Shigeki Tanaka VG10 Damascus Sakimaru-Takobiki 300mm w/ Saya

An encyclopedia describes sashimi knives as thin and narrow, calling the pointed ones yanagiba and the unpointed ones takohiki. A sakimaru takohiki is the rounded-tip variant, so it has a rounded point despite its takohiki name.

A trade body, the Sakai cutlery association, calls the takohiki (たこ引き包丁) the Kanto-type sashimi knife, and the yanagiba the sashimi knife used mainly in Kansai, with an acute edge that is not for bone.

Yes, it can. Takefu, which makes VG10 (V金10), lists it among its stainless steels, and the JSSA notes that stainless strictly means rust-resistant, not rust-proof.

Takefu lists VG10's chromium content as 15% and describes its corrosion resistance as excellent. We recommend drying the knife after washing.

Takefu, the steelmaker behind VG10, gives HRC 60 or more as a standard value. The hardness of a finished knife depends on its maker.

Takefu says the steel's 15% chromium, 1% molybdenum and 1.55% cobalt give it high hardness and a long-lasting edge, and that it is easy to sharpen.

Both are Takefu blade steels, and they differ in class and in what Takefu publishes about each. Takefu lists VG10 as a stainless steel with 1.00% carbon, 15.00% chromium, 1.00% molybdenum, 0.25% vanadium and 1.55% cobalt, at HRC 60 or more.

Takefu describes SG2, its Super Gold 2, as a blade steel created by powder metallurgy, lists its composition as not disclosed, and gives HRC 62 or more. Takefu also calls SG2 a powdered stainless high-speed steel.