Hatsukokoro Hayabusa HAP-40 Damascus Nakiri 165 mm with Western Handle

If you are a bit more familiar with the landscape of the Japanese kitchen knife, you might see the Chef Knife/Gyuto with a western handle as the child who don't get enough love. They often appear in a cheaper package, with entry level steel or poorer fit and finish and being mass-produced through stamping. In other cases, they will be cladded in all kinds of well-made, highly-polished finishes, paired with a custom grip made with exotic material, along with a four-digit price tag.

For those who prefer having that heft in hand and wishing for a Western grip Gyuto that offers premium performance, the Hayabusa(隼,Peregrine Falcon) HAP40 line from Hatsukokoro might just be the answer, and it won't break the bank. HAP40 was originally developed by Hitach as a tool steel using powder metallurgy technology, some of its properties combines with a impressive hardness of 64-66 HRC allow creation of some absurd blades. I have seen more than one time people describe its edge retention as "stupid", so if you wish to not sharpen you knife even under frequent use, this steel will be one of the top candidate.

In addition to this solid core steel, Hatsukokoro also cladded this blade with ladderback damascus, it's uniform, dense and contrasty, giving the support that the hard core steel needs so it's not just a sweet eye candy. Notice that the HAP40 steel is a semi-stainless steel, it will just develop patina over time under normal use but if left wet and uncleaned for hours, there is a good chance of it to rust. If that is acceptable and you don't mind a longer sharpening process, this shall be the go-to high performance Western Handle Gyuto.