Tanaka Santoku Kyokko VG-10 Damascus 165mm (6.5")

Tanaka Santoku Kyokko VG-10 Damascus 165mm is a multi-purpose knife for the aspiring cook that doesn't just want to use their knife, but admire it too. But at its essence, it’s still a workhorse, meant to be put to work and not just decorate your cabinet. VG-10 steel is great for professional environments, mainly due to its excellent edge retention and stainless qualities, while at the same time being ideal for the home cook that wants a reliable knife that won't need much maintenance.

Kyokko 極光 (meaning “aurora”) draws inspiration from wavy lights illuminating the northern night sky. This impression was transferred to the blade, adorned with a smooth 33-layer damascus finish that won't stick out too much, but still make a statement.

BLADE SHAPE:
The Japanese word Santoku roughly translates to “knife of three virtues” and may refer to the wide variety of ingredients that the knife can handle: meat, fish and vegetables, or to the tasks it can perform: slicing, chopping and dicing - the emphasis being on the number 3 (san).

Its distinguishing shape makes santoku easy to identify: the cutting edge is fairly straight, while the spine of the blade curves towards the tip continuously at an approximately 60-degree angle, making it resemble a sheep's foot.

STEEL:
VG-10 (V for Vanadium, G for "gold" as in "gold standard") is made by Takefu Special Steel Company, a relatively small steel company that around 60 years ago managed to find just the right balance of different elements to create the most popular Japanese knife making steel today. VG-10 steel is stainless steel with relatively high Carbon (C) content (1%), 15% Chromium (Cr), 1% Molybdenum (Mo), 0.3% Vanadium (V) and 1.5% Cobalt (Co). The combination of Cr, Mo, and V forms a lot of hard carbides, making the steel abrasion resistant which translates to long-lasting, smooth sharpness.

LAMINATION:
The core layer consisting of VG-10 steel was sandwiched between 32 layers of softer steel. This technique is called san-mai and is used to protect the hard (but delicate) core from outside factors and physical impacts, which could lead to breakage.

GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade.

BLADE FINISH:
The blade has a 33-layer damascus finish with a hand-chiseled kanji carrying the signature of master blacksmith Shigeki Tanaka.

HANDLE:
Western (Yo) style handle with steel rivets made from black pakka wood.

ABOUT THE BLACKSMITH:
The remarkable performance of kitchen knives may well be a synonym for Shigeki Tanaka. This young skilled craftsman that can boast with his radical design and mastery makes knives that are beloved by people all over the world. Shigeki Tanaka is the fourth generation blacksmith. Due to his excellent knife-making skills, Shigeki Tanaka is one of the most recognizable blacksmiths in the city of Miki.