Takamura SG2 Migaki

Takamura SG2 is the brand’s signature product line that has excellent performance, low maintenance and great value, its simplistic Migaki finish and red handle can be spotted from a mile away, and this look has become the hallmark of great professional tools. 

These knives’ role as professional tools is really shown through their construction: synthetic western full tang handle with bolster and handle pins. Often we associate these features with budget Japanese knives, but these handles do have better durability and rarely get loose or crack after years of use. The joineries between the tang, bolster and the pakka wood handle material are nearly seamless, which just shows Takamura’s decades of experience in producing this type of knives. Despite being “full tang”, the tang of the knife doesn’t have the shape of the entire handle, this reduces the weight of the handle and makes the knife more balanced, the less exposed gap means there is less chance of water ingress into the handle.

The blade itself is also extremely pragmatic, made with a simple Sanmai construction SG2 billet that is highly polished, this finish is very refined that the surface of the knife looks more like a satin finish instead of brushed finish. This smooth finish that is oriented towards the edge can minimise the friction when cutting into food but can encourage sticking. Takamura avoided this issue with a well done convex grind that helps thin slices fall away from the surface beautifully, and the amazing part is, they managed to do that while keeping the overall blade thickness pretty low and allowing the knife to handle some of the densest food without much wedging.

We can clearly see why this is a much welcomed knife in professional kitchens, it is low in maintenance, high in performance, very durable in construction and has a sharpness that lasts thanks to the powder stainless steel. Despite being high in demand all the time, Takamura still keeps the price of the knife very reasonable(about 300 AUD for a 210 Gyuto), for that price, I can understand why people would snatch it immediately when they become available. Although it is an excellent tool for chefs, it would be a very good knife to use for home cooks who appreciate simplistic and pragmatic designs.