Nakamura Hamono HSS Yo-bocho 200mm

HAP40 perfection? Nope, not even close. This is a hand-shaped, hand-assembled cutter. Tolerances are generous. What we find with almost every half-tang 'haisu' (high speed steel) knife fashioned by a small maker is that blade fit can be spotty. Handle pins can sit a little proud, tang gaps are common. The things that machines are better at. Please note, if a flawless handle-fit is important to you please study our images carefully before placing your order. 

Then consider the price, and think about what you're getting.

HAP40 high speed steel offers great sharpness and very persistent sharpness. Sharpening - maybe once a year even if used every day. This steel is very slow to dull and that means conveniently long stretches between sharpening sessions. (That's good, because high speed steel is also very slow to sharpen, so those sharpening sessions might be long.) The sandalwood handle feels great and will last forever. Nakamura san's blade path is unusually tall. These are wonderful cutters.

Yo-bocho simply means 'western knife'. It's what many traditional makers call what we think of as a gyuto. 'Yo' is like the flipside of 'wa', and it means western or European. Yo-shoku, western food. Yo-fuku, western clothing. Yo-nashi, a western pear (Japanese pears are round). Yo-shiki toire, a western toilet. Oh dear, where would we be without those.