| Blade Length |
196 mm |
| Total Length |
340 mm |
| Steel |
R2 (SG2)
|
| Handle |
Custom
|
| Ferrule |
Stainless Steel |
| Rockwell |
63-65 |
| Height Spine to heel |
49 mm |
| Width at Spine |
2 mm |
| Weight |
257 grams |
The Blacksmith
Nigara Hamono is located in Hirosaki city, Aomori Prefecture, on the west coast of the very northern tip of the main island of Honshu, Japan. Their family has a 350 year old history of making knives and swords and more recently has expanded into structural steel beams for use in construction. Tsuyoshi Yoshizawa stands as the 8th generation smith in the lineage of blacksmiths at Nigara Hamono and creates knives with his younger brother and two other craftsmen.
Nigara Hamono knives are characterized by their signature tsuchime pattern, as well as play with stainless damascus. These knives stand out for their aesthetic appeal, thinness behind the edge, and functionality, given they make their steel in house, and work primarily with high powdered stainless steels. They produce uniquely versatile profiles, ranging from very flat “kiritsuke nakiris” to aggressively curved “kiritsuke gyutos”.
The Knife
The Kiritsuke is an all purpose knife geared more toward the professional than the home cook though it's a great option for home cooks who prefer a longer knife. This knife is double beveled and is therefore suitable for both right and left handed users but traditionally the Kiritsuke is single beveled and only the head chef is permitted to use one in traditional sushi restaurants.
Kiritsukes function much like a gyuto or chef's knife and can be used for basically any task. They are a great option for those who prefer to use an up and down, forward and backward chopping motion rather than a rocking motion due to the lack of curvature to the blade. This coupled with the K-tip (aka reverse tanto tip) make it a fantastic slicing knife as well, although the k-tip is much more delicate than a traditional curved tip. Typically, kiritsukes carry a flatter profile and are more suited to push/pull cutting style, as opposed to the rocking motion.
Knife Care (Stainless Steel)
- Although this knife is made from stainless steel we do still encourage our customers to keep their knives as dry and clean as possible.
- NO DISHWASHER - the high heat will ruin the wooden handle.
- Wash and dry by hand using regular dish soap and warm water using a none abrasive sponge or cloth.
- Ensure the knife is dry before being put away for storage and ensure the edge of the knife is protected to avoid any unnecessary dulling.
- Avoid Bones, Frozen foods, nuts and hard candies or anything other than fruits, vegetables and proteins.
