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Hatsukokoro  |  SKU: HATS-VT2KJK-GY240-BLUE

Hatsukokoro Kujaku V-Toku-2 Gyuto 240mm Rainbow Damascus Finish

$399.95
IMPORTANT: Carbon steel knives can rust or patina quickly if not cared for properly. They require regular cleaning, drying, and oiling. If you are unfamiliar with carbon steel maintenance, we recommend choosing a stainless steel option instead.

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

Detailed Specifications
Line Hatsukokoro Kujaku V-Toku 2
Profile Gyuto / Chefs Knife
Bevel Type Double Bevel
Weight 204 g        7.2 oz
Edge Length 245 mm   .9.65 inch
Heel Height 50 mm     .1.97 inch
Width @ Spine 2.3 mm     0.09 inch
Width @ Mid 2.2 mm     0.09 inch
Width @ 1cm from Tip 1.1 mm     0.04 inch
Steel V-Toku 2 | Carbon
Blade Construction Sanmai - Stainless Damascus Clad
Hardness (HRC) 62 - 64
Surface Finish Etched
Handle Octagonal Colored-handle with Acrylic Ferrule
Region Hyogo
Best for
  • Enthusiasts
  • Pro chefs
    		•
    • Free shipping for knives over AU$200 Australia wide.
    • World-wide shipping via DHL Express, 3 to 5 days.


    The Rainbow Damascus is no longer rare in the industry, but I think many of us still remember how stunning it was when we first came across it. Hatsukokoro didn't settle on their Hayabusa Blue 2 Rainbow Damascus line but decided to push it even further, which leads to this brand new line Kujaku(孔雀, Peacock)which is an upgrades in all aspects compare to the Hayabusa.

    The core steel of the Kujaku is Takefu Special Steel's V-Toku 2, which is Takefu's take on the classic Blue 2 steel. With the introduction of vanadium and a bit more tungsten, the increased dine carbide would give V-Toku better wear resistance than Blue steels from Hitachi. Meanwhile, being an alloy carbon steel, it still retains excellent working hardness up to HRC64 and can produce a really fine cutting edge, which is what people look for when they are getting a carbon steel knife.

    The cladding material is still the highlight of the show. On top of the layers of copper, brass and steels, Hatsukokoro applied a well controlled etching, which transfer the colour of each metal on the surface. The brass gets a deeper, gold-like look, the V-Toku core turns light grey and the copper picks up a mesmerising purple colour. It is really easy to see how this line got this name, the entire surface of the blade just shines in metallic reflection like the peacock feather.

    The blade is produced in the same factory as the Hayabusa Blue 2, which inherent a pretty thin edge and a slightly convex geometry. Pairing with an acute carbon steel edge, it will perform fairly well for a knife that focuses on aesthetic. One benefit of the etching is, it creates a layer of oxidation over the carbon core steel, which acts like patina and slows down rusting, which makes the knife easier to look after as it also have stainless cladding.

    Kujaku shows Hatsukokoro's continuous innovation in product design and their focus on different way of finishing their blades. As the result, this line get a very attractive and unique look. In my opinion, this is a very good option for gifting, especially to those who already have a decent Japanese knife and look for trying out carbon steel. The smooth cut and dazzling look can surely make the Kujaku a impressive gift.

    Pros Cons
  • Great artistic
  • Great OOTB
  • Thin behind the edge
    		•
  • Prone to rust
    		•

    Care Instruction
    1. Don't cut hard things! Japanese knives are brittle so bone hacking is a NO NO!
    2. Wash with neutral detergent after use, and wipe dry;
    3. Please don't wash knife with dishwasher, it will damage the wood handle;
    4. Be careful not to leave the knife close to a heat source for a long time;
    5. It is a lot more dangerous to cut with a blunt knife than a sharp knife!
    6. It is best to sharpen a Japanese knife regularly on a waterstone.
    7. Oil the (carbon) knife if storing for an extended period of time to prevent rust.

    Hatsukokoro

    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.

