Skip to product information
1 of 3

Hitohira

Hitohira Tanaka Kyuzo Blue #1 Kurouchi Santoku 180mm Yakusugi Cedar Handle

Regular price
€433,00 EUR
Regular price
Sale price
€433,00 EUR
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Description

Tanaka Yoshikazu is widely considered to be one of the best blacksmiths in Sakai, most renowned for his Blue #1. He’s been awarded the title Dento Kogeishi: a Japanese government certified traditional craftsman. To earn this title, one has to have many years of experience and vast knowledge of one’s craft.
Tanaka Uchihamono’s methods are very traditional: using white and blue steel, relying only on eyesight to determine steel temperatures, using pine charcoal in the forge and straw ash for annealing. Tanaka knives are most known for their incredible ease of sharpening and edge retention. They rely completely on their skill and intuition more than modern tools. Here the production time for a single knife is also notably longer than most other workshops which means they produce lower quantities.

In this series Tanaka’s work is paired with Kyuzo’s first class shaping and sharpening. Kyuzo, son of one of the busiest sharpeners in Sakai and student of one of the best and most influential double bevel sharpeners in Sakai. Now he is one of the few to be able to grind a crisp and consistent shinogi line on a wide double bevel knife.
This series is characterized as thin (edges and spines) with slightly more heel height, all with lovely taper, good balance and fitted with the best handles like ebony or ziricote.

What kind of knife is this?

An equally all-round knife as the gyuto but more orientated to homestyle cooking. Incredibly versatile on its own, easy to use, nimble and suitable for a wide variety of cutting tasks. The bunka is a version of the santoku but with a Kiritsuke tip. This style tip will excel in more delicate work while it still retains the all-purpose functionality of the santoku. 

Care Instructions

This is a carbon steel knife. That means this knife is made of non-stainless steel. There is no or an insufficient amount of chromium and/or nickel to protect this steel against oxidation. Steel such as this will react to moisture and oxygen. That on itself is not a bad thing, you might even argue it’s a great thing. The knife will form a wonderful patina, it will sharpen easily and the edge life will not disappoint.

The care for a carbon steel knife such as this is not very elaborate, and very comparable to any other knife. Always store your knife clean and dry, no dishwasher, don’t let it air-dry and avoid extremely hard products like frozen foods or bones. With carbon steel you want to dry your knife also during cooking, never leave it moist or wet for too long. Often a quick wipe a dry cloth or towel is more than enough. A carbon steel knife can rust if not taken care of properly. Rust can removed but it is of course something we want to avoid.

Please note that there are many different carbon steels, just like stainless steels, each with its own properties and characteristics. Each should be judged individually.


Detailed Spec

Brand: Hitohira ひとひら (一片)
Smith: Tanaka Blacksmith 田中打刃物製作所
Producing Area: Sakai-Osaka/ Japan
Profile: Santoku
Size: 180mm
Steel Type: Carbon Steel
Steel: Yasuki Blue (Aogami) #1, Soft Iron Clad
Handle: Yakusugi Cedar & Buffalo Horn Ferrule Octagonal
Total Length: 320mm
Edge Length: 175mm
Handle to Tip Length: 185mm
Blade Height: 52mm
Thickness: 3mm
Handle Length: 134mm
Weight: 158g
Hand Orientation: Ambidextrous