Chef's Knife

Gyuto chef's knife with a 24 cm blade

Steel: Shirogami #2 with iron cladding (not stainless)
Finish: Black Kurouchi with a coarse Nashiji texture
Blade height: 55 mm
Weight: 223 grams
Cutting edge length: 240 mm
Handle: Burnt chestnut with a buffalo-horn bolster, oval in shape.

Masashi Yamamoto is a highly respected bladesmith from the city of Sanjo, Japan. His knives are forged entirely by hand and are of a very high standard.

The spine has a well-judged taper and the knife cuts superbly. The blades have generous height, and the edges are very thin and delicate. The Shirogami #2 steel core is surrounded by black-oxidized iron cladding. This makes the knife very easy to sharpen, particularly for those who regularly thin the blade face and want to polish it to a beautiful Kasumi finish. The edge arrives needle-sharp because Masashi is also a passionate knife sharpener. These knives require no additional sharpening.

A particularly prominent feature of Masashi's forging is the flat profile with a very long flat spot. This produces very precise cuts, but makes the knife less suitable for a rocking cutting technique.

The handle is made from burnt chestnut with a buffalo-horn bolster. It is oval in shape.

This is a truly excellent, high-performance knife that we warmly recommend. Read more about Masashi and see photographs from our visit to his forge in September 2019.

Note: Carbon steel is not stainless. Always wipe the knife dry after use to prevent rust. Over time, the carbon steel will develop a patina in different tones. This is entirely normal, but it can be polished away with polishing paste if desired.