Kei Kobayashi spent years as a sharpener and finisher for established blacksmiths in Seki City before forging knives under his own name, and that background shows clearly in the technical execution of this santoku. He chose SG2 as his foundation steel - a powdered alloy with an exceptionally dense, pure grain structure that makes it both harder and less brittle than many comparable steels. The result is an edge capable of taking a very fine sharpness and holding it for a long time, with the SG2 core clad in a softer stainless Damascus jacket for added protection.
This santoku is a genuine laser - thin, light, and finished to a high standard throughout. The spine and choil have been carefully rounded for comfortable extended use, and the Damascus pattern on the cladding adds real visual character. At 170mm this santoku handles slicing, dicing, and mincing with the all-purpose versatility the format is known for. The rosewood octagonal handle with maple ferrule is comfortable and well balanced.
Care Instructions: SG2 is stainless and highly resistant to rust, but it is hard and somewhat chip-prone at this hardness level. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials. Hand wash and dry after use - no dishwasher. Strop regularly between sharpenings and use quality water stones when a full sharpening is needed.
This santoku is a genuine laser - thin, light, and finished to a high standard throughout. The spine and choil have been carefully rounded for comfortable extended use, and the Damascus pattern on the cladding adds real visual character. At 170mm this santoku handles slicing, dicing, and mincing with the all-purpose versatility the format is known for. The rosewood octagonal handle with maple ferrule is comfortable and well balanced.
Care Instructions: SG2 is stainless and highly resistant to rust, but it is hard and somewhat chip-prone at this hardness level. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials. Hand wash and dry after use - no dishwasher. Strop regularly between sharpenings and use quality water stones when a full sharpening is needed.
- Blacksmith: Kei Kobayashi
- Location: Seki City, Japan
- Construction: San Mai
- Edge Steel: SG2 Stainless (R2)
- Cladding: Stainless Damascus
- HRC: 63
- Handle: Rosewood Octagonal
- Ferrule: Maple
- Weight: 4.5 oz (128 g)
- Blade Length: 170 mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 2 mm
- Blade Height: 50 mm
- Photos by Gustavo Bermudez
