Yu Kurosaki Kokusen Ei Santoku 170 mm

Yu Kurosaki

These are easily some of the most beautiful knives we have at the shop. Made by Master Blacksmith Yu Kurosaki who works out of a newly constructed shop just steps from the Takefu knife village community centre. He began his blacksmith journey in 2002 at Kanehiro and now only 17 short years later he has been awarded his Master Blacksmith designation by the Echizen Blacksmith Foundation. His knives represent the future of Blacksmithing in Japan as he focuses on traditional technique while using innovative and progressive design's and finishes that have garnered the attention of many chef's around the globe. Simply put his knives are stunning to look at and dare we say perform even better than they look.

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

This new "Kurosen" line (combination of "Kuro" meaning black, and the "Senko Ei" stainless series) from Yu Kurosaki utilizing the roll forge technique which cuts down the cost, but you still get the great steel (Aogami/Blue Super), thin grind, and fit and finish of the hand forged Shizuku line. These fall into the laser category and while are more delicate than some other knives have a buttery smooth cutting feel due to the thinness behind the edge from the high bevel grinds. These guys have a kurouchi (blacksmith) finish, stainless clad, and Aogami/Blue Super steel core -- making for an excellent "best of both worlds" knife!

Santoku translates to three virtues. Meat, fish, and vegetables, or slicing, dicing, and chopping. No matter what way you look at it, it implies the versatility of the knife. While you sacrifice some of the slicing capability of a larger gyuto, don't be fooled by its size, the santoku can get 99% of your kitchen tasks done without breaking a sweat, which is probably why its the most popular shape in Japanese home kitchens.

• This knife is made from 3 layers of steel using a technique called Sanmai (Forge welding). It involves laminating a piece of Carbon steel with two pieces of Stainless steel giving the knife all the benefits of the carbon steel (Edge retention, ease of sharpening, cutting feel) and the Ease of Maintenance from Stainless steel. 2-3 millimeters of the carbon steel is exposed at the edge of the knife and is susceptible to rust and discouloration if not properly maintained.
• Simply Wipe the knife with a damp cloth immediately after use to keep it from rusting or discouloring.
• 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.

Follow these care recommendations for your Japanese knives to protect the edge and keep them sharp as long as possible: 

• Do not put them in the dishwasher or soak them in water, as this may ruin the wooden handle and rust the blade. 
• Wash with soapy water and wipe dry after each use, especially after handling acidic ingredients, to minimize the risk of rusting.  
• Don’t cut through anything you wouldn’t bite through, like frozen foods, hard candies, or bones, as this may chip or damage the knife. 
• Don't torque the blade, as this may chip the knife. Use it in a forward and back, up and down motion without twisting.
• Don’t scrape the cutting board with your knife, as this will cause it to dull quickly and ruin your edge. 
• Use an end grain wooden cutting board or hi-soft rubberized cutting board if you can to protect your edge. Glass, bamboo, and granite are terrible materials for cutting boards, and plastic is only slightly better. 

All products are shipped within 24 hours. We offer same day shipping for products ordered by 12pm. Please allow 4-7 business days for your shipment to arrive with standard shipping. Expedited shipping options are also available at checkout.

We offer free shipping on orders within Canada over $150 CAD and free shipping on orders to the US over $200 USD.

Curbside pick-up is available at both our Hamilton and Etobicoke locations.

To make sure our customers are always satisfied, we offer full refunds on products for 14 days after receiving them. See our full return policy for details.

More questions? Check out our shipping policy, our return policy, or reach out to us directly.