K&S SPECIAL Kurosaki Senko (閃光) SG2/R2 K-tip Sujihiki 240mm, with Western Handle and FREE SAYA SP3

Between 210 and 270 mm, depending on where it will work. One Japanese maker lists 210 to 240 mm, double-bevel, for home use and 240 to 270 mm, single- or double-bevel, for professional kitchens.

Another, in Sakai, recommends 240 mm at home, with the size of your board in mind, and 270 mm for professional use.

A sujihiki is a long, double-bevel knife for dividing larger pieces of meat into their parts, and its length lets it slice sashimi too; a yanagiba is the sashimi knife.

The Sakai cutlery association describes the yanagiba (柳刃包丁) edge as so acute that it cannot be used on bone or other hard things, so choose the sujihiki for meat and the yanagiba if sashimi is the main job.

SG2 is my go-to recommendation for anyone who wants a stainless knife that performs like carbon steel without the fuss. At 62 HRC or more (Takefu's figure), it takes a screaming edge and holds it far longer than VG-10 or AEB-L, all while being rust-resistant. You get the best of both worlds: no patina worry, but real cutting performance.

Neither is objectively better, it just depends on whether you value stainless convenience or a laser-sharp carbon edge. Go with SG2 if you want a knife that holds a screaming edge without any babysitting. Choose AS if you are chasing the thinnest possible edge and don't mind wiping the blade down after every use.

SG2 is a powdered stainless steel from Takefu, rated at 62 HRC or more. It is tough and resists corrosion, which is why I reach for it when working with acidic foods. Aogami Super is high carbon, and Proterial gives it a hardening hardness of over 60 HRC. It sharpens to a hair-whittling edge that lasts slightly longer than SG2, but it will rust if you neglect it.

We can't confirm that from a steelmaker. SG2 (Super Gold 2, which Takefu writes as SPG2) is Takefu Special Steel's own blade steel, made by powder metallurgy. Takefu does not publish its composition and gives its hardness as HRC 62 or more.

As of 18 October 2026, we found no steelmaker page for a steel called R2. Some knives on our shelf are listed as SG2/R2: six as of 18 October 2026, from Kurosaki, Shiro Kamo and Yoshimi Kato.

We think so. Yu Kurosaki established his own workshop in 2014 after twelve years at Kanehiro Uchihamono (カネ弘打刃物), and he was certified as a traditional craftsman (伝統工芸士) in 2019. In a 2022 interview with the magazine Nihonmono, he described his knives as thin, sharp and tough.

We list his knives in steels such as SG2 and Blue Super. For a closer look at his work and approach, you can explore the Yu Kurosaki maker page on the Knives and Stones site.

All four are Yu Kurosaki's own designs. In a 2022 interview with the magazine Nihonmono he named his five original designs, Shizuku, Fujin, Raijin, Juhyo and Senko, and described his knives as thin, sharp and tough.

In our range the steel is in the product title: Senko and Fujin are made in SG2 and Raijin in VG10W. So pick the design you like first, then check the steel in its title.