How to Choose a Santoku Knife That Lasts a Lifetime: SG2, STRIX, and Cobalt Special Compared

A Santoku knife is one of the most versatile kitchen knives, making it a favorite for everyday cooking. If you're looking for a knife that will last for years, choosing the right steel is just as important as choosing the right size.

Premium steels such as SG2, STRIX, and Cobalt Special offer excellent edge retention, durability, and long-term value. While they require a higher initial investment, they stay sharp longer and need less frequent sharpening, making them a cost-effective choice over time.

In this guide, JIKKO CUTLERY explains the characteristics of each steel, how they compare, and how to choose the best Santoku knife for your cooking style and budget.

The basic elements of Santoku knives that affects the cost-efficiency

To choose a Santoku knife that is “life-lasting”, it is important to understand the key basic elements that affect the cost-efficiency of a knife. How it’s multipurpose, the difference in blade length, and the type of steel materials used for the knife greatly affects the ease of use and the lifespan of a knife.

Here, we will summarize the basic factors you should know so you can keep on using the Santoku knife for a long while.

☆LIFETIME ITEM: The Santoku knives that we introduce to you here, with SG2, STRIX, or Cobalt Special, will last for 20 or so years if you use the knife every single day.

The Multipurpose Santoku knife and the differences from Gyuto knives 

Santoku knives, written “三(three)徳(virtue)” in Japanese, are named that way since they are made to be a multipurpose knife that can cut three different ingredients, “fish, meat, and vegetables”. Until the early SHOWA period, most Japanese households had NAKIRI (vegetable knife) and DEBA(filleting knife). But after the influx of numerous cultures and change in the eating habits, the Santoku knives were introduced to Japanese households. Since most home-cooked meals could be made with just the Santoku, it was more useful than a Gyuto chef’s knife for many. Since gyuto had longer blade length, it was more suited to cut and slice bigger chunks of meat such as roasted beef and chicken.

In terms of cost-effectiveness, “usage frequency” is directly linked to “high return on investment”, you can say that Santoku have the advantage for daily, household usages.

Comparison chart of Santoku and Gyuto Knives

Practical way to choose between blade length: 165mm or 180mm?

The blade length of a Santoku knife is usually made with 165mm or 180mm. The 165mm blade length is best suited for many Japanese people, and is easy to use since the size fits well for the hands, and the cutting boards used in Japan. Meanwhile, the 180mm blade length knives can cut more ingredients, and will let you cut larger items like big chunks of meat and daikon radishes with ease.

Generally, the 165mm blade length knives are lighter, so there is less stress on the hands, and are more suited for those who need to use the knife for a long time, but it is better to choose the blade length based on what you cook, and the size of the ingredients. What is important here is that an “easy to use size” knife will be the “knife that you will be able to last longer”, so the length plays an improving role if you think about cost-efficiency. The easy to use size also changes depending on the size of your kitchen as well.

How much the cutting edge lasts per steel material, and the cost-effectiveness  

When talking about the cost-efficiency of a knife, the steel materials being used are the most important factors to care for. We have summarized the different features of the 3 steel materials, SG2, STRIX, and Cobalt Special in the below chart.

When you compare the 3 materials, you notice that SG2 has high cost-efficiency with its long lasting edge retention, STRIX has the luxurious feel that can fulfill your possessive instincts, and Cobalt Special has professional level durability that has high ROI. 

At JIKKO Cutlery, we carry knives that use these steel materials, and you can choose one based on favors and purposes. Think about how much time you can take to apply daily care, and how often you use the knife, and choose a steel material that is best suited for your situation, to find a “cost-effective, lifelong knife” for you.

THE High-speed steel material for Knives: SG2 and STRIX, their glamours 

SG2 Santoku knife with Purple Heart handle and SAYA(knife holder)

In recent years,  many people have started to pay attention to Powdered high-speed steel as the steel material, when choosing a Santoku knife. The SG2 and the STRIX steel, luxury line based from the SG2, has been the main stream material of the powdered high-speed steel. Both have high hardness (with a great amount of carbon content in the steel), and long lasting edge retention unlike any other. From here, we will dig deep about the features of SG2 and the STRiX steel, and will explain about how to choose between them based on cost-effectiveness.

