Nigara Hamono | SKU: NIGA_SG2MATMGK_STK140MOP

Nigara SG2 Mother-of-pearl Steak Knife 140mm

Name: Nigara SG2 Mother-of-pearl Steak Knife 140mm
Brand: Nigara Hamono
SKU: NIGA_SG2MATMGK_STK140MOP
Price: 449.95 AUD
Availability: InStock

$449.95

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St Peters, NSW —
2 Bishop St, Unit 2, St Peters NSW 2044
+61 2 8234 8818
Crows Nest, NSW —
107 West St, Shop 1, Crows Nest NSW 2065
+61 2 8234 8848
Pickup only
Prahran, VIC —
180 Commercial Road, Shop 1, Prahran VIC 3181
+61 3 8199 9948
Pickup only

Detailed Specifications

Line	Nigara SG2 Kurouchi Tsuchime
Profile	Steak / Steak knife
Bevel Type	Double Bevel
Weight	98 g \| 3.5 oz
Edge Length	133 mm \| 5 15/64″
Heel Height	25 mm \| 63/64″
Width @ Heel	1.9 mm \| 5/64″
Width @ Mid	1.7 mm \| 1/16″
Width @ 1cm from Tip	0.8 mm \| 1/32″
Steel	SG2 / R2 \| Powdered \| Stainless
Blade Construction	Sanmai - Stainless Clad
Hardness (HRC)	62 - 64
Surface Finish	Kurouchi Tsuchime
Handle	Coke-bottle Shaped Western
Region	Aomori
Best for	Pro chefs First-timers

Free shipping for knives over AU$200 Australia wide.
World-wide shipping via DHL Express, 3 to 5 days.

The Nigara SG2 Matt Migaki Kurouchi Tsuchime line is the twin sister of the non-Kurouchi finished line produced by Nigara. Their shared, optimised production procedures allow them to be offered at a very competitive price without sacrificing much performance. These blades are for those who are looking for a more durable powder stainless steel edge, but also like the rustic look of the Kurouchi. As far as I know, this isn’t a common combination on the market, not to say that Nigara offer a whole series of different sizes and profiles in this line.

Being the most commonly used powder stainless steel in the Japanese kitchen knife industry, the SG2/R2 holds its place steadily with a good combination of toughness, edge retention and corrosion resistance. However, to get you hands onto this steel would be bit costly. Tojiro offers a series of SG2 knives from their budget DP series, Hatsukokoro also have a SG2 member in their Hayabusa family that comes at even lower price. However, the hand-grind bevel by Nigara’s skilful sharpener offers their knives a much more optimised geometry, beating Tojiro and Hatsukokoro with a better overall cutting performance while costing only a slightly more.

The fit and finish is consistent as usual for these Nigara blades. Good surface consistency, straightness and sharpening. The Kurouchi gives a completely different look to its twin sister line, making these knives a bit more popular choice for gifting. I have to be honest, this layer of black finish seems to be painted on instead of formed during the heating of the blade, but it is understandable as the stainless cladding doesn’t require the corrosion resistance of this oxidation layer, and is seems to be hard to form a dark Kurouchi finish on surface of the high alloy stainless steel.

Overall, Nigeria’s SG2 Matt Migaki lines are successful blades that excel in performance at their price bracket, the addition of the Kurouchi finish allows even more characterful selections for buyers and indeed we found many customers of us favour this more rustic look. We recommend this line to those whole want to upgrade their steel from the more entry level steels like VG10/AUS10, and to beginners who have a bit more budget as the sturdiness of the thicker bevel can help with reducing the chance of chipping.

Pros	Cons
Budget friendly Excellent performance Great for professionals	Relatively hard to sharpen

Care Instruction

Don't cut hard things! Japanese knives are brittle so bone hacking is a NO NO!
Wash with neutral detergent after use, and wipe dry;
Please don't wash knife with dishwasher, it will damage the wood handle;
Be careful not to leave the knife close to a heat source for a long time;
It is a lot more dangerous to cut with a blunt knife than a sharp knife!
It is best to sharpen a Japanese knife regularly on a waterstone.

Nigara

Hirosaki sword and knife artisan

Nigara (二唐刃物鍛造所) is a forge in Hirosaki, Aomori. Go Yoshizawa (吉澤剛) is its president and signs as the eighth generation; his father, Toshiju Yoshizawa (吉澤俊寿), the seventh generation, is chairman.

Nigara dates its line to 1803, when the family began as gunsmiths in the service of the Tsugaru domain, and it made Japanese swords for generations. In the Edo period the domain took it on as its weapons works, and it made even cannon and warships. After the Second World War the forge turned from military swords to farm tools and kitchen knives; in those years it made knives in winter and sold them in summer.

