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HAP-40 is a powdered high speed steel made by Hitachi Steels that can take and hold extremely thin and sharp edges. The edge retention ranks at the top of the list of any steel we currently sell. HAP40 is fine-grained enough to sharpen very well and can be hardened to 64-68 on the Rockwell Hardness Test (HRC)—even harder than the traditional carbon steels used for knives. Contrary to other HSS steels, it can be relatively easily sharpened on normal waterstones, if not quite as easily as traditional steels. Knives from this steel keep their sharpness 3 to 5 times longer than traditional knives. HAP40 is extremely tough, and so not as likely to chip along the edge as the steel used in traditional knives.
Nakiris have a straight blade edge suitable for cutting all the way to the cutting board without the need for a horizontal pull or push. These knives are also quite thin. This makes them a perfect choice for cutting and chopping vegetables. They have become increasingly popular in American home kitchens for their abilities and interesting look.
Nakiris differ according to the region of origin, with knives in the Tokyo area being rectangular in shape, whereas the knives in the Osaka area are called kamagata nakiri and have a rounded corner on the far blunt side.
The inner core of HAP-40 is covered with a full stainless cladding for strength and ease of maintenance. This is a very fine example of the breed with a nice understated look and fine edge grinds. It come with a well finished black and grey handle made with Pakkawood. It's octagonal in shape and really makes a statement.
Please note, the knife sharpener intentionally thins the edges of these knives to make them perform better, especially on the tip area. Often times you will see a hazy/cloudy scratch pattern as a result. This is not a defect.Brand: Kohetsu
Construction: San Mai, Laser Cut
Edge Steel: HAP40 Semi Stainless Steel
HRC: 65-66
Edge Grind: 60/40 (Ok for left or right handers)
Cladding: SUS 405 Stainless Steel
Handle: Dark Grey Pakkawood
Ferrule: Black Pakkawood
Weight: 5.9 ounces / 168g
Blade Length: 165 mm
Overall Length: 305 mm
Spine Thickness at Base: 2.4 mm
Blade Height: 48 mm
Nakiris have a straight blade edge suitable for cutting all the way to the cutting board without the need for a horizontal pull or push. These knives are also quite thin. This makes them a perfect choice for cutting and chopping vegetables. They have become increasingly popular in American home kitchens for their abilities and interesting look.
Nakiris differ according to the region of origin, with knives in the Tokyo area being rectangular in shape, whereas the knives in the Osaka area are called kamagata nakiri and have a rounded corner on the far blunt side.
The inner core of HAP-40 is covered with a full stainless cladding for strength and ease of maintenance. This is a very fine example of the breed with a nice understated look and fine edge grinds. It come with a well finished black and grey handle made with Pakkawood. It's octagonal in shape and really makes a statement.
Please note, the knife sharpener intentionally thins the edges of these knives to make them perform better, especially on the tip area. Often times you will see a hazy/cloudy scratch pattern as a result. This is not a defect.
Product Reviews
Commandeered!, June 27, 2020Posted By: Derk - verified customer
I figured the HAP40 steel would be a joy to use. It is. The knife is the perfect length for our usual prep and it is a gorgeous knife...so my wife took it. At least I have my Takedas, and I can use the Kohetsu when I prep by myself.
I figured the HAP40 steel would be a joy to use. It is. The knife is the perfect length for our usual prep and it is a gorgeous knife...so my wife took it. At least I have my Takedas, and I can use the Kohetsu when I prep by myself.
Great value, great steel, January 5, 2020Posted By: Andrew
I’ve had this knife for probably a year now and I have absolutely no complaints for what it is.
I’m a home cook, probably 2-3 meals per week, and it flies through any vegetable I can throw at it, and it is just as sharp as the day it came. HAP40 seems to be the real deal, and it the steel “feels” great. I mean that when it cuts, it has good feedback, doesn’t sound or feel fragile. I have a Kurosaki R2 blade, and even though it is as sharp as anything, the impact it makes on the board and the feel of the knife through the handle feels a bit... hollow? For lack of a better word. HAP40 feels every bit as solid as the big, thick Wusthof knives my Japanese knives are replacing.
