Seki City is Japan center of production-scale knife making - a city organized around the craft, where specialist shops each own one stage of the manufacturing process and blades move between them in plastic crates on small delivery trucks. Mark visited Seki and toured these shops personally. The Tsukahara family produces the Kohetsu HAP40 line exclusively for CKTG, specializing in the precise heat treatment that brings HAP40 to 65-66 HRC consistently. The western handle format - full tang mahogany with stainless bolster and three rivets - makes these knives immediately familiar to cooks coming from German or European brands while delivering performance those knives cannot approach.
The honesuki is Japan dedicated poultry boning knife - triangular, stiff, and built for working through joints and cartilage with authority. The double-bevel grind makes it equally useful for general butchery prep and in-hand detail work. The thin grind lets the blade pass through food with minimal resistance, and the 60/40 asymmetric edge works equally well for right- and left-handed cooks. Stainless san-mai cladding over the HAP40 core keeps daily maintenance simple. The mahogany western handle with stainless bolster and three rivets is well executed - full tang construction, comfortable across grip styles, and finished to a professional standard. CKTG is the only source for the Kohetsu HAP40 line.
Care Instructions: HAP40 is a semi-stainless steel - hand wash and dry after each use. Avoid the dishwasher. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only and avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials that could chip the edge at 65-66 HRC. Sharpen on quality water stones; HAP40 sharpens more readily than most powdered steels but rewards a consistent angle and light pressure. Strop regularly between sharpenings to maintain peak performance. The extraordinary edge retention means sharpening sessions are less frequent than with any other steel in the Kohetsu lineup.
The honesuki is Japan dedicated poultry boning knife - triangular, stiff, and built for working through joints and cartilage with authority. The double-bevel grind makes it equally useful for general butchery prep and in-hand detail work. The thin grind lets the blade pass through food with minimal resistance, and the 60/40 asymmetric edge works equally well for right- and left-handed cooks. Stainless san-mai cladding over the HAP40 core keeps daily maintenance simple. The mahogany western handle with stainless bolster and three rivets is well executed - full tang construction, comfortable across grip styles, and finished to a professional standard. CKTG is the only source for the Kohetsu HAP40 line.
Care Instructions: HAP40 is a semi-stainless steel - hand wash and dry after each use. Avoid the dishwasher. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only and avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials that could chip the edge at 65-66 HRC. Sharpen on quality water stones; HAP40 sharpens more readily than most powdered steels but rewards a consistent angle and light pressure. Strop regularly between sharpenings to maintain peak performance. The extraordinary edge retention means sharpening sessions are less frequent than with any other steel in the Kohetsu lineup.
- Brand: Kohetsu
- Exclusive: CKTG Exclusive - Available Only at CKTG
- Blacksmith: Tsukahara Family
- Location: Seki City, Japan
- Construction: Laser Cut, San Mai
- Edge Steel: HAP40 Semi Stainless (Powdered High Speed Steel)
- Cladding: Stainless Steel
- HRC: 65-66
- Edge Grind: 60/40 Asymmetric Double Bevel
- Engraving: Acid Etched Kanji
- Handle: Mahogany Western - Full Tang
- Bolster: Stainless Steel
- Rivets: 3 Stainless
- Blade Length: 150mm
Reviews
2 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval)
5 Star Steel, 4 Star HandlePosted By: Charles Binger
42 people found this review helpful
Would I buy this again? In a second. In fact the only reason I'm on the site today is to buy a Hap 40 Nakiri. HAP 40 is everthing good you've ever read about it, and the grind of this blade is great. HAP 40 tests (by Larrin) show it having about 85% of the edge retention of ZDP-189 and about 50% tougher. I can't wait to try Magna Cut steel (came out 4/21) with 70+% of ZDP's edge retention and 2 to 4 times it's toughness (depending on heat treat). CKTG checked all the boxes with this knife, especially the Hap 40 steel selection. I have a furniture hobby, so I'm picky about wood. The handle has a great shape and feel. The finish and sizing was off. Someone filed down the tang in one area after the knife was assembled, which left scratches on the tang and the wood finish. Nothing major but it shows some. Someone sanded the wood in a couple spots after it was stained (but b4 final finish coats) to bring its size in line with the tang and touched up the stain badly which leaves the handle a little 2 toned. As I said, I'd buy again. The steelwork is perfect and I didn't expect perfect fit and finish on the wood.
42 people found this review helpful
Would I buy this again? In a second. In fact the only reason I'm on the site today is to buy a Hap 40 Nakiri. HAP 40 is everthing good you've ever read about it, and the grind of this blade is great. HAP 40 tests (by Larrin) show it having about 85% of the edge retention of ZDP-189 and about 50% tougher. I can't wait to try Magna Cut steel (came out 4/21) with 70+% of ZDP's edge retention and 2 to 4 times it's toughness (depending on heat treat). CKTG checked all the boxes with this knife, especially the Hap 40 steel selection. I have a furniture hobby, so I'm picky about wood. The handle has a great shape and feel. The finish and sizing was off. Someone filed down the tang in one area after the knife was assembled, which left scratches on the tang and the wood finish. Nothing major but it shows some. Someone sanded the wood in a couple spots after it was stained (but b4 final finish coats) to bring its size in line with the tang and touched up the stain badly which leaves the handle a little 2 toned. As I said, I'd buy again. The steelwork is perfect and I didn't expect perfect fit and finish on the wood.
Love this knife!Posted By: Gretchen - verified customer
8 people found this review helpful
Great for piecing out whole birds - raw and cooked. We raise our own pastured poultry, so lots of opportunities to use this beautiful and effective knife. Feels great in the hand and gets the job done. A pleasure to use! Good online shopping experience and shipping was quick.
8 people found this review helpful
Great for piecing out whole birds - raw and cooked. We raise our own pastured poultry, so lots of opportunities to use this beautiful and effective knife. Feels great in the hand and gets the job done. A pleasure to use! Good online shopping experience and shipping was quick.
