High carbon

Sakai Takayuki's Western Style Nihonkou series sports a blade steel crafted out of high-carbon steel. High-carbon steel is a very popular blade steel often used both in professional and home kitchens. Nihonkou’s high-carbon series that we carry has an HRC (hardness) of around 59, which is easy to re-sharpen and has a good edge retention. The knives that we carry in this series are Sujihiki, or slicing knives, and are greater for beginner and intermediate home or professional cooks looking for a solid, dependable slicing knife for a good price. The handle on this knife is a black pakkawood handle imbued with resin that makes it waterproof and durable; it also has a stainless steel bolster for additional balance.

Recommendation: As mentioned in the description of the series, these knives are great for beginner/intermediate home and professional cooks looking for a solid high-carbon slicing knife for an affordable price. This knife however rusts if not treated properly and requires knife maintenance knowledge; this knife can be sharpened with a honing steel/other sharpeners, but we always recommend whetstones.