Hatsukokoro Hayabusa VG5 Santoku

The VG5 like the other knives in the Hayabusa series from Hatsukokoro which are made in a variety of steels  (SG2, ZDP189 and HAP40) all share a common profile and an impressive thin grind so even at the lower price point of the VG5, it's a sharp knife with a thin laser profile that cuts well right out of the box.

It's a subtly finished knife with a quality migaki finish on the stainless cladding that runs down to the core steel. Paired with the black pakka wood full tang handle it's a very Japanese take on the familiar Western chef knife design.

Depending on your selection the Hayabusa VG5 is available fitted with either a traditional octagonal wooden wa or full tang yo handle.

The full tang yo handle is comfortable and a typical shape many people will be used to and while we'd perhaps like a little more smoothing along the spine and around the heel of the blade to make it a bit more comfortable. At the price point this is not an unusual compromise to find and it's something that can easily be done at home with some high grit sandpaper if it really bothers you.

VG5 is a stainless steel and this range is hardened to about 59-60HRC so it's hard enough to offer good edge retention, it's also going to be quite forgiving and have a lower risk of chipping in less practiced hands so it's an ideal first Japanese knife in this respect.

Just follow our normal care instructions and you'll be good. As it's a slightly lower hardness than a lot of the knives we stock you might find that with regular use at home that giving it a quick sharpen on a whetstone and finish with a honing rod/strop every couple of weeks will give you the best results for keeping that thin edge singing. 

You can add a Japanese knife care kit to your order which would give you the tools required for the job.