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The name of this luxury representative of Suncraft is much more apt than the Senzo Retro series. Senzo means that the knife was made exclusively by Suncraft's tribal craftsmen. Finest is an adjective worthy of the latest steel from Takefu Special Steel.
The portfolio of this traditional manufacturer of laminated knife steel is truly extensive. From carbon steels, through alloy, semi-anticorrosive, anticorrosive to the modern powder high-speed Super Powder Gold 2 (SPG2). Powder metallurgy helps steels gain extreme hardness. This is achieved by hard carbides (vanadium, tungsten, cobalt...) and is important for edge retention. However, the secondary processability of such a material is much more demanding than, for example, carbon steels. Therefore, if you can comfortably sharpen a blade made of Aogami or Shirogami, shaping a blade from similarly hard powder steels such as ZDP189 will be a real challenge. The problem is the protruding hard carbides. However, engineers from Takefu came up with a solution. They made a hard metal base (matrix) and used as small carbides as possible. The result is a hardness of 65HRC with very good grindability. This extreme hardness ensures high wear resistance and long blade life. Even with such hardness, toughness reaches a very decent level. Another important feature is the anti-corrosion nature of the steel thanks to the compact matrix. It remains only to christen the newborn baby. The steelmakers decided on a simple and logical name: SPG STRIX. Yes, this is a development stage of the proven Super Powder Gold with an improved STRONG MATRIX.
Suncraft has wrapped this special steel in two layers of softer material. The upper part of the blade has been left in a dark Kurouchi version with a Tsuchime texture (hammer blows) and embossed kanji characters. At the bottom, the SPG STRIX stands out in a symmetrical "V"-shaped edge. The blade is half tang into an elegant octagonal handle made of stabilized pakkawood. The manufacturer calls its subtle stripes Zebrawood. The black ferrule is separated from it by a light cellulose ring. There is a plug at the joint of the blade and the handle.
Senzo Finest - a beautiful knife with a core made of the latest SPG STRIX steel.
©2025 Copyright Roman Ulík, Nippon Knives, www.japonskenoze.sk all rights reserved.
Photos and texts are protected by copyright law and their use without the author's consent is not possible.
About producer
Seki, with a tradition longer than 700 years, belongs together with the Sakai and Tosa regions to the oldest centers of Japanese blacksmithing. The ideal conditions for this craft attracted many blacksmiths already at the end of the 12th century. The legendary Motoshige was among them. He was aware of the presence of high-quality iron ore sand, pine peat and the proximity of water sources. Everything a blacksmith needs for his work. Adding to their craftsmanship, swords were created that quickly gained their reputation. The saying that a Seki blade will never bend or break accompanies local products to this day.
The fact that 40% of the local industry belongs to the knife industry speaks of the specialization of the city of Seki. Many important manufacturers of famous brands such as Masahiro, Kasumi, Mcusta-Zanmai, Hattori and many others are located here. Nippon Knives brings you another one - SUNCRAFT.
Kawashima Industries, the owner of the Suncraft brand, is one of the bigger manufacturers in Seki. Since 1947, it has specialized in knives and various other kitchen tools. The credo of the company is to investigate the needs of customers and respond flexibly to them. Significant investments in development and research help it to do so.
As is common in Japan, Kawashima Industries is a family business in which individual generations take turns. The founders of the company are rightfully proud of their ancestor, Mr. Senzo. He participated with his own resources in the construction of public zones and facilities in the city of Seki. He always had respect for its inhabitants and their needs. The current owners have the same respect for their customers. And in order not to forget the legacy of their ancestor, they call the knives made by company craftsmen Senzo.
©2019 Copyright Roman Ulík, Nippon Knives, www.japonskenoze.sk all rights reserved.
Photos and texts are protected by copyright law and their use without the consent of the author is not possible.
