Miyabi Birchwood SG2 Chef Knife Review

The Miyabi Birchwood SG2 chef knife is one of the best Japanese chef knives on the market today. If you came to look for a great knife you are in the right place. The Miyabi SG2 will surely impress. Not only because of its most beautiful design but also the effort that has been put in creating this blade, plus the value you get for your money will make you love it.

Miyabi Company Profile

The term “miyabi” in Japanese is most of the time translated as “elegance” or “refinement”. Something that surely characterizes this line of knives. In 2004 the Zwilling J.A. Henckels group acquired one of the top knife making companies from Seki, Japan. The Zwilling group is one of the oldest knife making companies in the world making western style knives for almost 300 years in Solingen, Germany. The Seki region is for Japanese knife making exactly what Solingen is for western style knives. It was just obvious that a collaboration was needed.

Seki, where the Miyabi brand is based, is one of the oldest blade making regions in Japan. It was here that the well known Japanese katana swords were made and tradition of blade making remains to this day. While there is no market for swords anymore, traditional bladesmiths reorganized and started making some of the highest quality knives in the world.

Acquired by Zwilling, the Miyabi brand combines the excellence of German engineering, known all over the world with the best Japanese craftsmanship and tradition in making knives. This collaboration makes it possible for everyone all over the world to enjoy high quality Japanese kitchen knives.

Miyabi Birchwood SG2 Chef Knife Design

The Miyabi SG2 Birchwood design is just stunning. The damascus pattern on the blade is unique to each knife as it is done manually. Also this design contrasts perfectly with the handles stripes and lines creating a beautiful piece. The middle handle mosaic pin that holds it into place is also a eye catcher while the end cap with logo completes the piece. Plus the Miyabi logo on the blade matched with the handles fine red stripes makes this knife a tool to dream for. If you are looking for the perfect present the Miyabi Birchwood SG2 is the knife for you!

The knife is light and perfectly balanced because of its design and the materials used. Also it is a strong knife that will last you forever if proper care is taken. Remember to always wash your knife after every use and dry it thoroughly. Do not wash it in a dishwasher, always do it by hand. And remember to constantly hone your knife before use to maintain a edge for a very long time.

Miyabi Birchwood SG2 Chef Knife Blade

The Miyabi SG2 Birchwood beautifully polished blade is something special. It is a true Damascus with a very hard core. The blade is made of 100 layers of steel which give it increased hardness. Damascus steel has its origins in India where it was first used and more well known in the swords of the middle ages. This technique of making blades has been perfected over 100’s of years of experience by Japanese craftsman in Seki, Japan. Also, the damascus pattern is handmade thus it is unique for every blade.

The knife is composed of a extremely hard core made of Micro Carbide MC63 powdered steel covered by 100 layers of steel of a softer and a harder material. Exactly how Japanese Katanas were made. The two types of steel are sandwiched together forged, beaten and folded a number of times around the core to create 100 layers of these two types of metal. The softer steel gives the blade flexibility while the harder steel gives the blade the required hardness. When tempered the knife’s core reaches 63 degree hardness on the rockwell scale. This HRC hardness will ensure your blade’s edge will last very long.

All of these techniques of creating a blade are purely Japanese in tradition. But here comes the German precision into play. In the hardening process. The blade is hardened using the Zwilling Cryodur process which is done in 4 steps/ First, the blade is heated up in a advanced vacuum sealed oven then cooled down to room temperature. After a cryogenic treatment is applied by freezing the blade at -196 degrees celsius (-321 Fahrenheit). Then, a double tempering is applied in order to increase the toughness of the blade. By heating and cooling the blade through the Zeilling CRYODUR process the blade gains exceptional hardness while remaining flexible.

Sharpening of the blade is next and this is a traditional Japanese process called Honbazuke. This is the ancient method used by Japanese craftsman in order to sharpen Katana swords and knives. A skilled artisan shapes the blade’s edge to an angle of 9.5 ti 12 degrees on each side in a complex three stage process. The blade is first ground using a vertical rotating stone. Then it is sharpened using a horizontally rotating sharpening stone. And after, it is the blade’s edge is polished using a leather block in order to achieve a razor like sharpness. This really sharp angle gives the Miyabi SG2 its incredible sharpness making this knife perfect for slicing any vegetables or fish with a clean cut. Also because of the very hard core the edge will last for a very long time as the blade reaches a 63 HRC (Rockwell scale).

Miyabi Birchwood SG2 Chef Knife Handle

Each handle of the Miyabi SG2 is made out of a natural wood called Masur birch. The handles stripes and lines contrast perfectly to the blades patterns and gives the knife a pleasant warmth to the touch. The handle is fixed in place by a mosaic pin on the middle of the handle which helps this knife look even more sophisticated. Also the classical Japanese D-shaped handle will allow you to work tyreless all day long. All the edges are rounded and a decorative end cap with a logo is applied at the end of the handle.

Miyabi Birchwood SG2 Chef Knife Price

Taking into consideration the process of creating such a blade Miyabi has applied the right price to the product. Japanese knives can go even over the $400 to $500 mark but the SG2 is made accessible to anyone all over the world with a price tag of around $230. Considering the technological and manual process involved in creating the SG2 this price is really fair.

If you liked this Miyabi chef knife but are still not sure if this should be the best chef knife to buy. You should also check out our entire Miyabi Birchwood knives line. Or maybe you are interested in the best Japanese knives, Or check out our top of the line chef knives.