初心 x 中川聰 藍色 1 大馬士革牛刀 270mm

The Nakagawa Blue 1 Damascus line contains a series of traditionally finished Sakai style knives that is known for their solid performance, but the added Damascus cladding added a artistic twist to it, making them enjoyable to use just as how they are enjoyable to look.

Compare to the wide bevel finish, there are no distinct shinogi lines between the Hira and the primary bevel. The geometry transitions smoothly from the spine to the edge. In my opinion, this is a better way to enjoy the Damascus pattern, as they can flow along the blade without the interruption by the change in finishing pattern that is used to create the wide bevel look.

Performance of the knife on the chopping board is great, as the bevel takes a concave grind, it is of a good sharpness even the thickness of the spine is not as thin as some "laser" knives, though there is a slight tendency for the food to stick due to this grind. This combination allows the edge to be thin, while having more material behind the bevel to provide weight and rigidity for a solid feel.

The level of finish is phenomenal, which is a characteristic of high end Sakai knives. The spine and choil are both chamfered, making it hard to find a sharp corner on these knives, the higher level of polish on the spine brings out the shine of it, contrasting with the hazy blade surface, making the overall texture of the knife more complicated. Overall I say the arts and crafts level of these knives are superb, especially at their price range.

This is another masterpiece created by Satoshi Nakagawa, who got more than 20 years of experiences in forging under the training of the legendary bladesmith Kenichi Shiraki. For that reason, I would expect the Blue 1 steel he heat treats to hold edge very well. One concern that remains is, the damascus cladding is made of soft iron, thus making the entire blade prone to rust, there will be some attention and care required to maintain the beauty of these knives, and if you want the similar performance and shape without the hassle of the carbon steel, you can look at the Nakagawa Ginsan Wide Bevel line.