Haruyuki SRS15

Close-up view

If you are looking for pure performance this is the knife for you. The Haruyuki SRS15 (previously Akifusa) knives have incredible edge retention, are capable of extreme sharpness and are a breeze to re-sharpen. I would characterize these knives as Ferraris without a cool paint job and sexy body. They look very elegant/plain Jane (depends on yer point of view), but their performance is outstanding.

SRS15 High Speed Powder Steel is my kind of steel. It is mega hard, therefore holds a fine edge amazingly well. Combined with a very fine grained structure it feels absolutely silky when cutting. Some say that SRS15 feels clinical. Its stainless qualities mean you needn’t worry about rusting or discolouring. This steel is often found in precision tools, dentist drills and surgical equipment.

These are the knives that turned me on to Japanese blades. I bought an Artisan 180mm Santoku in 1999 and it’s still close to my heart. It stood up to the rigours of a busy professional kitchen like no other knife I’d ever used. Extreme sharpness and a very long lasting edge is what sets these knives apart. Akifusa knives feature a tapered tang for great balance. The many professional chefs using these knives are a testimony to their pedigree.

These knives are hafted with a Western style pakka wood handle. Pakka wood is basically layers of rose or sandal wood bound with heaps of silicone. This type of handle is very rugged; I would say they are virtually indestructible. The handle is fixed to the tang with three rivets for strength and durability.