The apprenticeship tradition in Japan produces blacksmiths who learn not by instruction alone but by years of doing the same work alongside a master until the standard becomes instinctive. Katayama-san spent eight years under Saji-san in Echizen before striking out on his own in April 2021. We were his first international customer - the relationship started when we reached out before he had even fully launched, and the quality of what he sent confirmed what we suspected from the early work. The VG10 Damascus collection is his debut, and the 210mm gyuto is the knife that shows the full range of what he has built.
The gyuto (Japan's all-purpose chef knife) at 210mm is the format that demands the most from the maker - it has to work through proteins, handle volume vegetable prep, stay nimble for detail work, and do all of it consistently. At 180g with a 3mm spine and 53mm blade height, this is a well-balanced, moderately weighted knife that cooks who prefer something with presence in the hand will appreciate. The VG10 core at 61 HRC is hammer forged san-mai with a 50/50 grind and the stainless Damascus cladding is sandblasted then polished to bring out the pattern with a tangible depth that flat-polished Damascus does not have. The kiyaki octagonal handle and ebony ferrule are a clean, attractive pairing. At 216mm actual blade length it has good reach without requiring a longer knife.
What Customers Are Saying: The one reviewer purchased this knife specifically as a stainless option for a cook who found carbon steel care intimidating. The verdict is clear: the knife is described as gorgeous, light in the hand, nimble, well-balanced, and a genuine pleasure to use. It is praised as an outstanding stainless option for cooks who want real Japanese knife performance without the reactive steel commitment - which is a fair and accurate summary of what VG10 Damascus from a well-trained Echizen blacksmith delivers.
Care Instructions: VG10 is low maintenance stainless steel. Hand wash and dry after use - no dishwasher. Sharpen on quality water stones when the edge needs attention and maintain with a ceramic rod or strop between full sharpenings.
The gyuto (Japan's all-purpose chef knife) at 210mm is the format that demands the most from the maker - it has to work through proteins, handle volume vegetable prep, stay nimble for detail work, and do all of it consistently. At 180g with a 3mm spine and 53mm blade height, this is a well-balanced, moderately weighted knife that cooks who prefer something with presence in the hand will appreciate. The VG10 core at 61 HRC is hammer forged san-mai with a 50/50 grind and the stainless Damascus cladding is sandblasted then polished to bring out the pattern with a tangible depth that flat-polished Damascus does not have. The kiyaki octagonal handle and ebony ferrule are a clean, attractive pairing. At 216mm actual blade length it has good reach without requiring a longer knife.
What Customers Are Saying: The one reviewer purchased this knife specifically as a stainless option for a cook who found carbon steel care intimidating. The verdict is clear: the knife is described as gorgeous, light in the hand, nimble, well-balanced, and a genuine pleasure to use. It is praised as an outstanding stainless option for cooks who want real Japanese knife performance without the reactive steel commitment - which is a fair and accurate summary of what VG10 Damascus from a well-trained Echizen blacksmith delivers.
Care Instructions: VG10 is low maintenance stainless steel. Hand wash and dry after use - no dishwasher. Sharpen on quality water stones when the edge needs attention and maintain with a ceramic rod or strop between full sharpenings.
- Blacksmith: Katayama San
- Location: Echizen, Japan
- Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
- Edge Steel: VG10 Stainless
- Cladding: Stainless Damascus
- HRC: 61
- Edge Grind: 50/50
- Handle: Kiyaki Octagonal
- Ferrule: Ebony
- Weight: 6.3 oz (180g)
- Blade Length: 216mm
- Total Length: 360mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 3mm
- Blade Height: 53mm
Reviews
1 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) Great stainless knife!Posted By: Brad W
44 people found this review helpful
I was looking for a full-stainless knife to replace my wife's standard 8" chef's knife. She had previously bought me a 270mm Tanaka Blue #2 gyuto, but didn't use it both because the size was intimidating and because of the extra care needed to handle carbon steel.
This knife absolutely fit the bill. First and foremost, it is GORGEOUS. It's very light in the hand and nimble to work with, well balanced, and she loves using it--as do I when I want to use something smaller and stainless.
If you're looking for something that is fully stainless, I don't think you can go wrong here.
44 people found this review helpful
I was looking for a full-stainless knife to replace my wife's standard 8" chef's knife. She had previously bought me a 270mm Tanaka Blue #2 gyuto, but didn't use it both because the size was intimidating and because of the extra care needed to handle carbon steel.
This knife absolutely fit the bill. First and foremost, it is GORGEOUS. It's very light in the hand and nimble to work with, well balanced, and she loves using it--as do I when I want to use something smaller and stainless.
If you're looking for something that is fully stainless, I don't think you can go wrong here.
