Hatsukokoro White 2

This line is another entry level White 2 carbon steel offering from Hatsukokoro, it takes a simple combination of Kasumi finished bevel and Migaki finished flat zone, leading to a classic and elegant look.

The lower price point of this line can rival some other Kurouchi finished knives, but the performance and finish are still reasonably good. The Migaki finish looks pretty uniform and the boundary of the bevel is clear and sharp. I have to mention though the choil and spine are not polished and do dig in your fingers a bit, and there are grinding marks on the bevel that are visible, this is why we are selling them at a discounted price to match.

The performance is what surprised me a little bit. Blades from this line cuts as good as other entries from this price range, and you do get that easy-to-sharpen property and the ability to take a thin edge from the White 2 steel. I believe it is due to the grind, the food release on these knives are pretty good, often the top of the slice of potato will automatically peel off the blade as I finish that cut.

This line sets a good baseline for entry level carbon steel knife. If you can handle the rust and discoloration, or just want to see what are benefits and maintenance of a carbon knife before getting a Masamoto KS, Hatsukokoro offers you this line to give a shot at.