"Nakiri knife MINAMO 170, SG2, olive"
Yoshimi Kato - Master in the tradition of the cutlery family
Yoshimi Kato is the master craftsman in charge of the family cutlery workshop and has proven himself to be a truly worthy successor to his grandfather Kintaro Kato and his father Hiroshi Kato. Like his father and grandfather, he followed the long and intensive path to becoming a master of the fine art of cutlery and has mastered his craft to an exceptionally high standard. Hiroshi Kato once co-founded the knife village of 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 is continuing this legacy and has taken the art of knife forging to new heights. Although tradition plays an important role in the family, Yoshimi Kato is also a man of change and development. His knives are finding more and more enthusiastic customers in Japan as well as in Europe. They are characterized by the excellent craftsmanship of the blades, the well-considered choice of knife steels, high-quality handles, excellent knife balance and high design quality. We would like to thank Yoshimi for the trusting and creative collaboration.
Knife series Yoshimi Kato Minamo SG2
Material: As the name suggests, Yoshimi Kato forges the Minamo SG2 chef's knife series from SG2 steel. This powder steel was developed specifically for Japanese knife blades and produced by several manufacturers. This is why there are several names for the almost identical 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. Essentially, the steel has the following elements: carbon, which influences the hardness of the steel, chromium, which increases the corrosion resistance. Molybdenum and vanadium are alloying elements that have a positive effect on the strength and wear resistance of the steel. It is important to note that SG2 is a very high quality steel, which is generally more expensive than other common steel grades for knife blades, such as VG-10. However, the cutting performance and durability of SG2 knives are also higher. If the steel is heat-treated accordingly, a hardness of approx. 63 HRC can be achieved. Finish: The Minamo series has a blade with 3 layers and an extremely beautiful hammering that dominates the appearance of the blade. Before the blade is hammered, Yoshimi finishes the blade surface with a particularly fine grind. Handle: We offer this series with two different handles. One handle is made of Italian olive wood, waxed and octagonal (octagon) shaped. The second handle is made of dark wenge. octagon. Both handles have a great feel and fit perfectly 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.
