Takamura Knives Collection | Tokushu Knife

Takamura Knives Collection | Tokushu Knife

Takamura Knives Collection by Tokushu Knife

There was a time when Takamura Hamono stood alone, steadfast in their mission to produce a high-quality stainless steel kitchen knife that performs as well, if not better, than the revered traditional carbon steel Japanese knives. After many years, they have not only achieved but surpassed their goals.

Deciding to buy a Takamura Knife isn’t really a decision; you should own at least one. The challenge lies in finding the knife you want in stock. Takamura typically crafts batches of 500 of one type of knife at a time and does not disclose their production schedule. Therefore, we recommend signing up to be notified when they are in stock to ensure you can find the knife of your dreams.

Main Collections of Takamura

Takamura produces three main collections: Takamura SG2, Takamura VG-10, and Takamura Chromax.

Takamura SG2

The Takamura SG2 is the most popular line. SG2, a powdered metallurgy super steel, achieves a finer grain structure and slightly better edge retention than VG-10, albeit not as tough. That being said, this is one of the best knives you can buy, and it punches way above its price. The level of fit and finish is extraordinary, and it will fall through food like nothing you have experienced. Because of the thin nature of these "laser" type knives, we recommend you use them with a soft cutting board like a Hasegawa cutting board. This will improve edge retention and keep your knife in good shape for a long time.

Takamura VG-10

The popularity of VG-10 steel has decreased significantly in the past several years. Why? In our opinion, a large influx of impostors, marketed as but not actually VG-10, and poor heat treatment of the steel (authentic VG-10 or not) have tainted the reputation. Makers like Sakai Takayuki, Takamura Hamono, Shegeki Tanaka, and Masutani have mastered its application and all produce excellent cutlery with this material. Takamura promises an extremely sharp out-of-the-box experience. We have BESS tested them between a 70 - 80g rating, which is approximately what we achieve with our professional sharpening service. This still varies, however, we can guarantee you will be happy with the out-of-box sharpness

Takamura Chromax

Takamura Chromax is less commonly produced and is actually a semi-stainless carbon steel, with a Chromium content at 5%. The stainless cladding on this knife keeps it low maintenance, and the blade will darken over time with patina, creating a lovely contrast between the cladding and core steel. This is the hardest version with an HRC value of 64-65, giving it the best edge retention but making it more prone to chipping if used improperly. With proper handling, you should have no issue.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, Takamura Knives have been revered by almost anyone who has picked one up and are an essential part of your collection.