High Carbon Stainless Steel Series (62 HRC)

Masamoto Sohonten’s High-Carbon Stainless Steel series sports a blade steel crafted out of stainless steel with added carbon into it. The added carbon increases the blade’s hardness and therefore edge retention but makes it more brittle and therefore increases its chance of chipping. This type of blade steel is best for knife users who are familiar with hard blade steels and who know how to maintain them; if maintained correctly then the improved edge retention that this series’ knives offer is an invaluable asset to many in the kitchen. The handles on these knives are crafted out of rose-wood and do not contain bolsters.

Recommendation: The knives in this series are great for individuals who primarily cut vegetables that aren’t too hard and/or slice raw meats and fish. Because the blades are stainless steel they are easy to maintain. However, because of the added hardness of these blades they require a whetstone to sharpen and a user with good sharpening skills. We recommend these knives for intermediate cooks and chefs with good sharpening skill and knife knowledge.