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Yoshikane  |  SKU: YOSH_W21NA_SA170HATSU

Hatsukokoro x Yoshikane White 2 Nashiji Santoku 165mm

$399.95
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K&S Price: AU $399.95* inc. tax , vs:
Store TC AU $444.0 -11.28%
Store C AU $414.94 -3.99%

* For overseas buyers you pay no GST (10%) and low shipping rate.
Last Update: 2024-07-06T01:01:22Z

Detailed Specifications
Line Hatsukokoro By Yoshikane White 2 Nashiji
Profile Santoku
Bevel Type Double Bevel
Weight 146 g        5.15 oz
Edge Length 168 mm   .6.61 inch
Heel Height 50 mm     .1.97 inch
Width @ Spine 3.7 mm     0.15 inch
Width @ Mid 2.1 mm     0.08 inch
Width @ 1cm from Tip 1.0 mm     0.04 inch
Steel White 2 / Shirogami #2 | Carbon
Blade Construction Sanmai - Stainless Clad
Hardness (HRC) 60 - 64
Surface Finish Nashiji
Handle Octagonal Teak Black Ferrule
Region Sanjo
Best for
  • Pro chefs
  • Students
  • Enthusiasts
    		•
    • Free shipping for knives over AU$200 Australia wide.
    • World-wide shipping via DHL Express, 3 to 5 days.


    Hatsukokoro By Yoshikane White 2 Nashiji, previously known as the K&S Amekiri(雨切), just like this name of "Rain-Cutting", it was well known for extreme sharpness and smoothness when cutting through food, maybe space and time too. Now with its sister line SKD Nashiji, the og White 2 line is under the Hatsukokoro name, what doesn't change is the excellent fit and finish, great handling and the renowned sharpness out of the box.

    The extreme sharpness of this line comes form two aspects: the steel and edge geometry. The core steel is Hitachi White 2, a pure carbon steel without alloy content. The stainless steel gains rust resistance through chromium, but the chromium carbide formed during the heat treating have larger particle size, meaning it's hard to get a very refined edge liek you could on a carbon steel. This choice of steel ensures the performance of the cutting edge of the knife. The forging and grinding fone by Yoshikane is a tapered blade combined with a convex grind. The tapering allows the blade to be thinner at the front, and the convex bevel can reduces the sticking and rubbing, ensures very little resistance can be felt when cutting through a large protion of food. This convex grind is done so subtly it barly increace the thickness of the bevel, as the result, there are no noticeable wedging when cutting into potatos.

    There aren't much to say about the fit and finish. The Nashiji finish is shiny yet rustic-looking, choil and spine are not fully rounded but are highly polished to give your finger a gentle feeling, and the bevel, they receive a matt finish with a shiny cutting edge, so refined that there are barely any marks left from the polishing. With the stainles cladding, the carbone steel are mostly covered, making it much easier to look after these knives.

    Although it seems to be a good amount of money to spend on a White 2 Steel knife at first glance, I still going to say this Yoshikane Nashiji line is overall a great bang for your bucks, especially if you are enthusiastic about the pure cutting performance of your knives.

    Pros Cons
  • Excellent performance
  • Great for professionals
  • Thin behind the edge
    		•
  • High budget
  • Prone to rust
    		•

    Care Instruction
    1. Don't cut hard things! Japanese knives are brittle so bone hacking is a NO NO!
    2. Wash with netural detergent after use, and wipe dry;
    3. Please don't wash knife with dishwasher, it will damage the wood handle;
    4. Be careful not to leave the knife close to a heat source for a long time;
    5. It is a lot more dangerous to cut with a blunt knife than a sharp knife!
    6. It is best to sharpen a Japanese knife regularly on a waterstone.
    7. Oil the (carbon) knife if storing for an extended period of time to prevent rust.

    Yoshikane Hamono

    Yoshikane is a boutique knife maker based in Sanjo, Niigata. Founded in 1919 (大正8年)，it is one of the most established top quality kitchen knife manufacturers in the region. Many new generation blacksmith in Sanjo took has apprenticeship experience at this knife workshop. 

    Headmaster Yamamoto-san believes, “while many things change rapidly nowadays, there are ideas and believes that never change. Everyday I make sure the meaning of these words are forged into knife making”. And indeed because of this firm believe, this workshop produces some of the highest quality kitchen knives with superb fit and finish. The workshop is alsp very famous for its heat treatment of White 2 and the use of semi-stainless SKD steel. 

    • Profile: Santoku

      The Santoku knife, embodying the meaning "three uses," is a cornerstone in Japanese kitchens, adept at slicing, dicing, and mincing. Esteemed for its versatility, it features a blade length typically between 15cm and 20cm (6 to 8 inches), catering to a wide array of culinary tasks. Distinguished by its less pointy tip compared to the Gyuto, the Santoku boasts a unique profile that contributes to its functionality and popularity. Its design is tailored to provide ease and efficiency in preparation, also because of its less aggressive prrofile, making it a preferred choice for home cooks.

