Yoshimi Kato Kintaro | SKU: KT-SUMIN-GY210

Yoshimi Kato SG2 Suminagashi Gyuto 210mm

$10,069.00

St Peters —
2 Bishop St Unit 2 St Peters NSW 2044
+61 2 8234 8818
Crows Nest —
107 West St, Crows Nest NSW 2065
Pickup only

Detailed Specifications

Line	Yoshimi Kato Kintaro SG2 Suminagashi
Profile	Gyuto / Chefs Knife
Bevel Type	Double Bevel
Weight	135 g \| 4.8 oz
Edge Length	215 mm \| 8 15/32″
Heel Height	46 mm \| 1 13/16″
Width @ Heel	1.6 mm \| 1/16″
Width @ Mid	1.6 mm \| 1/16″
Width @ 1cm from Tip	0.8 mm \| 1/32″
Steel	SG2 / R2 \| Powdered \| Stainless
Blade Construction	Sanmai - Stainless Damascus Clad
Hardness (HRC)	62 - 64
Surface Finish	Etched
Handle	Octagonal Teak Black Ferrule
Region	Echizen
Best for	Enthusiasts Pro chefs

Free shipping for knives over AU$200 Australia wide.
World-wide shipping via DHL Express, 3 to 5 days.

The Yoshimi Kato Suminagashi SG2 is a line up that have became a signature of Kato san and the Kintaro brand. It bears unique Damascus pattern that swirls and flows like liquid while have a top notch sharpening that gives it solid performance. A combination of function and beauty lead to a high end blade that characterize the knife making in the TAKEFU Knife Village: top notch material, top notch sharpening and top notch fit and finish.

One thing that will immediately stand out about these blades are the thickness, or rather thinness. These blades have a rather extreme spine thickness running from the tip all the way back to the tang, measured at 1.9mm at the thickest part. This easily put these knives into the laser category, and they do fly through corms and tubers without breaking a sweat. Thanks to the masterful grinding the subtle convex shape of the bevel can prevents food sticking while allows the Damascus pattern to flow from the spine to the edge.

The Suminagashi(墨流し, flowing ink)pattern Damascus is the highlight of the knife, it is mazing that the craftsmen can control and manipulate the shape and distribution of that metal that it flows like liquid. Layers of steel look sometimes like herringbones and sometimes like waves, which is quite unique for knives of this quality and performance. On top of that, a layer of etching is applied to further enhance the contrast between different steels, making them more pronounced.

The SG2 Suminagashi truly is an allrounder, it got excellent steel that maintain edge for an extensive amount of time, the geometry built into the blade allow this sharp edge to flow through pretty much anything you would cut, on top of that, a meticulously designed patter is carefully integrated into the blade, completing the knife with some unique aesthetic that surpass pure function and performance.

Pros	Cons
Excellent performance Thin behind the edge Great artistic	High budget Etched damascus can be hard to maintain

Care Instruction

Don't cut hard things! Japanese knives are brittle so bone hacking is a NO NO!
Wash with neutral detergent after use, and wipe dry;
Please don't wash knife with dishwasher, it will damage the wood handle;
Be careful not to leave the knife close to a heat source for a long time;
It is a lot more dangerous to cut with a blunt knife than a sharp knife!
It is best to sharpen a Japanese knife regularly on a waterstone.

Yoshimi Kato

Yoshimi Kato — The Master of Damascus in Takefu

Kato Knife Manufacturing Inc., spearheaded by Yoshimi Kato, is a renowned entity in the Takefu Knife Village, known for its exquisite craftsmanship in knife-making. Yoshimi Kato, originally a construction project manager, married into the Kato family and apprenticed under his father-in-law Hiroshi Kato — one of the co-founders of Takefu Knife Village. Despite his unconventional start, Yoshimi took over the smithy after just five years and earned his traditional craftsman certification (伝統工芸士) in 2008. The company's focus on hand-forged Damascus and masterful heat treatment of high-end steels has made Kato one of the most sought-after makers in Echizen.

Kato Knife Manufacturing — or カトウ打刃物製作所 — has its roots in the postwar era of Echizen blade-making. The workshop traces back to 1948, when the Kato family first established themselves in what would eventually become the Takefu Knife Village cooperative. Hiroshi Kato (加藤弘), the second-generation master, spent over fifty years at the anvil and was instrumental in co-founding the Takefu Knife Village itself — the cooperative that would bring together some of Echizen's finest blacksmiths under one roof.

Yoshimi Kato's path to the forge is one of the more unusual ones in the industry. Before picking up a hammer, he worked as a project manager in construction. It was only after marrying into the Kato family that he began his apprenticeship under Hiroshi. What makes his story remarkable is the speed — Yoshimi took over the smithy after just five years, a timeline that typically takes fifteen or more. He trained alongside Yu Kurosaki and other masters at Takefu Knife Village, absorbing decades of collective knowledge at an extraordinary pace. In 2008, he earned his certification as a traditional craftsman (伝統工芸士), and in 2018 he formally took over the business.

