Hitohira Imojiya TH Stainless Honesuki Kaku 150mm Ebony Handle (Wa)

The Honesuki is a Japanese-style butchery knife, mainly used for breaking down and deboning poultry and larger cuts of meat. The Honesuki Kaku version is more suited to poultry work. It has a pronounced heel that makes it great for cutting through cartilage while the Maru version, with its more rounded profile, works better for other types of meat but isn’t quite as efficient on poultry. Many Honesuki knives have an asymmetric grind, so make sure to check the hand orientation before choosing one.

This is a stainless steel knife. Stainless steel gets its name from the inclusion of chromium (10-13%) in the alloy, which forms a protective film that helps prevent rust and corrosion by acting as a barrier between the metal and oxygen. While stainless steel knives are practical, functional, and easier to maintain than carbon steel, they are not completely maintenance-free. With improper care, they can still rust or develop pitting—after all, "stainless" does not mean "stain-free."

The level of corrosion resistance varies depending on the type of stainless steel used, but the basic principles of care are similar to those for carbon steel knives. To maintain your knife, store it clean and dry, avoid air-drying after washing, never use the dishwasher, and steer clear of cutting extremely hard items like frozen food or bones.
The key advantage of stainless steel over carbon steel is a greater margin for error—its rust resistance is higher, making it easier to maintain with less worry.

Remember, not all stainless steels are the same. Just like with carbon steels, each stainless steel alloy has its own unique properties and performance characteristics, and should be judged individually.