Kato Santoku SG2 Black Damascus 170mm (6.7")

This Santoku knife by Yoshimi Kato is more than a high-performance kitchen tool—it's a collector’s piece that blends function with visual drama. Forged from SG2 powder steel and adorned with an intensely contrasting Damascus finish, it delivers precision with every slice while catching the light in breathtaking ways.

Designed for meat, fish, and vegetables, the 170mm blade is laser-thin and balanced by an octagonal rosewood handle with a red pakka wood ferrule. Whether you’re prepping everyday meals or creating something extraordinary, this Santoku offers razor-sharp performance, easy control, and captivating beauty—from blade to handle.

BLADE SHAPE:
The Santoku is one of Japan’s most versatile kitchen knives, designed for precision, balance, and ease of use. Its name means “three virtues,” referring to its ability to handle meat, fish, and vegetables with equal skill. Compared to Western chef knives, the Santoku is thinner, lighter, and more compact, making it ideal for precise, controlled cuts and long prep sessions without fatigue.

This knife features a perfectly polished choil and spine for a comfortable grip and enhanced control. The gently curved belly supports a variety of cutting techniques—from straight chopping to rocking cuts on the board.

Use for: Ideal for slicing meat, dicing vegetables, chopping herbs, and mincing garlic. A true go-to knife for both home cooks and professionals.

STEEL:
SG2 (also known as R2 steel) is a powder steel, renowned for its hardness and subsequent edge retention—due to a high carbon (C) content of 1.5%. The steel is also high in chromium (Cr)—around 15%, which adds to corrosion resistance and Molybdenum (Mo) that improves the blade’s wear resistance. R2 steel blades will be able to achieve a fine sharpness due to the fine microstructure of the steel and will keep it—without having to worry about maintenance and corrosion.

LAMINATION:
A high hardness of around 63-64 HRC means the blade won’t be very tough, so the blade’s core was laminated using the san-mai method to improve its structural integrity and subsequent ability to withstand impacts and prevent chipping. San-mai translates to “three layers” in Japanese, referring to a blade that is composed of an inner layer of harder steel (hagane) and of two outer layers of softer steel (jigane) that protect the core.

GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel(symmetrical) blade with a convex grind, which prevents food from sticking to the blade.

BLADE FINISH:
This knife features a 63-layer etched damascus pattern. The blade is laser-thin with a convex profile, beautifully polished finishes, and a rounded choil.

The blacksmith achieved the striking damascus pattern by layering different materials and further etching the blade. The etching brings a strong contrast between the layers and helps to play off the reflections of light from the different colored surfaces of the steel. The transitions between the layers are very pronounced, consisting of a glossy and a mate reflection. The mirrored part of the pattern reflects the light, giving the appearance of multidimensionality to the surface of the blade!

HANDLE:
The balance of the knife is ensured with a well-thought-out blade-to-handle ratio, with an octagon rosewood handle (and red pakka wood ferrule). Because of its symmetrical shape, the handle fits perfectly in both palms.

BLACKSMITH:
The knife comes from the Kato Smithy, part of the Takefu Knife Village, home to legendary Japanese master blacksmiths and sharpeners. Yoshimi Kato is renowned among them as the finest master of heat-treating premium steels such as SG2 and Aogami Super, and his knives stand out visually, especially for their hand-made damascus patterns.