Hatsukokoro released a batch of Blue #1 blade and they haven’t decided the name of them yet. They are designed and built very traditionally with a solid performance, being ironclad carbon steel knives can mean some difficulties in maintenance, but for enthusiasts that love to play with their kitchen knives, they are very interesting to work with especially knowing their unique combination of producers.
At first glance, this is a very typical Sakai product, with the signature triangular profile, smooth transition from spine to edge without a Shinogi line and a sandblast Kasumi finish. Takayuki, Jikko, Kikumori and many other classic brands from Sakai offer this design, this is pretty much the bread and butter for the region. However, when cutting with this knife, it feels quite different, instead of the typical thin bevel, this lineup of knives actually has some meat in its geometry. There is a stronger emphasis on food release, but the transition between the edge to the convex bevel is so well tuned that both the food penetration and knife’s glide through the food feel incredibly smooth unless you cut very tough food like carrot or sweet potato.
So what’s the reason behind this atypical behavior? According to Hatsukokoro, it turns out that the sharpener was not from Sakai, this line is a collaboration between a Sakai blacksmith and a Tosa sharpener who both turns independent, hence the Sakai profile/construction and a convex grind that is very Tosa flavoured. As long as the food is not super tough and dense, the combination of weight and geometry of the knife will fall right through, and this collaboration across two regions does feel the right combination that ignited a magical reaction.
There is one thing I still have to emphasise on, which is the reactive iron cladding, as fascinating as it is to look at the smooth and organic transition between the iron cladding and carbon core steel of these hand forged knives, the consequential maintenance can put off many users. I can say this line is more aimed towards knife enthusiasts and those who enjoy sharpening and patina building, or professionals who don’t care if their knife doesn’t look prestigious. For those who are capable and enjoy regrind and polish their knives, this would be an incredible knife to work with and build your own geometry/finish upon.
By
Hatsukokoro
