Gyuto knife, Aogami Super with iron cladding, Kurouchi finish - Motokyuuichi

This excellent maker from Nagasaki has a long tradition of making iron clad knives and tools. We have been really impressed with what we have seen so far.

SHAPE: Gyuto. Japan's answer to the chef's knife with a thinner profile. Gyuto translates to cow sword.

STEEL: Aogami (blue paper) super steel. This is very similar to white paper steel but with tungsten and chromium added to it which helps with edge retention and slows down rusting. It differs from the other blue paper steels with the addition of Vanadium and Molybdenum.The super part indicates the highest amount of carbon steel at up to 1.5% out of the blue series steels. This has then been hardened to around 65 rockwell making it very hard and capable of retaining an edge for a very long time. Due to the non stainless nature of this steel care must be taken to dry the knives properly after use.

FINISH: Kurouchi. This is a traditional, rustic finish achieved by leaving the furnace scale from the forging process on the blade rather than polishing it off. It has the advantage of reducing the reactivity of the surface of the knife and gives the blade a stylish, matt black finish.

HANDLE: Octagonal rosewood handle with pakkawood ferrule. 

LENGTH: 180mm  and 210mm in length 

MAKER: Motokyuuichi - Nagasaki, Japan

BEST FOR: Day to day chopping of everything except bones and hard stuff.

SAUNDERS SAYS: “Wow, the fit and finish on these excellent for the price. I would definitely put this range in the mid to heavyweight Japanese category, having said this they to thin nicely toward the edge."

These knives are hand-forged so there may be slight variations in measurements and finishes.