Kohetsu translates loosely to "be happy" - and the VG10 Damascus line tends to produce exactly that reaction. VG10 is the most widely used premium stainless steel in the Japanese knife industry: fully stainless, excellent corrosion and wear resistance, and capable of a sharp edge at 60-61 HRC that holds up well through sustained kitchen use. Tsukahara-san builds this line exclusively for CKTG in Seki City, Japan, wrapping the VG10 core in etched stainless Damascus cladding that gives each knife a striking layered appearance at an accessible price.
At 210mm this gyuto sits on the shorter side of the chef knife range - a good choice for smaller hands, tighter kitchen spaces, or cooks who prefer a more maneuverable blade for daily prep. The Damascus cladding gives it a visual presence that competes with knives at twice the price. Black pakka wood western scales with stainless bolster. 50/50 even grind. Fully stainless and easy to maintain. CKTG is the only source for the Kohetsu VG10 Damascus line.
What Customers Are Saying: Reviewers describe a visually stunning knife that performs as well as it looks - sharp out of the box and with grind geometry that one reviewer calls better than the VG5 variant. Multiple buyers describe it as the first of many Kohetsu purchases. The Damascus finish and etched kanji are consistently praised as standout details at this price.
Care Instructions: VG10 is a fully stainless steel - low maintenance and resistant to corrosion. Hand wash and dry after each use. Avoid the dishwasher, bones, and frozen foods. Sharpen on quality water stones and strop regularly between sessions. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. The etched Damascus cladding requires no special care.
At 210mm this gyuto sits on the shorter side of the chef knife range - a good choice for smaller hands, tighter kitchen spaces, or cooks who prefer a more maneuverable blade for daily prep. The Damascus cladding gives it a visual presence that competes with knives at twice the price. Black pakka wood western scales with stainless bolster. 50/50 even grind. Fully stainless and easy to maintain. CKTG is the only source for the Kohetsu VG10 Damascus line.
What Customers Are Saying: Reviewers describe a visually stunning knife that performs as well as it looks - sharp out of the box and with grind geometry that one reviewer calls better than the VG5 variant. Multiple buyers describe it as the first of many Kohetsu purchases. The Damascus finish and etched kanji are consistently praised as standout details at this price.
Care Instructions: VG10 is a fully stainless steel - low maintenance and resistant to corrosion. Hand wash and dry after each use. Avoid the dishwasher, bones, and frozen foods. Sharpen on quality water stones and strop regularly between sessions. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. The etched Damascus cladding requires no special care.
- Brand: Kohetsu
- Exclusive: CKTG Exclusive - Available Only at CKTG
- Blacksmith: Tsukahara-san
- Location: Seki City, Japan
- Construction: San Mai
- Edge Steel: VG10 Stainless
- Cladding: Etched Stainless Damascus
- HRC: 60-61
- Finish: Etched Damascus
- Edge Grind: Even 50/50 Double Bevel
- Engraving: Acid Etched Kanji
- Blade Length: 210mm
Reviews
3 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval)
Nice KnifePosted By: Mark Kirkwood - verified customer
13 people found this review helpful
After buying the VG5 gyuto I wanted to compare the VG10 variant. The knife is a bit different - Damascus build vs San-Mai for the VG5. However the knife is really nice, visually awesome, and (probably) dom4es with a little better attention to grind geometry. The finish on the spine is great, but (like the VG5) needs a bit of sanding on the choil - not really an issue, but this is a more expensive knife and other vendors at this price point are doing this...
In terms of comparison to the VG5 knife for performance, it is interesting. Both of these knives benefit from sharpening on higher grit stones, I've got them both ground at 11 degrees on 8000 grit Naniwa. The result is - about the same. The VG5 has a visually much cleaner edge - whereas the VG10 looks a bit serrated (similar to a Global). I *suspect* that if I tried really hard to tease out cutting differences that the VG5 would do cleaner cuts but the VG10 would have better bite.
13 people found this review helpful
After buying the VG5 gyuto I wanted to compare the VG10 variant. The knife is a bit different - Damascus build vs San-Mai for the VG5. However the knife is really nice, visually awesome, and (probably) dom4es with a little better attention to grind geometry. The finish on the spine is great, but (like the VG5) needs a bit of sanding on the choil - not really an issue, but this is a more expensive knife and other vendors at this price point are doing this...
In terms of comparison to the VG5 knife for performance, it is interesting. Both of these knives benefit from sharpening on higher grit stones, I've got them both ground at 11 degrees on 8000 grit Naniwa. The result is - about the same. The VG5 has a visually much cleaner edge - whereas the VG10 looks a bit serrated (similar to a Global). I *suspect* that if I tried really hard to tease out cutting differences that the VG5 would do cleaner cuts but the VG10 would have better bite.
True beauty Posted By: Shadee.s - verified customer
15 people found this review helpful
Thus far this knife is by far the sharpest and most beautiful knife I have in my collection. Came out of the box insanely sharp and polished. The pattern is amazing and everyone in my kitchen is in amazement with how this baby cuts.. it cuts through carrots like butter, it flies through onions and holds a great edge. Couldn't be happier and this was the first of many many purchases to come!!
15 people found this review helpful
Thus far this knife is by far the sharpest and most beautiful knife I have in my collection. Came out of the box insanely sharp and polished. The pattern is amazing and everyone in my kitchen is in amazement with how this baby cuts.. it cuts through carrots like butter, it flies through onions and holds a great edge. Couldn't be happier and this was the first of many many purchases to come!!
