Sujihikis are fundamentally slicing knives. In professional settings they sell to line chefs that do a lot of carving. They are also liked by sushi line cooks who need a thin, great cutting knife that is easy to sharpen, especially when compared to a single bevel
yanagiba.
The Tsunehisa SRS13 Western
Sujihiki is excellent at both tasks. Its blade comes with a screaming sharp edge right out of the box. It is a very light knife and at 270mm is perfect for home use and pro kitchens alike. But make no mistake, it is certainly long enough for single-draw slicing and carving. Blade geometry is excellent and fit and finish are brought to exacting standards.
The blade is constructed from pre-laminated sheets of SRS13 with a softer stainless cladding. SRS13 is a modern PM style alloy that has some great properties, especially in the kitchen. The steel contains fairly high amounts of tungsten, vanadium, and carbon, which results in an alloy that has good wear resistance while being capable of taking acute sharpening angles.
To complete the package, a finely crafted stainless bolster is mated to a comfortable full-tang Western style handle made from black pakka wood secured with three stainless pins. These are very good knives that punch well beyond their price points.
Maker: Tsunehisa
Location: Tosa, Japan
Construction: Laser Cut, San Mai
Edge Length: 272mm
Blade Height: 37mm
Weight: 184g / 6.4oz
Spine Thickness: 2mm
Overall Length: 400mm
Edge Grind: Even (see choil photo)
Edge Steel: SRS13 Semi Stainless Steel
Cladding: Stainless Steel
Engraving: Hand Engraved