There is something quite unapologetic about the Tsunehisa Samurai B2 Sakimaru. Most sujihiki are made light and slender, almost disappearing in the hand during a long slicing stroke. This one goes in a different direction. The blade carries a noticeably substantial spine and some real weight, combined with the long sweeping edge and distinctive Sakimaru tip that give the knife its almost sword-like appearance. It isn't trying to be a laser slicer; instead, the mass of the blade helps carry it smoothly through a long draw cut, particularly when portioning larger pieces of meat or fish.
At the centre is Aogami #2, or Blue #2 carbon steel, hardened to around 62 HRC. Blue #2 remains one of my favourite traditional Japanese carbon steels because it sits in a very practical middle ground: it takes a very keen edge, holds it well, but is still relatively friendly on the stones when it eventually needs sharpening. The core is clad in soft iron with a dark kurouchi finish, giving the Samurai a very traditional, almost rustic appearance that suits the shape surprisingly well. This is a fully reactive construction, though, so both the exposed core and iron cladding need to be kept clean and dry. Patina is very much part of owning one of these.
Despite the Sakimaru appearance, this should be understood as a double-bevel Sakimaru Sujihiki rather than a traditional single-bevel Sakimaru Yanagiba. That makes it considerably more approachable for anyone already familiar with normal double-bevel Japanese knives. The long curved profile works particularly nicely with a draw-cutting motion, while the elevated rounded tip gives you plenty of control when starting or finishing a slice and is also useful for finer scoring work.
For me, the appeal of the Samurai is really the combination of presence and practicality. It has the dramatic profile people normally associate with much more specialised Japanese slicers, but underneath that appearance is a straightforward Blue #2 double-bevel knife that can actually be used without learning an entirely different sharpening technique. If you want a lightweight, delicate sujihiki, there are better options. If you want a serious carbon-steel slicer with some weight behind the cut and a lot of personality, this one makes considerably more sense.
