Stainless
Stainless Steel
"Stainless" means stain-resistant, not stain-proof. In kitchen use, the steel can still discolour or pit if exposed to acidic environments — citrus, vinegar, or salt water — for extended periods. Wash and wipe dry after every use, and avoid leaving the blade soaking in water. With basic care, a stainless knife is very low-maintenance and a great everyday choice. PM / Powder Steel Powder Metallurgy (PM)
PM stands for powder metallurgy. Fine steel powder is consolidated under heat and pressure. This can produce a fine, even carbide structure, but performance still depends on the steel and its heat treatment. The PM label alone does not guarantee a harder, tougher or more chip-resistant knife. Takefu Special Steel, Japan 🇯🇵
"Stainless" means stain-resistant, not stain-proof. In kitchen use, the steel can still discolour or pit if exposed to acidic environments — citrus, vinegar, or salt water — for extended periods. Wash and wipe dry after every use, and avoid leaving the blade soaking in water. With basic care, a stainless knife is very low-maintenance and a great everyday choice. PM / Powder Steel Powder Metallurgy (PM)
PM stands for powder metallurgy. Fine steel powder is consolidated under heat and pressure. This can produce a fine, even carbide structure, but performance still depends on the steel and its heat treatment. The PM label alone does not guarantee a harder, tougher or more chip-resistant knife. Takefu Special Steel, Japan 🇯🇵
SPG STRIX
Hardness
Rockwell C Hardness(HRC) measures how resistant a steel is to permanent deformation. For kitchen knives:
55–58 HRC — Soft. Easy to sharpen and forgiving of rough use, but dulls faster. Typical of most German knives.
59–61 HRC — Balanced. Good edge retention with manageable sharpening. Common in mid-range Japanese knives.
62–64 HRC — Hard. Excellent edge retention, holds a very fine edge. Requires more care and a fine stone to sharpen.
65+ HRC — Very hard. Exceptional edge longevity but more brittle — more prone to chipping if used roughly.
Higher is not always better — it depends on how you use and maintain your knife.
55–58 HRC — Soft. Easy to sharpen and forgiving of rough use, but dulls faster. Typical of most German knives.
59–61 HRC — Balanced. Good edge retention with manageable sharpening. Common in mid-range Japanese knives.
62–64 HRC — Hard. Excellent edge retention, holds a very fine edge. Requires more care and a fine stone to sharpen.
65+ HRC — Very hard. Exceptional edge longevity but more brittle — more prone to chipping if used roughly.
Higher is not always better — it depends on how you use and maintain your knife.
63–65
HRC
555759616365+
SPG STRIX was born from the proposition to develop a “blade-oriented powdered steel” that can achieve optimum performance when used as a cutting tool.
While we have heard that conventional hard powder steels with a hardness of about HV900 (HRC67) are difficult to sharpen on a grinding wheel, we have not heard of many such cases with carbon steels of the same hardness.
Although the hardness is the same, the ease of sharpening is different. Why is there such a difference?
The answer is that blade steel hardness is the combination of the "hardness of the metal base" and the "hardness of the metal carbides".
SPG STRIX is a stainless powder steel that was created to strengthen a metallic base material, featuring both workability and ease of sharpening like carbon steel, despite its high hardness.
It is the best powder steel for knives, as its strong metallic base achieves ideal cutting edges and provides unsurpassed cutting sharpness.
While we have heard that conventional hard powder steels with a hardness of about HV900 (HRC67) are difficult to sharpen on a grinding wheel, we have not heard of many such cases with carbon steels of the same hardness.
Although the hardness is the same, the ease of sharpening is different. Why is there such a difference?
The answer is that blade steel hardness is the combination of the "hardness of the metal base" and the "hardness of the metal carbides".
SPG STRIX is a stainless powder steel that was created to strengthen a metallic base material, featuring both workability and ease of sharpening like carbon steel, despite its high hardness.
It is the best powder steel for knives, as its strong metallic base achieves ideal cutting edges and provides unsurpassed cutting sharpness.
Knives in SPG STRIX
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Takeshi Saji
Takeshi Saji STRIX Tsuchime 165mm Nakiri Olivewood Handle
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Takeshi Saji
Takeshi Saji STRIX Tsuchime Santoku 165mm Olivewood Handle
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Makoto Kurosaki
Makoto Kurosaki Samidorizuki SGStrix Petty 135mm
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Makoto Kurosaki
Makoto Kurosaki Samidorizuki SGStrix Santoku 170mm
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Makoto Kurosaki
