Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
Gihei Hamono

Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku

£160.00

In stock – Ready for dispatch (2)

£160.00

The trusty all-rounder you've been looking for! Comfortable in hand with a great distal taper, lightweight and a great edge, what more can you want. 

 
Product Code: GIH-002
Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku
£160.00

About this range

First Impressions

Out of the box, performance is good and the cutting smooth without needing any real work although as with most knives a couple of passes on a strop would give you a little extra performance if you wanted a quick and easy edge boost.

Beauty

The SLD is quite a traditional looking knife available with a wa or yo handle depending on the blade and with a simple but nicely finished brush polish running down to a the shinogi line and a migaki finish simply showing the core.

In Hand

Both the wa and yo handle are comfortable enough but perhaps represent a little compromise in comparison to the blade which allows for the use of a high quality SLD steel and saves a little in terms of production cost. 

While perfectly good quality, the burnt magnolia and plastic ferrule are comfortable but quite standard oval handles. The black pakka wood yo handle fitted to some knives in the range is again comfortable without being spectacular but both handle sizes and fits balance the blades well in hand. 

Durability

Gihei Hamono primarily work in higher performance steels like SLD which offer a carbon like level of edge retention and performance combined with the ease of care of a very stain resistant steel so the 62HRC treated steel is a great combination of durability and edge retention.

Ease of Care

As a semi-stainless steel, SLD is perhaps as close to being stainless as you can get so caring for it is pretty straightforward if you just follow the normal care instructions for any Japanese knife.

It's also very easy to maintain and sharpen in comparison to its similarly hard and high performance carbon steel counterparts.

Our Verdict

Good performance, a quality heat treatment of the SLD steel giving both edge retention and durability in a classy but understated finish overall - the SLD range is a solid option for both home and professional use. 

Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku - product quick view

Want to see a little more of the knife? Check out what the knife looks like in hand and up close.

Knife Measurements - Gihei Hamono SLD Santoku

  • Blade Length: 164mm (Measurement of the cutting edge)
  • Total Length: 304mm (Blade tip to handle end)
  • Blade Height: 47.1mm (Heel to spine)
  • Blade Thickness: 3.21mm (Spine width above the heel) 2.32mm (Measured halfway along spine) 1.66mm (Measured 15mm from tip)
  • Total Weight: 136 grams

Range Specifications

Our aim is to measure and photograph our products as accurately as possible but due to many items being handmade, finished or using natural materials, there can be minor variance in measurements and things such as blade or wood finishes can vary. We will always endeavour to provide the most accurate measurements, photos and descriptions of our products.

Some measurements such as HRC are provided by manufacturers and should therefore be used as a guide.

Sayas, guards and knife protection

Protection & care for this knife

Both the santoku and bunka magnolia saya fit this knife as does the santoku size (22x5cm) blade guard.

Saya & Guards Knife Racks & Storage Sharpening & Blade Care

Meet the maker

Gihei Hamono

Based in Sanjo, Gihei Hamono is led by fourth generation head knife maker Atushi Hosokawa-san and his son Takashi and have been creating quality blades since the 1920's. They are an innovative and forward thinking company who specialise in working with modern high performance steels as well as traditional materials.

How to choose the perfect knife

We've helped thousands of customers choose their perfect knife since 2011 and we're here to help you too.

Read our guide to choosing a Japanese knife and don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

Read our knife guide