Chef’s knife, gyuto, with a 218 mm long blade, featuring fantastic tapering and a beautiful handle made of stabilized maple with a buffalo horn spacer.

Steel: Shirogami #2 with an iron cladding
Handle: Stabilized maple with buffalo horn spacer
Weight: 176 g
Thickness at heel: 3.5 mm
Thickness at middle of spine: 2 mm
Blade height at heel: 54 mm
Edge length: 218 mm

Note: Measurements and weight may vary slightly since the knife is hand-forged.

Ajikataya is the name of a series of knives produced in collaboration between son Mutsumi and father Tsukasa. The knives are made from Shirogami #2 carbon steel, and the finish on the blades is stunningly beautiful. The Hinoura family is one of Japan’s foremost blacksmithing families. All knives are hand-forged hot, and no blade leaves Hinoura’s hands until it is razor sharp and forged to perfection.

In the Ajikataya series, Shirogami #2 carbon steel is used and hardened to 63 HRC. This is a very hard carbon steel that takes an extremely sharp edge. Hinoura’s knives are immensely popular, and delivery times are very long.

The blade finish is called nashiji-kurouchi, a rough, black-oxidized surface that gives the knife a rustic and authentic feel.

Finally, the thin and fine edge has been given a beautiful kasumi finish. Kasumi is a misty, silky-smooth finish that enhances the contrast between the shiny core steel and the softer outer layer. Very few knives come with such a beautifully finished blade.

Note: Carbon steel is not stainless! Always dry the knife thoroughly after use to prevent rust. Over time, the carbon steel will develop a patina in various tones—this is completely normal, but it can be polished away with polishing paste if desired.