We all LOVE Shigeki Tanaka’s knife, light, nimble, not a laser but glides through potatoes effortlessly, with minimal stiction.  Problem is, we can never get enough of them. One of the most difficult products to get is the Kurouchi line, the lead time was significant. So a few years ago, I started searching for the perfect replacement: cuts well, rustic looking, and most importantly, same unbeatable price.

Fast forward to 2022, we finally received something from our close partner Hatsukokoro,  and man, I am stoked: this blue 2 KU damascus line Kumokage(雲影, Cloud Shadow)exceeded almost every aspect of expectation. 

The finish is something worth talking about, it is Kurouchi, but unlike a typical one, this one have a slightly scratched and beaten look, with a blue/teal lurking underneath the black. Under the finish is the damascus cladding, rolling gently across the bevel, sinking into the edge made by etched Blue 2 core steel. This combination creates an artistic look that I think quite fitting to the name of Cloud Shadow, at the same time, the etching provides the core steel a certain level of resistance to rust. Oh, let's not forget about that lovely stamped Hatsukokoro mark, which you don't see on other lines offered by Hatsukokoro.

This Hatsukokoro blue 2 line is made by the Muneishi Cutlery, which has a long history back in 1955. They heat treat their blue 2 steel to about 62 to 63 HRC which I consider is optimal  hardness for blue 2. Can't fault the grind as well, very soild cutting performacne which makes this Hatsukokoro Blue 2 line a perfect knife for anyone looking to get into the world of carbon knife or for experienced users that just loves the cutting feel of carbon steel.