Yaxell HANA

Yaxell HANA

Yaxell Hana - Japanese craftsmanship from Seki, accessible to everyone

Yaxell Corporation was founded in 1932 in Seki, a city in Gifu Prefecture that has been the centre of Japanese knife and sword making tradition for over 780 years. The city owes its position to a unique combination of raw materials: steel, charcoal, water and clay, which drew the first swordsmiths there during the Kamakura period. After the Sword Abolishment Edict of 1876, the masters of Seki redirected their craft towards kitchen tools - and the city became the heart of Japanese kitchen knife production that it remains to this day.

Yaxell is a family business, led by the Yamada family, and works exclusively with local artisans in Seki. Every knife is hand-forged, ground and finished - from striking the steel to engraving the logo. The company gained international recognition through its higher series (Ran, Gou, Zen) and grew into one of the most respected Japanese kitchen knife brands worldwide, present in the kitchens of top chefs and serious home cooks on every continent.

The Hana series is Yaxell's answer to a specific question: can a knife with all the hallmarks of Japanese craftsmanship - handmade in Seki, sharpened to 16 degrees per side, San Mai construction - also be accessible to a wider audience? The answer is yes. The Hana series offers honest Japanese craftsmanship without unnecessary luxury: no Damascus pattern, no exotic wood, no titanium. Just a well-made knife, perfectly sharpened, from the greatest knife-making city in the world.

The steel: MOVAX in San Mai construction

The Hana series blades are built in a San Mai construction: a MOVAX steel core clad on both sides with softer stainless outer layers. The outer layers protect the hard core, absorb shocks, and on the Hana produce the characteristic polished cladding line that visibly separates the core zone from the outer layers.

MOVAX - what is it?

MOVAX is the brand name Yaxell uses for the core steel alloy in the Hana series. The name decodes as Mo-Va-X: Molybdenum, Vanadium, and the designation "10" - pointing to AUS10, a high-quality stainless steel from Aichi Steel in Japan. AUS10 is one of the most popular steels for quality Japanese kitchen knives, known for its excellent balance between hardness, toughness and corrosion resistance.

Composition and properties

• Carbon (C: 0.95-1.10%) - A high carbon content for a stainless steel. This enables a fine, sharp cutting edge and contributes to good edge retention.
• Chromium (Cr: 13-14.5%) - Well above the 10.5% needed to qualify steel as "stainless." High chromium content delivers excellent corrosion resistance, including with acidic foods.
• Molybdenum (Mo) - Increases toughness and corrosion resistance. Molybdenum specifically helps prevent pitting corrosion - the small rust spots that can develop when knives are exposed to salt or acidic ingredients.
• Vanadium (V) - Refines the grain structure of the steel, improves wear resistance and contributes to a more stable cutting edge.
• Hardness: 58 HRC - This is a deliberately moderate hardness for a Japanese knife. Harder Japanese steels (60-67 HRC, such as VG10, Aogami or SG2) are sharper and hold their edge longer, but are also more brittle and more susceptible to chipping with improper use. The 58 HRC of MOVAX is the ideal compromise for a knife used daily, including by less experienced users: sharp enough for all kitchen tasks, forgiving enough not to require special handling.
• Edge angle: 16 degrees per side - Sharper than European chef's knives (20-22 degrees). This makes the Hana noticeably sharper than most Western knives, with a finer and cleaner cut.
• Finish: sandblasted - The blade has a satin sandblasted finish that visually accentuates the cladding line and gives the knife a clean, minimalist character.

MOVAX versus VG10

The higher Yaxell series (Ran, Gou) use VG10 as the core steel - the gold standard for Japanese kitchen knives. VG10 typically reaches 60-62 HRC and offers slightly better edge retention. MOVAX/AUS10 sits at 58 HRC and is less susceptible to chipping under harder use or less precise sharpening technique. For most home cooks the practical difference is small; the advantage of MOVAX lies in the lower threshold for use and maintenance.

The handle: octagonal pakkawood

The Hana series handle is made from dark brown walnut-coloured pakkawood with an octagonal cross-section. Pakkawood is a composite material of wood veneer impregnated with synthetic resin under high pressure - moisture-resistant, dimensionally stable and hygienic, with the appearance of natural wood.

The octagonal shape is a traditional Japanese handle geometry that provides excellent tactile orientation: the hand automatically feels the blade position without looking. During extended use the shape reduces hand and wrist fatigue by preventing the knife from rotating. The handle is seamlessly and permanently fitted to the blade - no seams, no rivets, no moving parts.

Care

• ✅ Hand-wash immediately after use. Never in the dishwasher.
• ✅ Dry immediately after washing.
• ✅ Use a wooden or plastic cutting board. Stone, glass and ceramic damage the cutting edge.
• ✅ Sharpen on a whetstone (1000-3000 grit for maintenance, 6000+ for finishing). The fine Japanese edge angle requires a whetstone or precision sharpener; honing steels and pull-through sharpeners are not suitable.
• ✅ Store on a knife block or magnetic strip. Loose storage in a drawer damages the edge.
• ⚠️ Not for chopping hard bones or frozen products. The thin Japanese geometry is for precision, not heavy chopping.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Yaxell Corporation, Seki, Japan (founded 1932)
• Construction: San Mai (MOVAX core + stainless outer layers)
• Core steel: MOVAX (AUS10 equivalent), stainless
• Hardness: 58 HRC
• Edge angle: 16 degrees per side
• Grind: Double bevel (50/50)
• Finish: Sandblasted (satin)
• Handle: Octagonal pakkawood, dark brown walnut colour
• Fitting: Seamless, permanent
• Origin: Seki, Japan