Seki Kanetsugu

The Shiun line is a series made in the Seki City by Seki Kanetsugu.  They feature a VG10 core at about 60hrc, with stainless tsuchimne (hammered) cladding. These are relatively easy to sharpen and are pretty thin, but aren't quite as brittle as some of the harder knives we carry. The Shiun series has a wide bevel design, which helps with food release. The upper section has a hammered finish with a smoke-like color to the finish. The handles are octagonal oak. These are great knives for people looking for thin stainless knives with good food release.  They will have better edge retention than softer steels like AUS8, but won't be as brittle as harder steels like sg2, blue #1, or white #1.

The Zuiun series by Seki Kanetsugu has the powdered stainless steel SG2 at its core, with soft stainless damascus cladding. These are relatively easy to sharpen and take great edges while having an emphasis on edge retention. The Zuiun has nice convexity throughout the blade and will be nice for food release, but are still thin at the edge. The handles are a 7-sided laminated brown pakkawood handle with an off-white spacer separating it from a black pakkawood ferrule, and each knife comes with an attractive black lacquered saya. These are great knives for people looking for knives that will stay sharper for longer periods of time and beautiful aesthetics on a Japanese handle. Seki-city's heat treatment of SG2 tends to be less brittle than regions like Sakai, Sanjo, and Echizen.