Kitaoka Usuba 160 mm

Hideo Kitaoka 

Hideo Kitaoka is both a third generation blacksmith, and a founding member of the Takefu Knife Village in Echizen, Japan. Starting his apprenticeship under his father and grandfather from a very young age, Kitaoka-san has spent decades specializing in and perfecting single beveled knives, and working solely with Aogami and Shirogami steel. With surprisingly levels of fit and finish, and fantastic grinds, we don't think you can find a better single bevel for anywhere near the price of these affordable, high performance works of art!

Takefu Knife Village

The Takefu Knife Village is a cooperative workshop in the Echizen region of Japan. It is the home to a long list of blacksmiths that we work with and many young and upcoming apprentices learning the trade. The area has a 700 year long history of smithing with roots in agricultural tools turned cutlery powerhouse.

The Knife

The Usuba is a vegetable chopping knife commonly used in Japanese restaurants. They are similar to their double beveled counterparts the "Nakiri" in shape but they typically feature a much flatter profile which makes them unsuitable for a rock chopping motion. They are great for specialized cuts like " katsuramuki" which involves shaving cylindrical vegetables into thin sheets.

*THIS KNIFE IS FOR RIGHT HANDED USERS ONLY*

Knife Care (Iron Clad)

• This Knife is made from 3 layers of material; A layer of iron on each side protecting a layer of carbon steel at the core, in a process referred to as Sanmai or forge welding. Iron and carbon steel are both susceptible to rust and must be kept dry and clean at all time’s to avoid oxidation and discolouration.
• Simply wipe the knife with a damp cloth immediately after use.
• Wash with regular dish soap and warm water using a none abrasive sponge or cloth.
• Never put your knife in the dishwasher! The extreme heat will ruin the wooden handle.

• Highly acidic ingredients (Onions, Tomatoes, Citrus) Will cause rust and oxidation to happen faster, thus the user must ensure the knife is wiped clean immediately after working with such an ingredient.
• Should any rust form it can be removed using a rust eraser or a mixture of Baking soda and water to simply scrub it clean.
• Avoid Bones, Frozen foods, nuts and hard candies or anything other than fruits, vegetables and proteins.