Nigara SG2 Matt Migaki Tsuchime Special Western Handle

This is a line up of knives produced by Nigara have excellent performance  for how much they cost. Just like their well known VG10 line, these blades employed optimised fabrication procedures, allowing users to obtain a combination of sharp edge geometry and a powder stainless steel edge. These Special Western handle Anmon are fitted with hand-shaped coke bottle profile ergonomic handles, often comes in unique and exotic materials, highlighted in contrast with the matt silver blades.

The SG2/R2 being the most commonly used powder stainless steel in the Japanese kitchen knife industry can offer a reliable toughness and edge retention. However, the higher cost of the steel means it’s usually hard to get knives made with it under 350 AUD(210mm Gyuto). The SG2 Hayabusa produced by Hatsukokoro offers a very low price for those who want to experience this steel and its ability to hold its edge, but the Matt Migaki Tsuchime line from Nigara would have a better sharpness and food release due to its hand-sharpened, sabre grind concave edge geometry. 

The overall fit and finish is just like other knives produced in similar fashion by Nigara, you can expect very consistent surface condition, straightness and rigidity throughout different profiles. The soft stainless cladding has a very pretty smooth matt finish while the core steel still has parallel polish marks left from Migaki finish. Compare to the VG10 line with Damascus cladding, this is a very simple yet elegant design, if you are looking for a slightly different look, there is a twin sister line by Nigara that comes with Kurouchi finish. 

The slightly thicker thickness of the blade gives the knife more sturdiness, combining with the ease of maintenance,  it allows this lineup of knives to be an excellent starting point for those who want to get into Japanese knife with have a bit more budget. And for the VG10 users looking for an upgrade, these blades offer better core steel with only a slight increase in price, but more importantly maintain a very good fit and finish and sharpness.