I have a few minor complains, some of which are pure personal preference. I think I am finding I want a taller, longer nakiri, perhaps approaching Chinese cleaver status. The blade itself has some issues with sticking with taller ingredients like zucchini or potatoes. The handle also feels a bit rough when it gets wet, which I understand might be preferable for grip reasons for a professional chef but I prefer the glossier, wax-ier finish on my Kurosaki blade. Like I said, personal preference.
I’ve had this knife for probably a year now and I have absolutely no complaints for what it is.
I’m a home cook, probably 2-3 meals per week, and it flies through any vegetable I can throw at it, and it is just as sharp as the day it came. HAP40 seems to be the real deal, and it the steel “feels” great. I mean that when it cuts, it has good feedback, doesn’t sound or feel fragile. I have a Kurosaki R2 blade, and even though it is as sharp as anything, the impact it makes on the board and the feel of the knife through the handle feels a bit... hollow? For lack of a better word. HAP40 feels every bit as solid as the big, thick Wusthof knives my Japanese knives are replacing.
I have a few minor complains, some of which are pure personal preference. I think I am finding I want a taller, longer nakiri, perhaps approaching Chinese cleaver status. The blade itself has some issues with sticking with taller ingredients like zucchini or potatoes. The handle also feels a bit rough when it gets wet, which I understand might be preferable for grip reasons for a professional chef but I prefer the glossier, wax-ier finish on my Kurosaki blade. Like I said, personal preference.
great steel, March 14, 2019Posted By: Michael Fitzgerald
This is my second HAP-40 knife. It is easily as impressive as the utility Kohetsu. My wife has set aside her Takedas and hasn't used anything but this since it arrived. I've taken it to the ceramic rod twice, not because it wasn't still really sharp after a week's daily use, but to test sharpening.
Regains a wire edge readily with the ceramic rod and leaves a shaving sharp edge once the wire's removed.
This is a superb knife. And, I say that with the confidence of 25+ years as a knife maker.
This is my second HAP-40 knife. It is easily as impressive as the utility Kohetsu. My wife has set aside her Takedas and hasn't used anything but this since it arrived. I've taken it to the ceramic rod twice, not because it wasn't still really sharp after a week's daily use, but to test sharpening.
Regains a wire edge readily with the ceramic rod and leaves a shaving sharp edge once the wire's removed.
This is a superb knife. And, I say that with the confidence of 25+ years as a knife maker.
Awesome knife!!!, April 9, 2018Posted By: usmcpaul@hotmail.com - verified customer
This knife is awesome. It was razor sharp out of the box and it feels great in my hand. It looks amazing on my knife display board. The delivery was very fast and it arrived safely. I have 2 other Japanese knives and I really enjoy using them all, but this one is exceptionally sharp and feels great in my hand.
This knife is awesome. It was razor sharp out of the box and it feels great in my hand. It looks amazing on my knife display board. The delivery was very fast and it arrived safely. I have 2 other Japanese knives and I really enjoy using them all, but this one is exceptionally sharp and feels great in my hand.
Awesome knife, needs to be properly sharpened to show true potential, August 4, 2017Posted By: Matt Z - verified customer
2 people found this review helpful
From the factory, very sharp. Passes the newspaper test with flying colors. The sharpest I've ever had a knife come from the factory. But if you have a set of proper stones, there's much more there. I have a shapton ceramic 10k stone that brings the blade to a mirror finish. This knife gets crazy sharp. Above and beyond my Shuns. I nearly shaved the finger print off my thumb by being stupid and handling it like a normal knife. You could do surgery with this when properly sharpened and polished. Great handle, good hand feel, glides through veggies like nothing.
2 people found this review helpful
From the factory, very sharp. Passes the newspaper test with flying colors. The sharpest I've ever had a knife come from the factory. But if you have a set of proper stones, there's much more there. I have a shapton ceramic 10k stone that brings the blade to a mirror finish. This knife gets crazy sharp. Above and beyond my Shuns. I nearly shaved the finger print off my thumb by being stupid and handling it like a normal knife. You could do surgery with this when properly sharpened and polished. Great handle, good hand feel, glides through veggies like nothing.
