Hitohira Gorobei Rikichi White #2 Kasumi Nakiri Ho Wood Handle

Gorobei’s fine hand forged carbon steels, shaped and sharpened by Rikichi, form solid blades with a more pronounced convex grind but still nice and thin behind the edge. A more substantial spine combined with some height give these knives a sturdy and reliable feel. Knives in white #2 sport a ho wood handle and weigh slightly less than the more hefty blue #2 knives which also come with the classic ho wood handles. Both feature a kasumi finished soft iron cladding with handle to tip polishing and have a chamfered spine and choil.

I’m saddened to inform you that the blacksmith “Gorobei” is now retired. We will not receive any new knives by his hand.

The classic vegetable knife. Highly functional for processing large amounts of vegetables and preforming finer cutting tasks such as julienne of brunoise. The absence of a pronounced belly in the profile orientates it more towards chopping style cutting motions rather than rolling cuts. 

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.