During my 4th trip to Japan I gave each of the 13 blacksmiths I met with a request. My request to Kanehide was to please make a wa handled laser version of their very popular PS60 mono steel. This knife is a result of that request and we think it's going to dominate the market for a good, thin, wa handled knife. The quality is too good to resist. Hitachi makes this steel for the razor industry and has a dominant share of the market worldwide and is nearly identical to AEB-L. Kanehide was able to increase the hardness to HRC 60-61 through special heat treating. They also increased the wear resistance of the blades by using a cryogenic treatment with liquid nitrogen at -180 degrees C. The sub-zero treating works to change retained austenite to martensite, and as a result, it is effective not only to enhance the hardness but also the wear resistance.
The result is a fully stainless knife that sharpens extremely well and cuts great. It features a nice, octagonal handle with a urushi finish and an attractive burnt end.Brand: Kanehide
Construction: Laser Cut, Mono Steel
Blade: Monosteel
HRC: 60-61
Edge: 50/50
Steel: PS60 Stainless
Weight: 4.7 oz (134 g)
Edge Length: 183 mm
Total Length: 329 mm
Spine Thickness at Heel: 2 mm
Blade Height: 47 mm
Handle: Octagonal Oak with Burnt Urushi Finish
The result is a fully stainless knife that sharpens extremely well and cuts great. It features a nice, octagonal handle with a urushi finish and an attractive burnt end.
