Kanjo ZDP189 Gyuto 240mm Micarta Handle

Craftsman: Kanjo Tsukahara　
Location: Seki city 
Type: Gyuto / Chef's Knife (Double Bevel)
Blade Material: ZDP189 Clad Stainless Steel 
                Core:  ZDP189
Blade Length: 240 mm
Total Length:  369 mm
Weight: approx 237 g (8.36 oz)
Blade Width: 54 mm
Thickness of Spine: approx max 2.6 mm
Handle: Micarta
HRC: 64+-1

  Made in Seki City, which boasts a 700-year tradition, Kanjo Tsukahara offers kitchen knives of various steel types and design. For example, ZDP189, HAP40, SG2, White steel, Blue steel, Blue Super Damascus and so on. In Japan, only a few makers can offer ZDP189, HAP40 Japanese kitchen knives. As for ZDP189 Western kitchen knives, there are even fewer, maybe only two or three makers in Japan.

  The shape of blade is called "HAMAGURI-BA" in Japanese. HAMAGURI means clam, BA means blade or edge.  It smoothly cuts into ingredients and is an ideal shape has strength.  

  The edge is sharpened. Often times there are some hazy or scratches on the tip area. This is not defective.

   ZDP189 is Powder Metallurgical Stainless Steel made by HITACHI Metals,ltd.  Hatta Co., Ltd wanted to develop a material that makes knife lovers growl, and in collaboration with Hitachi Metals, Hatta Co.,Ltd have researched and developed blade steel "ZDP189". It has an incredibly high carbon content of 3%, that is triple the carbon content in most popular steels used in cutlery. The feature is super hard, abrasion resistance is outstanding, corrosion resistance is also good, new generation material.  It has a uniform fine micro-structure and does not contain coarse carbide, so it is not so hard to sharpen edge. The sharpness and the edge retention is excellent.... perhaps ZDP189 has the ultimate properties. 

For US buyers: De Minimis Value Increases to $800 Release Date: March 11, 2016

 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that March 10, it raised the value of a shipment of merchandise imported by one person on one day that generally may be imported free of duties and taxes from $200 to $800. .... Shipments valued at $800 or less for the de minimis exemption will be eligible under the same processes and with the same restrictions that currently apply to de minimis shipments of $200 or less.