Hatsukokoro | SKU: HT-HIRARI-ST170-BC

Hatsukokoro Hikari SLD Santoku 170mm

$169.00 $189.95

Add a saya or K&S Knife Roll to receive $20 bundle discount!

	Hatsukokoro Hikari SLD Mirror
	Santoku / Santoku
	Double Bevel
Weight	126 g \| 4.4 oz
Edge Length	168 mm \| 6 39/64″
Heel Height	46 mm \| 1 13/16″
Width @ Heel	1.8 mm \| 5/64″
Width @ Mid	1.7 mm \| 1/16″
Width @ 1cm from Tip	0.6 mm \| 1/32″
Steel	SLD \| Stainless
Blade Construction	Sanmai - Stainless Clad
Hardness (HRC)	62 - 64
Surface Finish	Mirror Polish
Handle	Octagonal Black Chacate
Region	Hyogo
Best for	Students First-timers

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The Hikari(光, Light) is certainly a interesting addition to our collection, it combines a rather unique finish with an uncommon steel, resulting a unique and characterful line at a very friendly price point. Like the name suggests, there are some shining spots that you will discover when you pick it up.

The eye catching feature of this line must be the finish, it is a simple mirror polish with a slight twist. What Hatsukokoro did seems to be a combination of buffing and sandblasting, as the finish they produced on these knives is both reflective but hazy. The haziness is not particularly strong like a kasumi finish, but as you turn the knife agains light, the texture left by the sandblasting will reflect light in a way that makes the blade looks glitter-coated. It's not exciting like a Tsuchime or Damascus, but it is certainly an alternative option to the Migaki finish that are very common at this price point.

The choice of steel is rather interesting, the SLD steel is technically a semi-stainless steel as its chromium level is just on the line of making it fully stainless(13%). This allows it to be quite low maintenance as the steel doesn't form any patina and react very slowly. At the same time, many user of this steel reports that it can take a more keen edge than typical stainless steel. SLD's high alloy level ensures a high level of wear resistance and it's often used on many high end handcrafted knives. Now that we have this steel available on a knife that goes as low as 200AUD (210mm Gyuto), this unique experience offered by this material is much more affordable.

The grinding/blade geometry is slightly convex but not super thin behind edge, which can lead to some wedging and resistance but it does excel at food release. It is a logical solution in my opinion, as the smooth mirror finish will cause strong sticking if the there is no strong geometry to encourage the food peeling off. It is not one of those silky smooth cutting knife but more of a workhorse, the keen edge does feel more towards carbon steel than typical stainless as it initiate the cut fairly quickly on the surface of the food.

Hatsukokoro have always been developing new or improving their existing knives at the budget range, and it seems they have been focusing on optimising the performance of their product and bringing interesting features to the market. Hikari is definitely a result of this effort, it will join the wide range of available knife we can offer and allow more selections at the budget end.

Pros	Cons
Great artistic Budget friendly Workhorse grind	On the thicker side

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.

Hatsukokoro

Rising star of the industry

Hatsukokoro as a brand works extensively with the Japanese kitchen knife industry. Through collaboration with makers and manufacturers across the Japan, they’ve designed and created a huge collection of different knives, covering every possible price range while having a great value in many of their product lines. Their capabilities to incorporate resources have built a strong relation with knife makers, and more and more are happy to send their knives down to Amagasaki and have them delivered across the world.

“The rapidly expanding new brand in the industry based in Amagasaki, offering great varieties by working close with different makers across entire Japan to the entire globe while innovating in product design and metal fabrication.”

Est. 2019 | 令和元年

Known for Unrivalled product availability, exceptional performance at a highly competitive price.

Website handk.co Instagram @handk_official Read more about Hatsukokoro

Profile

Santoku

The Santoku(三徳) knife, embodying the meaning "three uses," is a cornerstone in Japanese kitchens, adept at slicing, dicing, and mincing. Esteemed for its versatility, it features a blade length typically between 15cm and 20cm (6 to 8 inches), catering to a wide array of culinary tasks. Distinguished by its less pointy tip compared to the Gyuto, the Santoku boasts a unique profile that contributes to its functionality and popularity. Its design is more controllable in chopping and slicing, and the profile is less aggressive, for those reasons, it has bacame a preferred choice for home cooks.

Compare with

SLD

—

12.0% 9.0% 6.0% 3.0% 0

1.5%

12.0%

0.3%

0.9%

0.4%

0.3%

C — Carbon Cr — Chromium V — Vanadium Mo — Molybdenum Mn — Manganese Si — Silicon

Hardness 62–64 HRC

555759616365+

Steel

SLD

Manufacturer
- Hitachi Special Steel, Japan
Nature Stainless
Hardness62–64 HRC

Hitachi SLD steel is a tool steel designed originally for die and machining tools. Its composition is practically identical to the D2 tool steel - a classic steel that have withstands the test of time since the WW2. The high level of Chromium content in it have made this steel almost stainless, and the decent amount of Molybdenum and Vanadium forms hard carbide, given this steel a pretty good edge retention. The toughness may be average of its kind, but it shouldn't be a big concern under the condition of normal kitchen use. SLD steel would be a good choice for those who are looking for a steel that can develop a keen edge, but not as attention demanding as a classic carbon steel.

Construction

Sanmai - Stainless Clad

Sanmai(Three-Piece) is a common construction for double bevel knives where two pieces of softer cladding steel are forgewelded to each side of a harder core steel. The harder but more brittle core steel will form the hard cutting edge after heat treating, and the softer cladding will support the core to increase the overall strength of the blade.

The soft cladding enables the thinning process to be a lot easier than a honyaki or monosteel construction. And in the case where the cladding steel are stainless in nature, it can offer protection for the carbon or semi-stainless cores against rusting and discoluoring.

Finish

Mirror Polish

Mirror Polish is a simplistic yet hightly demanding process, where the roughness of the metal surface is gradually removed with higher and higher grit abrasives, leading to a extremly smooth surface with only specular reflection, just like a mirror.

The Mirror Polish can be applied to various constructions, ranging from Damascus to Honyaki. It can reveal the beautiful Hamon on the Honyaki blade, and form textural contrast on damascus. The perfect surface is highly appreciated, but it also means a lot of care must be give to avoid it being scratched.

Handle

Handle Specs

Profile Octagonal WA
Material
- Black Chacate

Black Chacate is a highly valued timber known for its deep, rich brown to almost black coloration, fine texture, and exceptional durability. It polishes well, offering an exquisite finish that highlights its subtle, elegant grain patterns. This wood is often used in fine woodworking projects, including luxury furniture, decorative items, and high-end knife handles.

An octagonal wa handle made from Black Chacate wood would exhibit a sleek, geometric shape that fits comfortably in the hand, enhancing the user's grip and control. The deep hues and natural luster of Black Chacate add a touch of sophistication and unparalleled beauty to the handle, making it not only a functional component of a kitchen knife but also a piece of art. The durability and stability of Black Chacate ensure that the handle withstands the rigors of kitchen use while maintaining its aesthetic appeal over time.

Hatsukokoro Hikari SLD Santoku 170mm