SG2 Santoku knife: A steel material that has both durability and edge retention 

１．　Has high hardness level(high carbon content makes it harder)
２．　Has high ductility(harder to break/durable)
３．　Wear resistant is great (harder for the blade to chip/high edge retention)
４．　Excellent corrosion resistant (rust resistant)

The SG2 (super gold 2) has all 4 major criteria of the knife.

The SG2 powder metallurgy is a type of powdered high-speed steel manufactured by using technologies to compress metal powders in a mold, and then temper it with high temperature to produce metal parts. This technology lets the steel to have HRC62 hardness, which is extremely hard. Thanks to these technologies, the steel has higher wear resistance compared to the general stainless steel materials, and has high edge retention.

When SG2 steel is used for the Santoku knife, whether you cut vegetables or slice up chunks of meat, there will be less strain on the blade with daily use, and can lessen the amount of resharpening needed. The first investment will be higher, but if you think about the time and effort of resharpening with the whetstones and the strains to the knife, it is in fact, a cost-efficient steel to choose in the long run.

At JIKKO Cutlery, we offer SG2 Santoku knives with various designs.

LOCO Damascus SG2

You can enjoy the warmth of the natural wood with the Japanese oak wood handle. The Scandinavian style, simple handle will fit into the hands well too!

NEVER STAIN 2

All stainless steel Santoku knife. It is best suited for those who prioritize hygiene, and if you would like to use the dish washer to clean the knife. The knife is also a great help for those who are busy in the household as well. You can see the hammered design on the blades, combined with the Damascus patterns that makes the whole knife eye-catching and beautiful.

HIHO series: JACK

From the JIKKO Cutlery original design HIHO series, we introduced to you the SG2 Santoku knife, JACK. The charcoal dray blade with beautiful Damascus patterns is just gorgeous; the curve of the handle gives a stunning aura, and is shaped so that there will be less strain on the hands, so that you can enjoy cooking without stress. Since part of the spine of the blade is cut off, the knife is also very light compared to the regular Santoku knives.

STRIX Santoku knife: The luxurious steel with the ultimate edge retention

STRIX is JIKKO Cutlery’s luxury line steel material based from SG2, and we have carefully crafted it with passion during manufacturing processes and the final assembly. The thinness and the sharpness of the blade is supported by not just by the material itself; our craftsman's sharpening techniques has made it to reach the next level, and you’ll be able to enjoy the smooth cutting sensation.

In addition, the STRIX knife has a beautiful appearance on top of the high performance level. The delicate sharpening finishes will surely fill your possessive instincts, and the knife will be the piece that is perfect as your “lifetime knife”. It is, in fact, a perfect choice for many professional chefs, as well as those experienced chefs in the households that love to cook.

FLARE Santoku knife ZENKIRI 165

Generally, corrosion resistance and hardness are opposites. But STRIX, with precise composing designs, was able to balance out the two components, corrosion resistant and ductility with high standards, and was also able to strengthen metal substrate as well. The FLARE has a carbon fiber handle, and is quite durable. Exceptional steel materials with carbon fiber handle strong against water are combined excellently. 

We even got great comments from people that use the knife!

“It just cuts great. The knife just gets into the beef with one stroke, and the cut sections are like that of a high-end restaurant and are just excellent! I want to get the Petty and Nakiri knife from this series as well”

You’ll be sure to see and feel the difference from the knife you used in the past, and enjoy the amazement!

KITETSU Santoku knife ZENKIRI 165

This is similar to FLARE and has Japanese style handles, but with a natural wood instead. We have coated a special type of Japanese lacquer called ONIURUSHI (demon lacquer) onto the black oak handle. The blade has the same patterns as the FLARE model called YAGASURI (arrow feather) pattern, that are like arrows. Arrows were lucky charms and an important weapon for samurai warriors; the shot arrow, flying straight, not coming back, was known as a good luck pattern infused with wishes like “not missing the target” and “going straight forward”. We have lightly coated several layers of clear lacquer over the handle to finish it up, so you can feel the thickness of the lacquer. But, please be aware that lacquer does not do well with UV; we suggest not to use them outside for long periods of time.

