[SET] Takamura SG2 Migaki [gyuto + Petty]

Presenting the ultimate knife set that seamlessly blends the best of both worlds: traditional Japanese craftsmanship and cutting-edge, modern advanced technology steel. This set is highly recommended for professional chefs, talented home cooks, and aspiring young chefs looking for a comprehensive and high-quality knife collection.

These elegantly minimalistic, perfectly balanced, extremely thin, and simple-looking knives are veritable beasts in the kitchen. Takamura knives have gained immense popularity among Western professional chefs, and the SG2 steel line stands at the pinnacle of the Takamura range.

BLADE SHAPES:
👉 Takamura Gyuto Migaki SG2 210mm (8.3″)
Gyuto knife is a versatile kitchen knife that will shine through all kinds of chopping and cutting on the kitchen board.
👉 Takamura Petty Migaki SG2 130mm (5.1″)
Petty is a small kitchen knife, perfect for all those delicate tasks where a larger knife can be clumsy and unwieldy. On and off the cutting board, it’s used for peeling, paring and decorating, coring apples, cutting out potato eyes and similar tasks. It is a knife you should absolutely consider adding to your collection.

STEEL:
This knife set is made of SG2/R2 powder steel, hardened to around 62-63 HRC. Powder steels are currently the hardest steels available for knife making, which means the knife will keep a smooth and sharp edge for a long time. Due to the high chromium (Cr) content in its steel structure, it is also incredibly easy to maintain. The composition and microstructure of the steel provide extremely fine and smooth sharpness.

LAMINATION:
You won’t believe the out-of-the-box sharpness! The san mai (see article Blade Construction: Lamination for more) blade construction with the SG2 powder steel core (63 HRC!) has the ability to stay sharp almost indefinitely. It’s perfectly balanced, so even after long hours of food preparation, it feels lightweight in your hand.

BLADE FINISH:
The minimalistic-looking, highly polished (also called migaki finish – see article Blade Construction: Blade Finish for more) blade is extremely thin, which allows the user to work precisely even with the smallest pieces of ingredients. The cutting edge is sharpened to a 50/50 angle and stays sharp even after hours of constant use.

HANDLE:
The knife boasts a western-style (Yo) ergonomic handle made of durable laminated pakka wood in vibrant red, secured to the tang with three stainless rivets. The bolster gives the knife a gentle transition from the handle to the blade and provides a comfortable and firm grip during use. Due to its symmetric shape, the handle fits perfectly in both palms. The yo handle might be on the smaller side, so it’s not ideal for basketball player-size chefs. 

BLACKSMITH:
Takamura Hamono is a smithy located in Echizen (Fukui Prefecture) owned by the Takamura family for over 60 years. It is now headed by the eldest son Terukazu Takamura, who took over from his father Toshiyuki (who took over from his father, the smithy’s founder Isamu Takamura-san). The knives Terukazu-san has been making since 1985 are known for their outstanding geometry, sophistication in design, and sharpness. Their quality was recognized in a consumer test report Smartson in Sweden, where they beat the competition. Takamura Hamono has gained notoriety since the knives became the #1 choice of world-renowned chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, René Redzepi, Mark Best, Hiromi Yamada, and the TV personality Martha Stewart (just to name a few!).

All of this makes Takamura knives very difficult to obtain, and the wait time is very long due to a limited production capacity. Nevertheless, the craftsmanship and sophistication of their products make the wait well worthwhile.