Gyuto knife, Shirogami 2 with stainless steel cladding, Kurouchi finish - Mutsumi Hinoura

A fantastic knife from Mutsumi Hinoura, the son of Sanjo knife maker Master Tsukasa Hinoura. The demand for his kitchen knives is very high and they are incredibly hard to get hold of. Luckily, during our last trip to Japan, we got to meet Mutsumi-san and his father. From this trip we were able to start building a relationship and we're pleased to say we now have some of his knives in stock.

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

STEEL: Shirogami (white) 2 steel. It is a reactive carbon steel which is easy to sharpen and holds an edge well. This steel is often chosen for traditional-style Japanese knives. It is worth noting that this knife has been clad in stainless steel meaning only the exposed core edge will discolour making maintenance a lot easier.

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 oak handle with walnut ferule

LENGTH: 210mm or 240mm in length 

MAKER: Mutsumi Hinoura - Sanjo, Japan

BEST FOR: A great knife connected to a long history of knife making in the Hinoura family

SAUNDERS SAYS: "Anything made by the Hinoura family would be more than welcome on my knife rack.”