The similarities of SG2 and STRIX, and how to choose between them

Both SG2 and STRIX are made from powdered high-speed steel, and have high wear resistance and long lasting edge retention. The biggest differences between the two are the ease of sharpening, finishing precision, the design, and the sense of ownership.

 If you put more importance on cost-effectiveness and want something that can cut long time, SG2 Santoku knives are good, while if you want something luxurious, life-lasting special knives, STRIX are great. The STRIX steel is still quite new, and you're sure to have a special sense of ownership just having it. Also, if you would like to sharpen the knife with a whetstone yourself, STRIX is easier to sharpen.

By categorizing the purpose and your values when choosing, your satisfaction level will surely be higher when buying the right knife for you. Our high quality knife lineup has different styles of knife including knives with SG2 and STRIX steel. Please choose a knife that best suits your cooking style!

The capabilities of Cobalt Special Santoku knives

A steel material that is often used for high-end knives, along with SG2 and STRIX steel, is Cobalt Special. It not only has excellent edge retention, but also has great durability, and is easy to sharpen; the steel is often chosen for many professional uses as well.

From here, we will explain the Cobalt Special’s characteristics, along with the difference from SG2/STRIX steel, and its potential from cost-efficiency point of view.

High density and wear resist with the addition of Cobalt

The Cobalt Special steel is a high-quality steel with extremely high hardness (HRC 62~64) and wear resistance, since the steel has high carbon content, and cobalt, along with chromium and molybdenum are added on to the steel. With its characteristics, the steel has long lasting sharp edge retention, and is able to slice apart ingredients without crushing the fibers. And even if you use the knife in a way that might make the knife dull, the knife can last longer than regular stainless steel knives, which you might see the sharpness dropping in just a few weeks. The Cobalt Special, with its structure obtained thru special steel making method that maximizes each component, has high potential that is like no other.

(The steel has extraordinary corrosion resistance with 1.1% Carbon (C) and 16% chromium (Cr) )

The reason why professionals choose, and the usability 

The Cobalt Special is highly acknowledged by many professional chefs and knife enthusiasts to have “good balance of sharpness and toughness”. While having a high hardness level, it also has ductility (tough and hard to break nature), so it is less likely for the blade to chip, and can be used for excessive amounts of cutting, safely. And since how lightly you can slice in the knife into the ingredients are so smooth, you can cut apart gristle and hard root vegetables compared to other steel material knives.

If you happen to choose the steel for your Santoku knife, the knife can be used for a wide range of ingredients from delicate cutting to maintain the vegetable’s moisture, to slicing fish and meat without crushing the fibers; the knife will surely greatly increase your cooking efficiency. At JIKKO Cutlery, we have used this material to create several types of knives for you to choose from!

The superiority of Cobalt Special in terms of long-term cost-efficiency 

At first, it may feel like the Cobalt Special knives are expensive, but it has high edge retention and is less likely to chip, so you do not need to resharpen the knife as often. Also, since the steel has high wear resistance,
The steel wears less by attrition when using the whetstone, so if you think about the maintenance costs, you can actually keep the total cost lower in a way.

In total, what makes Cobalt Special great, is how It “might be high expense at first, but is highly cost-efficient in the long run” for Santoku knives. So, if you are searching for a lifetime treasure-like knife, it’s an excellent choice. The knife is great, and quite cost-effective!

At JIKKO, we wanted our customers to enjoy the special Cobalt Special blade, so we have manufactured a Cobalt Special Santoku knife in the HIHO series.

