Hitohira Hinode Kurouchi White #2 Paring 90mm Ho Wood Handle

The Hitohira Hinode and Ajikataya series are forged by Sanjo based blacksmith Mutsumi Hinoura. He is the 4th generation blacksmith in the Hinoura family and trained under his father, the highly esteemed master blacksmith Tsukasa Hinoura. He runs a beautifully clean and organized workshop. The blades feature a tsuchime, nashiji or smooth kurouchi finish as is characteristic for Sanjo style knives. His kurouchi is very long lasting and greatly reduces oxidation on the carbon steel blades. The spine is somewhat thick, but tapers down to a very thin tip and similarly towards the edge. The wide bevel is super clean, flat and polished which makes for ease of maintenance. These knives have a steady feel to them, they’re strong but thin behind the edge for super clean and precise cuts. We carry multiple knives by Hinoura San, a variety of shapes and finishes. Restocks expected every 5-6 months.

Petty knives (Utilty) have a similar profile as the Gyuto but smaller, commonly ranging from 12 to 15cm. A shape most often used next to any larger all-purpose blade (gyuto & santoku) although there are many households where this is the go-to knife. Very suitable for the smaller cutting tasks such as cleaning, portioning and peeling fruits and vegetables and cleaning smaller cuts of meat or fish. 

Pairing knives are more used for in-hand tasks such as peeling, trimming, scoring and cleaning and fruit or vegetable. 

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.