Yoshimi Kato has taken the reins of the business that his father-in-law, Hiroshi started and is making some of the best blades coming out of Echizen today.
VG-10 is a cutlery grade stainless steel produced in Japan. The name stands for V Gold 10 ("gold" meaning quality), or sometimes V-Kin-10 (kin means "gold" in Japanese). It is a stainless steel with a high carbon content containing 1% carbon, 15% chromium, 1% molybdenum, 0.2% vanadium, 1.5% cobalt, and 0.5% manganese. All of these relatively small amounts of other metals give the VG-10 steel its most important properties, such as its ability to hold an edge and its with great durability. It is one reason why the VG-10 label has been so highly prized among so many people, ranging from chefs to knife collectors.
The most popular size
gyuto among professional and home chefs is the 240mm variety. It is the perfect length for processing almost any vegetable or protein, up to the largest cuts. This knife will appeal to rock and push cutters alike. Its 50/50 grind will also be useful to both left- and right-handed users. It has a nice thin spine that tapers towards the tip and it also exhibits a fairly thin grind behind the edge.
The core VG-10 steel is covered in a softer stainless steel outer layer which is finished in a great looking suminagashi (damascus) style. Its good looks and balanced feel are further enhanced by a well-made oval rosewood handle with black pakka wood ferrule. This really is a beautifully constructed knife at a great price.
Quality in performance, ownership, and aesthetic. With this new line of VG-10 blades Kato-san has managed to build these principles into his most affordable line of kitchen knives.
Maker: Yoshimi Kato
Location: Echizen, Japan
Steel: VG-10 Stainless
Cladding: Stainless Damascus (Suminagashi)
HRC: 61
Weight: 6.0 ounces
Blade Length: 245 mm
Total Length: 400 mm
Spine Thickness at Base: 1.8 mm
Blade Height: 52.0 mm
Edge Grind: Even
Handle: Oval Rosewood