Cuts sharp stays sharp, June 25, 2017Posted By: AP - verified customer
2 people found this review helpful
I am not a professional, just home cook. I made some research before buying my first Japanese kitchen knife and decided to try HAP40 steel an Nakiri since I am 99% of the time cutting vegetables. I decided to get the Japanese style handle to stay true to the original concept. After 5 months of usage I am very happy with my choice. Nakiri shape really works well with vegetable cutting. And the knife was very sharp out of the box and stayed sharp. During the 5 months usage, I once touched up on the blade with 1 micron diamond paste with strop, and recently with a 8000 grit water stone followed with 1 micron diamond paste strop. Since the edge was still sharp comparatively, these touch ups took very little time and effort. The knife is for right handed usage, it has a 15 degree angle on one side, and about 5 degree angle on the other. It is more like a chisel grind edge. Out of the box the knife was very sharp. The edge was mirror finish honed. It developed two very small chips during usage, but you can't tell they are there unless you cut a paper and feel a small amount of resistance at the chips. Since they are small chips I could remove them with a bit more sharpening, but I didn't feel the need. Because it is very sharp anyways. It is a fine instrument, needs care in usage, but it is worth the care. After each use, I run water over the blade and wipe it off dry with cloth immediately. Recently it developed a slight patina on the HAP40 edge. My only critic would be that the stainless steel cladding could be a bit more harder metal. It scratches easily by other stainless steel knifes. But that just results in cosmetic issue.
2 people found this review helpful
I am not a professional, just home cook. I made some research before buying my first Japanese kitchen knife and decided to try HAP40 steel an Nakiri since I am 99% of the time cutting vegetables. I decided to get the Japanese style handle to stay true to the original concept. After 5 months of usage I am very happy with my choice. Nakiri shape really works well with vegetable cutting. And the knife was very sharp out of the box and stayed sharp. During the 5 months usage, I once touched up on the blade with 1 micron diamond paste with strop, and recently with a 8000 grit water stone followed with 1 micron diamond paste strop. Since the edge was still sharp comparatively, these touch ups took very little time and effort. The knife is for right handed usage, it has a 15 degree angle on one side, and about 5 degree angle on the other. It is more like a chisel grind edge. Out of the box the knife was very sharp. The edge was mirror finish honed. It developed two very small chips during usage, but you can't tell they are there unless you cut a paper and feel a small amount of resistance at the chips. Since they are small chips I could remove them with a bit more sharpening, but I didn't feel the need. Because it is very sharp anyways. It is a fine instrument, needs care in usage, but it is worth the care. After each use, I run water over the blade and wipe it off dry with cloth immediately. Recently it developed a slight patina on the HAP40 edge. My only critic would be that the stainless steel cladding could be a bit more harder metal. It scratches easily by other stainless steel knifes. But that just results in cosmetic issue.
Kohetsu Nakiri , February 13, 2017Posted By: Fred Richards - verified customer
2 people found this review helpful
This is my first knife with HAP40 steel. I made the mistake of cutting bread with a hard crust with this knife. HAP 40 is a very hard steel but with this comes brittleness. The knife works great on vegetables but one must be careful about cutting harder foods like bread crusts. Cutting the bread caused micro chips on the edge of the knives. Resharpening took a while but I was able to restore the edge with Japanese waterstones. Now that I understand the limitations of the knife I have not sharpened it for several months and it is till sharp enough to cut hairs. I now strictly use the knife for cutting vegetables which is really the main purpose of a Nakiri. Overall, I am happy with the knife.
2 people found this review helpful
This is my first knife with HAP40 steel. I made the mistake of cutting bread with a hard crust with this knife. HAP 40 is a very hard steel but with this comes brittleness. The knife works great on vegetables but one must be careful about cutting harder foods like bread crusts. Cutting the bread caused micro chips on the edge of the knives. Resharpening took a while but I was able to restore the edge with Japanese waterstones. Now that I understand the limitations of the knife I have not sharpened it for several months and it is till sharp enough to cut hairs. I now strictly use the knife for cutting vegetables which is really the main purpose of a Nakiri. Overall, I am happy with the knife.
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