"Damascus Knife Gyuto 210 SG2, 63 Layers, Quince"
Yoshimi Kato - Master in the tradition of the family knifemaking
Yoshimi Kato leads the family knifemaking business as a master craftsman and has proven himself a truly worthy successor to his grandfather Kintaro Kato and his father Hiroshi Kato. Like his father and grandfather, he walked the long and intense path to becoming a master of the high art of knifemaking and has mastered his craft to an exceptionally high level. Hiroshi Kato once co-founded the knife village Takefu together with other master blacksmiths. The aim was to preserve the old knowledge, exchange experience and pass it on to young blacksmiths. Yoshimi Kato continues this legacy and has taken the art of knifemaking to new heights. Although traditions play an important role in the family, Yoshimi Kato is also a person of change and evolution. His knives are finding more and more enthusiastic customers in Japan as well as in Europe. They are distinguished by the superbly crafted production of the blades, the well-considered choice of knife steels, high-quality handles, very good balance of the knives and high design quality. We thank Yoshimi for the trustful and creative cooperation.
Knife Series Yoshimi Kato Damascus Knife SG2
Material: The chef's knife series Damascus Knife SG2 forges Yoshimi Kato, as the name suggests, from SG2 steel. This powder steel was developed explicitly for Japanese knife blades and produced by several manufacturers. Therefore, there are also several names for the approximately same steel: SG2, SGPS, SPG2, Super Gold 2, Super Gold Powder Steel. Yoshimi Kato obtains the steel from Takefu Special Steel, the original designation is SPG2 Super Gold 2. It is a high quality stainless steel with high hardness and excellent cutting performance. Basically, the steel has the following elements: carbon, which affects the hardness of the steel, chromium, which increases corrosion resistance. Molybdenum and vanadium are alloying elements that have a positive effect on strength and wear resistance of the steel. It is important to note that SG2 is a very high quality steel, which is also usually more expensive than other common steel grades for knife blades, such as VG-10, but the cutting performance and durability of SG2 knives are also higher. If the steel is heat treated accordingly, a hardness of about 63 HRC is achieved. The sheath is made of nickel damascus in 62 layers, so in total the blade has 63 layers. Finish: Visually, the blade is of course dominated by the Damascus layers. For additional protection and a special design, these knives are burnished, which emphasizes the noble appearance. Handle: We offer this series with two different handles. One handle is made of Italian olive wood, waxed and shaped octagonal (octagon). The other handle is made of Japanese quince wood, octagonal (octagon). Both handles give a great feel and lie superbly in the hand.
Usage and Safety Instructions
Japanese kitchen knives are made from extremely hard steels and are forged and sharpened thinner than their European counterparts. Some of these knives have very finely ground cutting layers, making them more delicate and suitable only for soft materials. Please refer to the product details for related information. Knives with a very thin edge and hollow grind are particularly prone to chipping. While they are excellent for fine cuts of soft materials, they should be used with appropriate caution. When sharpening on a whetstone, an angled edge is usually formed, which makes the blade more stable over time.
Chipping of the edge can also occur due to leverage forces or when cutting frozen foods, which can significantly lower the steel's temperature. Leverage forces often arise when cutting materials with bones, for example. Check your knife's edge after each use. If chipping does occur, thoroughly check if you have removed all fragments from the food. If necessary, it may be safer to discard the food. Chips in the edge may need to be ground out by a professional.
The knife should generally be used with a pulling or pushing motion, without applying much pressure. To maintain sharpness, avoid cutting on stone, glass, or other hard surfaces. Do not use a honing steel for sharpening. Waterstones are recommended (grit: 400-1200 for rough sharpening, 3000 for fine sharpening, 6000 or more to polish the edge) and possibly a leather strop.
Keep the knife out of reach of children. These knives are extremely sharp, so please handle them with care.
All products are unique, so slight variations from the sample image are possible.
Care Instructions
For knives made from delicate steel types, such as Aogami, Shirogami, or V-Toku, please clean them occasionally with a cloth and water, even during extended use. Acidic foods may still cause discoloration in these traditional carbon steels. After use, wash by hand with hot water and, if necessary, use a neutral detergent. Never put the knife in the dishwasher. After cleaning, dry thoroughly, oil if necessary, and store in a well-ventilated place. Residual moisture can cause rust in non-stainless steels. Please refer to our ORYOKI Japan blog for product care tips.
Clean the knife by hand and do not use a dishwasher. Dry it thoroughly after cleaning.
