugs off the rust spots that a fully reactive carbon blade picks up in a busy kitchen. The Hatsukokoro Hikari SLD Bunka 170mm puts that steel into one of the most useful everyday shapes in Japanese cutlery.
The bunka pairs a fairly flat edge for push cutting and chopping with an angled, clipped tip that makes fine work like scoring onions, mincing herbs, and trimming small cuts more precise. At 170mm it is a comfortable all purpose size for home cooks who find a gyuto too long for their board. The SLD core is set in san mai construction with softer stainless cladding, ground with a subtle convex shape and an even 50/50 bevel at about 12 degrees per side, and finished in a satin kasumi surface with an etched hamon. Hikari means light, and the clean, bright finish lives up to the name. An octagonal ebony handle completes the knife.
Care Instructions: SLD is a semi-stainless tool steel, so it resists rust far better than carbon steel but is not fully stainless. Hand wash and dry the blade right after use instead of letting it soak, and use wood or soft plastic cutting boards. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard rinds, and store the knife in a blade guard between uses. Sharpen on quality water stones to keep the edge at its best.
Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.
The bunka pairs a fairly flat edge for push cutting and chopping with an angled, clipped tip that makes fine work like scoring onions, mincing herbs, and trimming small cuts more precise. At 170mm it is a comfortable all purpose size for home cooks who find a gyuto too long for their board. The SLD core is set in san mai construction with softer stainless cladding, ground with a subtle convex shape and an even 50/50 bevel at about 12 degrees per side, and finished in a satin kasumi surface with an etched hamon. Hikari means light, and the clean, bright finish lives up to the name. An octagonal ebony handle completes the knife.
Care Instructions: SLD is a semi-stainless tool steel, so it resists rust far better than carbon steel but is not fully stainless. Hand wash and dry the blade right after use instead of letting it soak, and use wood or soft plastic cutting boards. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard rinds, and store the knife in a blade guard between uses. Sharpen on quality water stones to keep the edge at its best.
Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.
- Brand: Hatsukokoro
- Line: Hikari
- Location: Sakai, Japan
- Construction: San Mai
- Edge Steel: SLD Semi-Stainless Tool Steel
- Cladding: Stainless Steel
- Profile: Bunka (Angled K-Tip)
- Grind: 50/50 Convex, 12 Degrees Per Side
- Finish: Satin Kasumi with Etched Hamon
- Handle: Octagonal Ebony
