Best Guaranteed Hatsukokoro Hayabusa SG2 Gyuto 210mm

First Impressions

The Hayabusa is a great mix of old and new, the overall blade shape is made using more modern roll forging process that creates a consistent and exacting laser profile and then each individual blade is sharpened and finished by hand which gives it the excellent edge you’ll enjoy from the moment you start using it.

Beauty

A classic polished finish with a visually interesting and consistent grind exposing the HAP40 steel core and the Kanji is 初心 meaning初 (innocent) 心 (spirit).

The SG2 is an understated and simple looking knife for those who don’t seek more eye popping finishes (if you do, check out the Hayabusa HAP40 damascus!)

In Hand

The entire range is impressively lightweight and overall they’re pretty thin all the way along the spine and have a fairly minimal taper as a result.

The heel of the knife is comfortable but it would be nice if it were perhaps just a little more rounded and finished around the edges for extra comfort.

Durability

SG2 is easy to care for and has great edge retention properties and so it’s a widely used choice for durable high performance knives.

Ease of Care

SG2 is a stainless steel and is easy to maintain and resharpen. Just follow our normalcare instructionsand this is a knife you will be using for many years.

For long term care we’d recommend a Japanese knife care kit.

Our Verdict

The SG2 in the Hayabusa range sits at a great mid point in terms of pricing along with the standard HAP40and features a well made and finished laser profile across the range and with the overall ease of care and sharpening SG2 steel offers it’s a great option for both home and professional kitchens.

Sandwiching the SG2 and HAP40 are the lower cost VG5 which offers a similar profile but cheaper core steel and at the higher end if you want both visual wow factor and an incredible heat treat then the damascus HAP40 is an incredible collection of knives.

This knife certainly offers both value and quality and definitely will be a firm favourite.