Sakai Kikumori "Kasumi" Petty 150mm

Sakai Kikumori was founded in 1926 by Kawamura Hamono as a wholesaler, and they work with some of the best blacksmiths in Japan. Being a smaller wholesaler, they have the flexibility to create their own brands and pursue creative projects that larger brands choose not to do. They have excelled in this area, creating a line of products that are of some of the highest quality we've ever seen.

This range is crafted by none other than Yoshikazu Tanaka, widely considered to be one of the best blacksmiths in Sakai. They are forged using White 2 Steel with soft iron cladding, and a band of Kasumi finish polished by hand. Chefs Edge has opted for the upgraded Ebony handles, and the knives come with a polished and rounded spine and choil.    

White Steel is the purest of the Japanese High Carbon Steels made by Hitachi Metals. It can be forged to extremely high hardness, sharpened extremely easily (even for novices), and takes a scalpel like edge. It is known to be one of the easiest steel to get blazing sharp.

Being this pure and lacking any stainless properties, this steel is very reactive and will rust quickly if not dried after use, and oiled between uses. However, once a patina builds up, it is less reactive and prone to rusting. Knives of this steel are regarded by many as the purists choice of knife, and are incredibly rewarding to use if maintained properly.