Discount Hatsukokoro Kumokage Blue #2 Santoku

First Impressions

From the first use, you’ll be impressed with the overall sharpness and the quality of finish. The Kumokage collectionis a fine example of classic steel choice made in a traditional style.

Beauty

Kumokage translates to “cloud shadow” and continues in Hatsukokoro’s tradition of naming their ranges based on a combination of the phyiscal look and style of the knife and being inspired by nature.

The darker kurouchi finish on the soft iron cladding paired with the more polished damascus finish down to the blue #2 edge make it pretty easy to see how the inspiration for the name comes about.

The kanji characters on the blade represent Hatsukokoro’s brand初 (Hatsu) 心 (Kokoro) which translates to 初 (innocent) 心 (spirit).

In Hand

The knives across the range are well balanced and comfortable with the traditional octagonal wa handle they’re enjoyable to use and thanks to reasonably thick spine near to the handle above the heel have a sturdy feel without the feeling of too much weight.

Durability

Blue #2 and soft iron clad is a great combination for making an affordable and durable knife with excellent edge retention and durability.

Ease of Care

It should be noted that this is a fully reactive knife so both core and claddingreactwith moisture and your ingredients. As such, the care requirements for this steel combination are a little higher than some knives. Learn more about carbon steel care here.

We would recommend periodically treating it with a little camellia oil and in the event of rust spots forming on the soft iron cladding a quick pass with a rust eraser is all you need.

Our Verdict

The Kumokage is excellent value for money, a classic Japanese knife crafted in a traditional style with a durable core steel that holds a great edge and is easy to sharpen.

If you’re looking for a carbon steel knife and are happy with a fully reactive blade then we’d highly recommend checking out this range.