Senzo Dawn Limited Edition Gyuto SG2 Damascus 200mm (7.9″)

Only 150 petty and 150 gyuto knives of this line exist, each in a numbered box. You can choose your knife by its box number. The third batch of 30 knives (boxes 061-090) is available now, so grab your favorite number before it’s gone! Due to the very limited supply, the knives are available exclusively for preorder and we don’t accept engraving requests. Please note that the delivery time will take longer than usual—we’ll start shipping the Senzo Dawn Limited Edition series on April 4.

When you’re an avid knife collector, you start to cherish the story behind each blade. And boy, does this knife have a story to tell.

More than 300 years ago, an oak tree at the Kifune Shrine in Japan began reaching toward the sky with its young, still fragile twigs. As decades passed, these twigs grew into strong branches, and the tiny oak sapling became a large, thick tree. With its lush and vibrant canopy, it waved to the passing visitors of the shrine at every gust of wind and protected them from the scorching sun with its shade. It became a vital piece of the Kifune Shrine. A holy tree. A part of the Suncraft smithy founder’s family deity.

But in 2019, disaster struck. A typhoon hit Seki city, Japan, and the mighty holy oak tree fell. 

The Suncraft smithy wanted to give it a new life. With the priest’s blessing, they made it into a part of something new, so that it may continue its mission of helping people. The wood of the holy oak tree was made into handles of Suncraft’s best knives. And so the Senzo Dawn Limited edition line of knives came to be.

The Senzo Dawn Limited Edition Gyuto SG2 200mm (7.9″) is a multi-purpose Japanese knife, made in the Japanese smithy Suncraft. The blade is forged with a common “sandwich” layering method called san-mai; the SG2 powder steel core is enveloped by layers of softer steel, creating a stunning jet black damascus pattern with a golden sheen. The knife is hardened to around 62-63 HRC, which means it will stay sharp for a very long time. The composition and microstructure of the steel provide extremely fine and smooth sharpness. The knife is fitted with a traditional Japanese octagonal handle made from stabilized wood that is topped with a special ferrule made from the wood of a 300-year-old holy oak tree.

The knife is a stunning collector’s item and comes in a lovely traditional Japanese paulownia wood box, which is incredibly light and sturdy.

BLADE SHAPE:
Gyuto is the most versatile and useful blade shape in the modern kitchen. It has a wide profile for easy food transfer and tends to be fairly flat towards the heel, enabling easy and fast chopping on the cutting board. A pointed tip allows piercing and precise, delicate work. A slight curve between the tip and the midsection makes the belly great for rocking the blade back and forth when cutting. It can be used for cutting meat, fish, and vegetables.

STEEL:
SG2 steel is a powder steel, renowned for its hardness and subsequent edge retention—due to a high carbon (C) content of 1.5%. The steel is also high in chromium (Cr)—around 15%, which adds to corrosion resistance and Molybdenum (Mo) which improves the blade’s wear resistance. SG2 steel blades will be able to achieve a fine sharpness due to the fine microstructure of the steel and will keep it—without having to worry about maintenance and corrosion.

GEOMETRY:
The blade is ground on both sides (at a ratio of 50/50) so it has a double bevel geometry with a flat profile and can be used by right- and left-handed users alike.

LAMINATION:
The blade is made in the san-mai technique. The SG2 powder steel core is protected by layers of softer and pliable steel that act as a protective jacket on both sides of the core and also prevent corrosion.

BLADE FINISH:
The blade features a stunning jet black 101 layered damascus pattern with a golden sheen. The upper part of the blade bears a subtle signature of the smithy in kanji characters which translate to “Senzo”.

HANDLE:
The traditional Japanese handle complements the blade very well. The handle is made from sturdy stabilized wood and has a very special ferrule, made from a 300-year-old holy oak tree, the story of which you can read above. The handle offers a nice, stable grip and is octagonal, so it is suitable for both right- and left-handed users. 

ABOUT THE BLACKSMITH:
Suncraft is a family company spanning four generations and specializing in the production of kitchen tools. The smithy was founded in 1948 and is located in a thriving manufacturing area of Seki in Gifu prefecture, where steelwork dates back to the times of the Samurai warriors.