HIHO series: QUEEN

QUEEN, a knife manufactured with Cobalt Special, is one of the JIKKO original HIHO series. The knife has a gentle and elegant shine to it. This white, gentle shimmer is called the KASUMI-finish. All the manufacturing processes are done by hand, with a great amount of time and patience. The whole HIHO series are hand manufactured with care, and QUEEN knives are made especially with special care and effort, and we can say that it’s handmade. The white oak handle also lives up to the name “QUEEN” as well.

How to maintain a Santoku knife to be life lasting

No matter how excellent the steel material may be, you won’t be able to bring out the Santoku knife’s full potential without proper maintenance and care. The SG2, STRIX, and Cobalt Special steel has long lasting edge retention, but the knife will truly be “a lifetime knife” with proper sharpening and storing. In this section, we will introduce to you maintenance tricks to heighten long term  efficiency.

The comparison between SG2/STRIX/Cobalt Special in term of periodic sharpening 

Each high quality steel has long lasting edge retention, but how you need to sharpen them is actually different.

☆SG2：Since it has high wear resistance, you only need to sharpen the knife once every few to6 months. But since the steel has a high hardness level, it is better to use diamond sharpeners rather than medium whetstones.

☆STRIX： The steel has traits of SG2, but with more precision finishing, so it’s best to sharpen the knife before sharpness drops. For professional usage, it’s best to sharpen once every month or two, and once every 6 months to year for home-use knives.

☆Cobalt Special： Since the steel has high ductility, the edge retention is excellent. But the steel is hard to sharpen with its high hardness level. When the blade becomes dull, you should carefully sharpen it with medium  grade whetstone. You should sharpen at similar timing as the SG2 steel, or a little longer. 

What you need to know is that all three steel should be sharpened BEFORE the sharpness drops, rather than when “the knife isn’t cutting well anymore”; you can keep the life of the knife longer by doing so.

Simple and easy to use sharpener: Take a look at whetstones and sharpeners at JIKKO Cutlery 

How to store and protect high quality steel knife from rust, the methods

Even if the steel has high durability, you won’t be able to bring out its full potential if you do not properly care after use. For high quality steel knives like STRIX and Cobalt Special, be aware of the following points:

☆Hand wash with dish detergent after use, and completely wipe off the liquid
☆If you’re not using the knife for a while, lightly coat the blade with oil by cloth
☆Store on a magnetic knife stand or in a knife holder, so the blade of the knife won’t be touching other metals.

By taking these small everyday steps, you’ll be able to maintain the steel material’s original potential, and that is the trick to having a cost-effective knife.

The overall rating with weight, balance, and ease of sharpening 

The value of the knife as a “life-timer” can change not only by the steel materials, but also how you care for the knife, and ease of use. The SG2 and STRIX steel knives have light and sharp blades, but delicately made knives need careful sharpening. Meanwhile, the Cobalt Special knives have more weight, and you’ll be able to safely cut into the ingredients.

If you think about the whetstones and the ability to resharpen the knives, the cost-effectiveness of a knife is different depending on your cooking style. Ultimately, the knife that you can “use with ease for a long time” is the true cost-efficient knife.

How to find the BEST, most cost-efficient Santoku knife from SG2, STRIX, and Cobalt Special 

IWAGUMO: SG2 hand sharpened finish

If you are choosing a “life-timer” Santoku knife, you should think about the long term cost-effectiveness, and not just the initial investment needed.

☆SG2 steel, has high hardness level and edge retention like all powdered high-speed steel, and you can lessen the amount of resharpening needed.

☆STRIX is a steel that has made SG2 even more high grade, and you’ll be sure to feel great satisfaction with the beauty, and the excellent edge retention it has.

☆Cobalt Special steel has great balance of high hardness and ductility, and has professional level durability and practicality.

Whichever steel you choose, the knife will be many steps further from “cheap but not long-lasting knives” that you need to replace every now and then; in the long run, you can lessen the amount of resharpening and replacements, so they are actually quite economical. That’s why you can say that high quality knives are truly a more cost-effective option to choose. 

At JIKKO, we carry various high-end knives, including SG2, STRIX, and Cobalt Special knives. Please visit JIKKO Cutlery’s official website to see and find your own “lifetime knife” that is perfect for you.