In the early Showa era a Nigara smith whose sword name was Kunitoshi (国俊) studied under Dr Kotaro Honda, director of Tohoku University's metals research institute. Nigara's company history says he excelled at sword making. He was recognised as a holder of an intangible cultural property of Aomori Prefecture and passed his skill on to the seventh generation. The sixth generation had no son, so Toshiju, a grandson through a daughter's line, joined as heir. The present company dates from 1949, and besides knives it does welding and steel construction work, with a welding department since 1963. Nigara showed at Maison et Objet in Paris in 2011 and at Ambiente in Frankfurt in 2013.

We have visited Nigara several times, once for a few days of hands-on training at the forge.

The Anmon Damascus knives we list come in SG2 as gyuto, kiritsuke gyuto, bunka, santoku, nakiri, petty and sujihiki, and as single-bevel yanagiba and takobiki in Blue 2 and Ginsan. SG2 tsuchime knives, kurouchi or matt migaki, cover gyuto, petty, santoku, nakiri, bunka and sujihiki, plus a double-bevel honesuki and a butcher. We also list VG10 Damascus tsuchime, Ginsan Kurozome Damascus and Aogami Super tsuchime knives, and an SPG STRIX tsuchime Damascus nakiri. The honyaki are Blue 2 with shaped hamon, as yanagiba, kiritsuke yanagiba and sakimaru, and a White 1 kiritsuke yanagiba.

“An Aomori knife company whose family made Japanese swords for generations, with an Anmon line of Damascus knives.”

Est. 1949 | 昭和24年

Known for Glamorous and innovative knife design, inherited forging skills.

Website nigaraknives.com Read more about Nigara

Knife details

Profile

Steak

ステーキナイフ

Steak knife · Double bevel

Short table knife for cooked steak. Plain edges can be sharpened; serrated ones saw.

SG2 / R2

スーパーゴールド2

Stainless · Takefu Special Steel

Takefu powder stainless, 62+ HRC. Long edge; resists rust.

Construction

Sanmai - Stainless Clad

三枚

3 layers · stainless clad

Hard core between two stainless layers, bare only at the edge; the cladding resists rust.

Finish

Kurouchi Tsuchime

Forge scale · hammered

Hammer marks under dark forge scale. May help food release; bevel and edge need care.

Handle

Coke-bottle Shaped Western

Coke-bottle shaped western

Western grip: wide middle, tapered ends.

Frequently asked questions

What is a steak knife used for?

Tojiro describes the steak knife as a knife for cutting steak and other meat. It has an upward curve at the tip, a shape Tojiro explains by the way the tip is driven into the meat, which makes it easier to cut the meat into large pieces.

Tojiro lists the steak knife as double-bevel.

SG2 steel knives at Knives and Stones

SG2 (Super Gold 2, which Takefu writes as SPG2) is Takefu Special Steel's own blade steel, made by powder metallurgy. Takefu says it meets all four of what it calls the major requirements for a blade: high hardness, high toughness, good wear resistance and excellent corrosion resistance.

Takefu gives its hardness as HRC 62 or more and does not publish its composition. As of 18 October 2026, 291 of the knives we list have SG2 in their title.

SG2 vs AS steel for kitchen knives — which is better?

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.

R2 steel vs SG2: are they the same?

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.

What is the difference between VG10 and SG2?

Both are Takefu blade steels, and they differ in class and in what Takefu publishes about each. Takefu lists VG10 as a stainless steel with 1.00% carbon, 15.00% chromium, 1.00% molybdenum, 0.25% vanadium and 1.55% cobalt, at HRC 60 or more.

Takefu describes SG2, its Super Gold 2, as a blade steel created by powder metallurgy, lists its composition as not disclosed, and gives HRC 62 or more. Takefu also calls SG2 a powdered stainless high-speed steel.

What is the difference between SG2 and ZDP-189?

They come from different steelmakers, and both are made by powder metallurgy. Takefu lists SG2 as a blade steel created by powder metallurgy, with its composition not disclosed and hardness at HRC 62 or more.

Proterial describes ZDP-189 as a stainless blade steel made by powder metallurgy, lists 3.00% carbon and 20.00% chromium with its other elements not published, and gives a hardening hardness of over 65 HRC.

How old is Nigara, and did it make swords?

The Nigara family line began in 1803, when the family served the Tsugaru domain as gunsmiths. For generations afterwards it made Japanese swords.

After the Second World War, the forge turned to blades for everyday life, including farm tools and kitchen knives.

Reviewed by K&S Staff · Last updated 22 July 2026

Nigara SG2 Mother-of-pearl Steak Knife 140mm

Availability

Detailed Specifications

Nigara

Knife details

Steak

SG2 / R2

Sanmai - Stainless Clad

Kurouchi Tsuchime

Coke-bottle Shaped Western

Frequently asked questions

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Nigara SG2 Mother-of-pearl Steak Knife 140mm

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