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Nakagawa  |  SKU: NK-VG10MR-LEFKUS180

Satoshi Nakagawa VG10 Left-handed Kamagata Usuba 210mm Mirror Polish

$10,970.00 $12,894.00

Add a saya or K&S Knife Roll to receive $20 bundle discount!

Detailed Specifications
Line Nakagawa vg10 single bevel
Profile Usuba
Bevel Type Single Bevel
Weight 263 g | 9.3 oz
Edge Length 196 mm | 7 23/32″
Heel Height 49 mm | 1 59/64″
Width @ Spine 4.0 mm | 5/32″
Width @ Mid 3.5 mm | 9/64″
Width @ 1cm from Tip 1.3 mm | 3/64″
Steel VG10 | Stainless
Blade Construction Nimai - Stainless Clad
Hardness (HRC) 59 - 61
Surface Finish Mirror Polish
Handle Octagonal Ebony
Region Sakai
Best for
  • Pro chefs
  • Enthusiasts
    		•
    • Free shipping for knives over AU$200 Australia wide.
    • World-wide shipping via DHL Express, 3 to 5 days.


    Satoshi Nakagawa's VG10 single bevel is a line that offers a series of traditional single bevel knives fused with modern stainless steel. They are treated with highest standard with the skill that Nakagawa earned from the legendary bladesmith Kenichi Shiraki in over 20+ years of forging, and you can expect high level of finishing, sharpness and edge retention but have no need to worry about these pieces of arts to rust or discolourate.

    VG10 is a steel that many of us are familiar with, but it is rarely used on single bevel knife as it will be hard to sharpen. Only Sukenari, who is known for trying out new steel produced a small amount of VG10 single bevel knives, but this will change with Nakagawa stepping into this area.

    Although the stainless steel will be hard to sharpen, many user would just put a secondary bevel on the edge, making it as easy as if not easier to sharpen then typical double bevel knife, and the loss in sharpness is marginal, in exchange, the experience will be much better as there is no neet to keep drying you Yanagiba while cutting, so you can fully enjoy the cutting experience that these marsterpieces can offer.

    The fit and finish of these blades is at a pretty high level, chamfered spine and choil combines with mirror polish in these location made the handling of these blade very pleasant. A matching mirror polish on the Hira adds another glare to the beautiful yet simplistic finish, makes it a joy to not only use but to see these knives. Considering the skill level of Nakagawa and the labour required to forge these types of single bevel knives, I believe the pricing is justified. These knives will be something that can both be a very easy to use higher end tool or an entry level collector's item that sits between a good Kasumi Yanagiba and a Honyaki.

    Pros Cons
  • Great for professionals
  • Easy to look after
  • Excellent performance
    		•
  • Mirror polish can be hard to maintain
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    Care Instruction
    1. Don't cut hard things! Japanese knives are brittle so bone hacking is a NO NO!
    2. Wash with neutral detergent after use, and wipe dry;
    3. Please don't wash knife with dishwasher, it will damage the wood handle;
    4. Be careful not to leave the knife close to a heat source for a long time;
    5. It is a lot more dangerous to cut with a blunt knife than a sharp knife!
    6. It is best to sharpen a Japanese knife regularly on a waterstone.

    Satoshi Nakagawa

    Nakagawa Hamono, established by Satoshi Nakagawa (中川悟志) in April 2021, carries on the legacy of the renowned Shiraki Hamono under the guidance of Nakagawa-san, a dedicated disciple of the legendary craftsman Kenichi Shiraki. With nearly two decades of experience, primarily under Shiraki-san, Nakagawa-san has been instrumental in creating some of the finest honyaki blades in the last five years of Shiraki-san's work.

    His expertise is not limited to Shiraki Hamono’s offerings but extends to forging top-tier knives for Sakai’s esteemed brands such as Sakai Takayuki, Kikumori to name a few. Based in Sakai City, Osaka, Nakagawa Hamono specializes in Ginsan and blue steel knives with wide bevels.