    • Profile: Gyuto

      Chefs Knife

      A Japanese chef's knife is known as a gyuto (牛刀 ぎゅうとう） gyūtō?), literally meaning 'beef knife'. Its blade resembles a flatter version of a French chef's knife. Japanese cutlery is known for sharpness due to its acute blade geometry, and the hardness of the steel used, sometimes exceeding 60 HRC on the Rockwell Scale A typical western chef's knife may be sharpened to an edge angle of 20-22°, while a Japanese gyuto generally has a sharper edge angle of 15-18° (or even lower), which requires a harder, more brittle grade of steel. In recent years Japanese gyuto have gained in popularity with western chefs.

      A modern chef's knife is a multi-purpose knife designed to perform well at many differing kitchen tasks, rather than excelling at any one in particular. It can be used for mincing, slicing, and chopping vegetables, slicing meat, and disjointing large cuts.

      Slide for more >>

    • Steel: V-Toku 2

      V-Toku 2(V特２号, V-Special 2) is Takefu Special Steel's take on the classic Hitachi Blue 2 Steel. As a alloy carbon steel, its chemical composition is very close to Blue 2 with some addition of Vanadium, combined with the higher claimed purity by Takefu, V-Toku 2 should have a slight improved wear resistance than the Blue 2.

      V-Toku 2 have excellent hardenability, which allows it to be brought up to HRC64, many makers will take advantage of the hardness to produce razor-thin blade that will slice through food extremely well. As Takefu also produce laminated billets with copper or bronze layers, V-Toku can also be seen on knives from European and American makers, which allows many chefs to benefit from the excellent cutting experience of a carbon steel knife.

      Manufacturer:

      • Takefu Special Steel, Japan

      Nature: Carbon

      Hardness: 62- 64

      << Slide for more >>

    • Construction: Sanmai - Stainless Damascus 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.

      Damascus Sanmai utilize damascus steel as the cladding material for the Sanmai construction, which adds aesthetic feature to the blade. On the Kitchen knives with stainless core steel, the damascus cladding will be stainless, this means they will also protect the carbon/semi-stainless core from rusting/discolouration.

      The soft cladding enables the thinning process to be a lot easier than a honyaki or monosteel construction. However, when the cladding is made of damascus, whether etched, polished or mirror polished, the thinning process will take a toll on the cladding, meaning the damascus won't look the same as when it was taken out of the box.

      << Slide for more >>

    • Finish: Etched

      The etching process starts with the knife being thoroughly cleaned to remove any oils or residues. A protective mask may be applied to the areas not intended to be etched. The blade is then submerged in an acidic solution, such as ferric chloride, which reacts with the different layers of steel at varying rates. This creates a layer of dark oxide on the surface of the blade where the thickness of the oxide varies according to the reactiveness of the steel. After etching, the knife is neutralized in a baking soda solution, rinsed, and dried. The final step involves polishing the blade to highlight the etched design, enhancing both the knife's beauty and showcasing the craftsmanship of its maker.

      << Slide for more >>

    • Handle Specs

      Profile: Octagonal WA

      Material:

      • Acrylic
      • Unknown

      Timble and gold flake are added in acrylic ferrule to mimic the beauty of Japanese traditional WA paper. 

      << Slide for more

    Hatsukokoro

    Hatsukokoro Kujaku V-Toku-2 Gyuto 240mm Rainbow Damascus Finish

    $399.95

    Measurements 

    150 mm
    Weight 91 g
    Tip to Heel Length 150 mm
    Blade Height at Heel 30 mm
    Width of Spine Above Heel 2.3 mm
    Width of Spine at Middle of Blade 1.8 mm
    Width of Spine at about 1 cm from tip 0.8 mm

     

    Steel type: Blue 2 core with copper/brass and stainless clad

    Hardness (HRC): 62-63

    Handle Design: K&S Teak wood handle. Optional handles available.  

     

    Another innovative offering from Hatsukokoro's well established Hayabusa series: the Hayabusa rainbow damascus series. Utilizing Takefu Special Steel's exotic Blue 2 core with the copper / brass damascus. The core steel is Hitachi's staple Blue 2 carbon alloy steel, with about Rockwell 62 hardness, it is excellent for both professional and household use (just have to wipe it dry after use). This elegant copper / brass stainless cladding is definitely an eye opener and is used by a lot of famous makers. Takeshi Saji, Hinoura and a lot of overseas custom makers all offer this copper / brass damascus, however are usually quite expensive. Hatukokoro's Hayabusa has a very thin grind and as usual, offers excellent value.

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