      Slide for more >>

    • Steel: White 2 / Shirogami #2

      White Steel No.2, also known as Shirogami #2 or White Paper #2, is long regarded as the go-to choice for crafting high-grade Japanese kitchen knives. This steel is celebrated for its capacity to be fashioned into knives that exhibit a sharp cutting edge, moderate tenacity, and long-lasting sharpness, alongside being notably easy to sharpen. While it possesses a slightly lower carbon content (C: 1%) compared to White Steel No.1 (C: 1.3%), it still requires a high level of craftsmanship to manipulate effectively. The expertise of a skilled blacksmith is crucial in transforming this material into a premium quality kitchen knife. Despite its excellent qualities, White Steel No.2 is known to be very reactive; hence, knives made from this steel demand meticulous care, including immediate wiping and drying after use, to prevent corrosion.

      Sanjo and Sakai are known to widely utilise Shirogami #2 in their mainstream kitchen knives.

      Manufacturer:

      • Hitachi Special Steel, Japan

      Nature: Carbon

      Hardness: 60- 64

      << Slide for more >>

    • Construction: Sanmai - Stainless Clad

      Sanmai(Three-Piece) is a common construction for double bevel knives where two pieces of softer cladding steel are forgewelded to each side of a harder core steel. The harder but more brittle core steel will form the hard cutting edge after heat treating, and the softer cladding will support the core to increase the overall strength of the blade.

      The soft cladding enables the thinning process to be a lot easier than a honyaki or monosteel construction. And in the case where the cladding steel are stainless in nature, it can offer protection for the carbon or semi-stainless cores against rusting and discoluoring.

      << Slide for more >>

    • Finish: Nashiji

      The "nashiji finish" on Japanese kitchen knives refers to a unique, textured surface finish that resembles the skin of an Asian pear, which is known as "nashi" in Japanese. This finish is achieved through a specific hammering and polishing technique, giving the knife blade a distinct, matte appearance with a slightly uneven, tactile surface. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the nashiji finish also provides practical benefits. It helps to reduce food sticking to the blade by creating tiny air pockets between the food and the steel. This finish is commonly found on traditional Japanese knives, such as santokus and nakiris, and is highly valued for both its functional and visual characteristics, enhancing the overall culinary experience.

      << Slide for more >>

    • Handle Specs

      Profile: Octagonal WA

      Material:

      • Teak
      • Black Buffalo Horn

      The teak wood, known for its durability and rich grain patterns, provides a sturdy yet comfortable grip for precise handling during culinary tasks. Complemented by the sleek black horn ferrule, the handle boasts a striking contrast that adds sophistication to the overall design.

      Fashioned in an octagonal shape, the handle offers ergonomic benefits, allowing for a secure and comfortable grip from various angles. Its tapered design from bottom to top ensures a balanced feel and optimal control, promoting effortless maneuverability while slicing, chopping, or dicing ingredients.

      << Slide for more

    Yoshikane

    Hatsukokoro x Yoshikane White 2 Nashiji Santoku 165mm

    $399.95

    This is the Hatsukokoro (初心) version of the Yoshikane SKD Santoku. Different to K&S Amekiri line, this Hatsukokoro version is with kanji 初心 from a new channel to meet the high demand on the Yoshikane SKD line. Other than the kanji engraving, all specs of this blade are the same as K&S Amekiri.

    For those not familiar with SKD, it is SKD12 also known as A2 tool steel, with about 1% of Carbon content, and only 4.5% of Chromium. Heat treated perfectly by Yoshikane to HRC 63, the SKD very much behaves like carbon steel in terms of taking a very keen edge, the food release and also super easy to sharpen; yet without the need of high maintenance.

    The semi stainless nature of the SKD (and alike) means the knife will not rust during normal use and can be left unattended for a short period of time during service, but could still rust if not cleaned for an extended period of time. It will take on patina during daily use just like carbon steel. 

    ===========

    A rustic Nashiji finish coupled with a highly praised Sanjo region F&F. This knife has a very nice profile, large sweet spot, and feels very nimble in hand. SKD semi stainless core with stainless cladding ensure the highest cutting performance yet the stainless cladding means you will have little worry about the rust.

    This maker is a highly regarded knife house in Sanjo, Niigata. Founded in 1919, it is one of the most established top quality kitchen knife manufacturers in the region.

     

    Measurements

      Measurements

    Weight 

    		 167 g

    Total Length

    		 318 mm

    Tip to Heel Length

    		 170 mm

    Blade Height at Heel

    		 50 mm

    Width of Spine Above Heel 

    		 3.9 mm

    Width of Spine at Middle of Blade

    		 2.2 mm

    Width of Spine at about 1cm From the Tip

    		 1.2 mm 

    Steel

    		 SKD High Speed Tool Steel, Stainless Cladding

    Hardness

    		 HRC 63

    Handle Design

    		 K&S Teak Handle
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