    • Profile: Usuba

      The Japanese kitchen knife "usuba" is a traditional vegetable knife known for its precision and sharpness, essential for delicate cutting tasks in Japanese cuisine. This knife is particularly celebrated for "katsuramuki," a technique of slicing vegetables such as cucumbers and radishes into extremely thin, continuous sheets. There are two main styles of usuba knives: the standard usuba and the kamagata usuba. The standard usuba features a straight-edged blade, perfect for clean cuts and chopping, while the kamagata usuba has a slightly curved tip, which is advantageous for intricate decorative cuts and peeling. Both types are typically made from high-carbon steel, ensuring a sharp, durable edge essential for the precise work required in preparing traditional Japanese dishes.

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    • Steel: VG10

      Takefu VG10, is a high-end stainless steel celebrated for its exceptional edge retention and sharpness. It is a popular choice among Japanese kitchen knife makers and widely used in various types of knives, including kitchen knives, folders, and fixed blades.

      VG10 achieves a hardness of around 60-61 HRC, with some makers pushing it to 62 HRC, ensuring good edge holding and stain resistance. The steel's composition includes 15% chromium (Cr) for corrosion resistance, 1% molybdenum (Mo), and 1.5% cobalt (Co) for matrix strengthening, leading to high hardness and durability. The addition of vanadium (V) refines its microstructure and, along with Cr and Mo, produces hard carbides that enhance wear resistance. VG10 is easy to sharpen, has good machinability, and supports secondary hardening with high-temperature tempering, making it suitable for blades that may undergo surface coating treatments up to about 450℃. Its well-rounded attributes make VG10 steel highly versatile, performing excellently in a range of applications from kitchen and general-purpose knives to machine blades.

      Manufacturer:

      • Takefu Special Steel, Japan

      Nature: Stainless

      Hardness: 59- 61

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    • Construction: Nimai - Stainless Clad

      Nimai(Two Piece) is the Japan's traditional approach to the kitchen knife making, this construction method is typically found on knives with native Japanese origins like Yanagiba, Deba and Usuba. When constructing a Nimai knife, a piece of soft cladding metal will be placed onto a core steel, the two pieces of metal are then forgewelded and shaped into the knife.

      The Nimai knives are usually sharpened in single-bevel fashion, with hardened core steel exposed on the flat/hollow-ground side and soft cladding warping over the other side and over the spin. The soft cladding offers support for the harder yet more brittle core steel so the knive can have a thin, sharp edge while have some overall strength. Since the single bevel Japanese knives usually don't have a secondary bevel, the combination of soft cladding and hollow-grind have made the sharpening process easier than Monosteel and Honyaki knives.

      In recent years, knifemaker have been trying to utilize stainless claddings on the traditional Nimai knives, which were typically forged withcarbon steel. But unlike the Sanmai construction, the core steel will still be exposed on the hollow-ground side even the stainless cladding can protect the other side. The Stainless Clad Nimai knives seen on the market now would typically use a stainless core to pair with the stainless cladding, making the Nimai and traditional single bevel knives much more approachable for users who are interested in them.

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    • Finish: Mirror Polish

      Mirror Polish is a simplistic yet hightly demanding process, where the roughness of the metal surface is gradually removed with higher and higher grit abrasives, leading to a extremly smooth surface with only specular reflection, just like a mirror.

      The Mirror Polish can be applied to various constructions, ranging from Damascus to Honyaki. It can reveal the beautiful Hamon on the Honyaki blade, and form textural contrast on damascus. The perfect surface is highly appreciated, but it also means a lot of care must be give to avoid it being scratched.

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    • Handle Specs

      Profile: Octagonal WA

      Material:

      • Ebony

      This handle, crafted from a single piece of ebony, exemplifies minimalist elegance and functional design. Its unique octagonal shape, featuring a subtle taper, offers a comfortable grip and a visually appealing geometric profile. The ebony wood, known for its deep, rich color and durability, has been meticulously milled from a single block, ensuring a seamless construction that highlights the wood's natural beauty and grain. The handle's surface has been highly polished, achieving a glossy finish that not only enhances the ebony's luxurious dark hue but also provides a smooth, tactile experience for the user. This design choice reflects a minimalist approach, focusing on simplicity, quality, and usability. The combination of the octagonal shape with the taper adds a modern twist to the classic material, making it a standout piece that blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics.

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