Sakai, Japan carries a legacy of blade making that spans centuries, and this SG2 Kengata represents a masterful blend of that tradition with cutting-edge steel technology. Kengata refers to the reverse-tanto profile more commonly known in the West as a bunka - compact, tall, and pointed at the tip for precise detail work alongside everyday push cutting and chopping.
The blade is built from SG2, a powdered stainless tool steel hardened to 63 HRC or higher, delivering exceptional sharpness and genuinely long-lasting edge retention thanks to its fine, uniform grain structure. The tsuchime hammered Damascus stainless cladding gives the blade real visual presence, with each hammer mark catching light differently and no two knives looking quite the same. At 165mm this kengata is sized for detailed work and smaller hands, but the hard SG2 core means it holds up to serious daily use without losing its edge quickly.
Care Instructions: SG2 is a hard, chip-prone steel at this hardness level, so use wood or rubber cutting boards only and avoid bones, frozen foods, or other hard materials. Hand wash and dry after each use. Strop regularly between sharpenings to maintain the edge.
The blade is built from SG2, a powdered stainless tool steel hardened to 63 HRC or higher, delivering exceptional sharpness and genuinely long-lasting edge retention thanks to its fine, uniform grain structure. The tsuchime hammered Damascus stainless cladding gives the blade real visual presence, with each hammer mark catching light differently and no two knives looking quite the same. At 165mm this kengata is sized for detailed work and smaller hands, but the hard SG2 core means it holds up to serious daily use without losing its edge quickly.
Care Instructions: SG2 is a hard, chip-prone steel at this hardness level, so use wood or rubber cutting boards only and avoid bones, frozen foods, or other hard materials. Hand wash and dry after each use. Strop regularly between sharpenings to maintain the edge.
- Maker: Sakai Takayuki
- Location: Sakai, Japan
- Edge Steel: SG2 Powdered Stainless Tool Steel
- HRC: 63+
- Cladding: Tsuchime Damascus Stainless
- Weight: 5.4 oz (154 g)
- Blade Length: 162mm
- Total Length: 313mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 2mm
- Blade Height: 45mm
