Hitohira TD Blue #2 Stainless Clad Kurouchi Honesuki Kaku 150mm Walnut Handle

The Hitohira TD series consists of sturdy handmade knives from Sanjo, Niigata. All the knives we carry in the TD series are hand forged which makes for a noticeable improvement in steel quality. Very good prices for hand-forged knives. They come in kurouchi, tsuchime, nashiji and sometimes migaki finished stainless cladding on either Blue #2 or SLD core steel. Like many Sanjo made knives, they have spines that are somewhat thicker towards the neck, making for a nice grip and a little more weight. Very well made and dependable knives.

This is a carbon steel knife with a soft stainless steel cladding. Many Japanese knives are constructed with a 3-layer design known as “San Mai,” where a hard, high-quality steel core is sandwiched between two layers of softer steel. In this case, the core is made of carbon steel, while the outer layers, or cladding, are composed of stainless steel. This construction combines the benefits of a carbon steel edge—such as easy sharpening and excellent edge retention—with the added corrosion resistance of stainless steel for the rest of the blade.

Although the cladding offers protection against oxidation, it’s still important to care for the knife properly. Store it clean and dry, avoid air-drying after washing, and never place it in the dishwasher. Additionally, steer clear of cutting very hard materials like frozen food or bones, which can damage the edge.

The Honesuki is a Japanese style butchery knife used for breaking down and deboning poultry and lager cuts of meat. The honesuki Kaku in functionality leans more towards (but not only!) poultry filleting while the Maru version works better with other meats and lacks a bit of efficiency for poultry, mainly due to the lack of heel which on the Kaku is used to cut trough cartilage. Please pay close attention to the hand orientation of each individual knife as the Honesuki ofter has an asymmetric geometry. 

This is a carbon steel knife with a soft stainless steel cladding. Many Japanese knives are constructed with a 3-layer design known as “San Mai,” where a hard, high-quality steel core is sandwiched between two layers of softer steel. In this case, the core is made of carbon steel, while the outer layers, or cladding, are composed of stainless steel. This construction combines the benefits of a carbon steel edge—such as easy sharpening and excellent edge retention—with the added corrosion resistance of stainless steel for the rest of the blade.

Although the cladding offers protection against oxidation, it’s still important to care for the knife properly. Store it clean and dry, avoid air-drying after washing, and never place it in the dishwasher. Additionally, steer clear of cutting very hard materials like frozen food or bones, which can damage the edge.