# Kato Worhkorse core steel?



## Mucho Bocho (Aug 2, 2016)

Does anybody know or have an educated guess at what Kato uses as his core steel? I'm pretty sure he uses W#2 for the standard build. Could it be White#1? It just doesn't feel like blue steel to me as you can get the edge so keen, very similar feeling to my other W#1 knives.


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## spoiledbroth (Aug 2, 2016)

Isn't this the spicy white ? Though I know very little about kato


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## labor of love (Aug 2, 2016)

Non workhorse Katos have been advertised as white 2 in the past.


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## LucasFur (Sep 13, 2016)

I have only used my workhorse. Comparing to my other knife steels i used and sharpened, 
It sharpens and keeps its edge most like white 2. but it does not feel like white 2 on the stones or on the board. Its just the closest, out of the steels i own, I don't really think my workhorse is White 2 steel. 
I also have a iwasaki tamahagane razor and had a Dashi tamahagane razor its again close but these were hardened to a higher HRC, its hard to compare. 

I still think its a production level steel though. watching his video from maxim you can see its a long uniform rod that he starts the production of his knife with.


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## mikedtran (Sep 13, 2016)

Standard Kato - White #2

My guess on Workhorse is actually Blue #2 or #1 because I have seen Tosho having Yanagibas in Blue steel so we know that Kato-san works with that steel and it would have better edge retention which many people notice with the Workhorse.


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## aboynamedsuita (Sep 13, 2016)

Comparing my Damascus gyuto to the Workhorse gyuto id say the edge retention does seem better on the workhorse. The email Maksim sent for the Damascus in mid-March indicated they were the non workhorse and white 2


> Katos Only one each !!!!  They are not "Workhorses"
> So they are white 2 steels and bit shorter in length


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## Iggy (Sep 14, 2016)

Hm I thought it's made from the same or a similar swedish carbon iwasaki, heiji and shig use... :scratchhead:


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## Sharpchef (Sep 14, 2016)

mikedtran said:


> Standard Kato - White #2
> 
> My guess on Workhorse is actually Blue #2 or #1 because I have seen Tosho having Yanagibas in Blue steel so we know that Kato-san works with that steel and it would have better edge retention which many people notice with the Workhorse.



I would go in different direction...... My Standart Kato got a very good edge retention, as far as we can talk about this on White 2..... My Workhorse ok longer, much more weight, etc. (could depend on this too, especially while chopping)..... Still have to figure this is really handmade so HT can be different. The steel feels different at least. Edge retention is better on standart in my opinion....
So i would guess the steel is something similar to Blue1, with bad HT in my case (or just my cutting technique that leads to more edge dullness due to its heavier weight????? The standart Kato gets sharp more easy, like the difference between Shirogami and Aogami on other knives.

Greets Sebastian.


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## LucasFur (Sep 15, 2016)

ok, so Blue 2 is the general consensus?


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## XooMG (Sep 15, 2016)

I am not seeing consensus.


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## chinacats (Sep 15, 2016)

Didn't seem like blue 2 to me...


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## Mucho Bocho (Sep 15, 2016)

I think i read Maxim say "Spicy White #1" the spicy part is the addition of carbon that the steel absorbs from the charcoal used to temper the blades. You guys have seen it, sometimes they put hay or grass on top of the coals while cooling. I'll conject to say one of the things that makes his blade so mysterious, there's Kato magic in the alchemy.


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