Sakoda Shirogami #2 Stainless Clad 9.4" Gyuto

The Sakoda Shirogami #2 Stainless Clad Gyuto has been a terrific performer. In terms of overall cutting characteristics, I would place it somewhere between my Yoshikane and Hatsukokoro Shinkiro Aogami Super.

The Yoshikane excels with its thin geometry and effortless cutting, while the Shinkiro offers a more substantial feel with excellent cutting performance. The Sakoda strikes a very nice balance between the two, combining impressive cutting ability with a satisfying feel in use.

The Shirogami #2 steel is another attractive feature, particularly for those who appreciate traditional Japanese carbon steels and their ability to take exceptionally keen edges.

Overall, this is an excellent knife that holds its own among some very impressive Japanese cutlery. I'm extremely pleased with its performance and happy to have it in my collection.

If you don't want to invest in a fine Sanjo blade, get this one. Fit and finish is really good, the knife is rustic yet refined at the same time. The white still of course gets razor sharp. This is a very good value at this price point

This is my first proper Japanese knife and I couldn’t be more pleased. Fit, finish and craftsmanship is simply beautiful. I want another one!

Extremely sharp out of box fits my hand perfectly my cuts feel more controlled. the only thing I don't like is the spine of the knife has a sharp spot that catches my towel when cleaning.

The performance of this knife is outstanding. Its excellent geometry allows it to move through ingredients with very little effort, and the edge was extremely sharp out of the box. The Shirogami #2 steel is also very responsive on whetstones, making the edge remarkably easy to maintain.

In cutting performance, this Sakoda compares favorably with my Yoshikane knives, which is very high praise. It cuts cleanly, separates ingredients well and has the effortless feeling I associate with excellent geometry.

My only complaint concerns the appearance. The kurouchi finish is quite thin, and my knife arrived with considerably more patina or discoloration than the 7-inch version I own from the same series. I was initially on the fence about returning it because of these cosmetic issues, but its cutting performance convinced me to keep it.

Prospective buyers should examine Cutlery and More’s photographs carefully because they accurately represent the rustic finish of the knife I received. Overall, I am very pleased with it. The cosmetics may not appeal to everyone, but the performance is exceptional.