Today, Kato is best known internationally as the “Master of Damascus.” His multi-layer Damascus patterns are among the most striking in the industry, but what sets him apart is the consistency of his heat treatment across a wide range of steels — from SG2 and VG10 to Aogami Super and Ginsan. Every step of production happens in-house, giving him complete control over the final product. The Kintaro and Kanehiro lines, both produced under the Kato workshop, have built a devoted following among enthusiasts who value the combination of visual artistry and genuine cutting performance.

“Echizen's master of Damascus — three generations of forging excellence from Takefu Knife Village.”

Est. 1948 | 昭和23年

Known for Hand-forged Damascus, masterful heat treatment of SG2 and Aogami Super

Website kato-knife-mfg.jp Read more about Yoshimi Kato

Profile

Gyuto

Chefs Knife

A Japanese chef's knife is known as a gyuto (牛刀ぎゅうとう） gyūtō), literally meaning 'beef knife'. Its blade resembles a flatter version of a French chef's knife. Japanese cutlery is known for sharpness due to its acute blade geometry, and the hardness of the steel used, sometimes exceeding 60 HRC on the Rockwell Scale A typical western chef's knife may be sharpened to an edge angle of 20-22°, while a Japanese gyuto generally has a sharper edge angle of 15-18° (or even lower), which requires a harder, more brittle grade of steel. In recent years Japanese gyuto have gained in popularity with western chefs.

A modern chef's knife is a multi-purpose knife designed to perform well at many differing kitchen tasks, rather than excelling at any one in particular. It can be used for mincing, slicing, and chopping vegetables, slicing meat, and disjointing large cuts.

Compare with

SG2 / R2

—

14.0% 10.5% 7.0% 3.5% 0

1.25%

14.0%

1.8%

2.3%

0.4%

0.5%

0.03%

C — Carbon Cr — Chromium V — Vanadium Mo — Molybdenum Mn — Manganese Si — Silicon P — Phosphorus S — Sulfur

Hardness 62–64 HRC

555759616365+

Steel

SG2 / R2

Manufacturer
- Takefu Special Steel, Japan
Nature Stainless
Hardness62–64 HRC

SG2, also known as Super Gold 2 or R2 steel, is a high-end powdered tool steel by Takefu Special Steel, known for its excellent edge retention, wear resistance, and ability to achieve a hardness of up to 64 HRC. Identical to Kobelco Steel's R2, it's prized in premium knife making for its fine edge sharpness and durability. The powdered nature ensures uniform carbide distribution, enhancing toughness and reducing chipping risks. SG2/R2 is ideal for those seeking top performance and longevity in their cutting tools.

Construction

Sanmai - Stainless Damascus Clad

Sanmai(Three-Piece) is a common construction for double bevel knives where two pieces of softer cladding steel are forgewelded to each side of a harder core steel. The harder but more brittle core steel will form the hard cutting edge after heat treating, and the softer cladding will support the core to increase the overall strength of the blade.

Damascus Sanmai utilize damascus steel as the cladding material for the Sanmai construction, which adds aesthetic feature to the blade. On the Kitchen knives with stainless core steel, the damascus cladding will be stainless, this means they will also protect the carbon/semi-stainless core from rusting/discolouration.

The soft cladding enables the thinning process to be a lot easier than a honyaki or monosteel construction. However, when the cladding is made of damascus, whether etched, polished or mirror polished, the thinning process will take a toll on the cladding, meaning the damascus won't look the same as when it was taken out of the box.

Finish

Etched

The etching process starts with the knife being thoroughly cleaned to remove any oils or residues. A protective mask may be applied to the areas not intended to be etched. The blade is then submerged in an acidic solution, such as ferric chloride, which reacts with the different layers of steel at varying rates. This creates a layer of dark oxide on the surface of the blade where the thickness of the oxide varies according to the reactiveness of the steel. After etching, the knife is neutralized in a baking soda solution, rinsed, and dried. The final step involves polishing the blade to highlight the etched design, enhancing both the knife's beauty and showcasing the craftsmanship of its maker.

Handle

Handle Specs

Profile Octagonal WA
Material
- Teak
- Black Buffalo Horn

The teak wood, known for its durability and rich grain patterns, provides a sturdy yet comfortable grip for precise handling during culinary tasks. Complemented by the sleek black horn ferrule, the handle boasts a striking contrast that adds sophistication to the overall design.

Fashioned in an octagonal shape, the handle offers ergonomic benefits, allowing for a secure and comfortable grip from various angles. Its tapered design from bottom to top ensures a balanced feel and optimal control, promoting effortless maneuverability while slicing, chopping, or dicing ingredients.

	210 mm	240 mm
Weight	135 g	170 g
Total Length	363 mm	398 mm
Tip to Heel Length	215 mm	245 mm
Blade Height at Heel	46.5 mm	52 mm
Width of Spine Above Heel	1.6 mm	1.9 mm
Width of Spine at Middle of Blade	1.6 mm	1.9 mm
Width of Spine at about 1 cm from tip	0.9 mm	1.0 mm

Yoshimi Kato SG2 Suminagashi Gyuto 210mm

Availability

Detailed Specifications

Yoshimi Kato

Gyuto

SG2 / R2 Element Composition

SG2 / R2

Sanmai - Stainless Damascus Clad

Etched

Handle Specs

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Yoshimi Kato SG2 Suminagashi Gyuto 210mm

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St Peters

Crows Nest

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