First Impressions
The ATS-34 is a significant knife, it's an uncommon steel to use in kitchen knives but Kisuke Manaka has forge welded these stunning knives entirely by hand to be a thick and well finished collection that boasts incredible looks and durability.
Beauty
We're going to go out on a limb here and say that the ATS34 is either a knife that will be love at first sight or absolutely not for you.
The hammer finish is lovely, it's got a lot of depth and the heavy duty integrated bolster is nicely finished but still very clearly handmade and retains that connection with the blacksmith that you'd want and expect from a fully hand forged knife.
However, they are chunky, bold knives throughout the range and that's not for everyone.
In Hand
If you're looking for a thicker, heavier feel to your knife then you're in luck here. The petty are actually quite short (in height) and nimble but the larger gyuto in the range definitely have that more significant feel of heft in hand which is largely due to the Western handle and integrated bolster.
The balance however is excellent and the reasonably tall and thicker gyutos offset that additional handle weight nicely and so create a knife that's still nimble and comfortable to use.
Durability
ATS-34 (from Hitachi Metals Yasuki Steel) has a high carbon content (over 1%) and around 14% chromium which makes it effectively a stainless steel although in reality it may develop a very minor patina over time.
It's not commonly used in kitchen knives it is an excellent choice because it's durable, robust and has excellent edge retention properties.
Ease of Care
ATS34 is widely used in outdoor knives because it's incredibly robust and easy to sharpen so it's easy to care for if you just follow our normal care instructions.
Our Verdict
Certainly a considered purchase and definitely one for fans of Manaka Hamono knives, we seldom see knives like this and while the price is high you're investing in the process and skill of Kisuke Manaka who has learnt the skills to make and finish these knives entirely by hand and this is both difficult and time consuming.
We've not seen many of this Western handled version before and once they're gone who knows how long it might be before we see more!
