Japanese Artisan Nakiri Knife 16.5cm Yoshimi Kato AS Raw Finish

This 16.5cm nakiri knife is crafted by young Japanese blacksmith Yoshimi Kato, a certified craftsman from the town of Takefu. He has studied under several renowned blacksmiths, including Hiroshi Kato San (his father-in-law), a highly respected cutler in Japan and around the world (photo below with Hiroshi san on the left and Yoshimi san on the right).

Hiroshi Kato is one of the greatest master blacksmiths of our time. He has been creating knives almost every day for almost half a century. He is also one of the founding members of the Takefu Cutlery Village , which facilitates the work of blacksmiths in the area, who can share their skills, materials and ideas. He now teaches his art to the next generation.

Yoshimi has taken over his workshop and continues to create his master's knives (now retired), while launching his own creations. Yoshimi Kato San began his apprenticeship in 2013. Highly talented, he quickly assimilates the craft. He continues Hiroshi Kato San's knifemaking legacy, while bringing innovative ideas that all chefs will appreciate!

Each Kato knife is crafted in the Japanese tradition, using meticulous techniques and high-precision processes, to ensure a unique piece that will suit you perfectly, or make the ideal gift for a cook.

Knife specifications :

Blade :

It is manufactured according to a traditional Japanese pattern: with 3 layers of steel. This superposition of alloys is calledSan Maï, which means "3 layers" in Japanese.

- At the heart of the knife is a core of Japanese Blue Super Steel(Aogami Super in Japanese), produced by Hitachi steel mills. This top-of-the-range alloy is highly enriched with carbon, followed by chromium and tungsten. For example, its carbon content is around 1.4/1.5%, which is very high compared to the average of between 0.5 and 1% for Western and Japanese blades combined.

The unique characteristics of Blue Super steel enable it to achieve an extreme rigidity of 64-65 HRC, one of the highest hardness levels found in cutlery. This alloy is renowned for its ability to deliver a very fine cutting edge, resulting in outstanding cutting quality.

The second advantage of such high hardness is its excellent edge retention. Indeed, harder steel wears less, so the knife edge stays sharper longer, and the need for sharpening is much less regular (if you use it as a private individual, you won't need to sharpen it more than 2 or 3 times a year).

In addition, the Aogami Super used for this range is highly prized by the Japanese for its ease of sharpening. In fact, despite its hardness, it is very quick to sharpen and takes very little time to do so.

- The core is then surrounded by a layer ofmild stainless steel on each side, to protect the Aogami Super from oxidation and to make the cutting surface "softer" (not in the sense of "flexible", but to make it less brittle when you use it).

Finishes :

The blade has a rough forged finish . You can tell by its very dark, rustic look, which gives it a lot of character (this finish is appreciated by traditional Japanese chefs).

It is hand-sharpened to guarantee excellent cutting performance. The Japanese characters on its surface are engraved by hand.

The handle :

The handle is made of cherry wood, a robust, light-colored wood that is very pleasant to work with. Its octagonal shape hugs the inside of your hand, for marked control of the knife as you use it. Right-handed and left-handed alike will feel right at home with it.

The cherry wood is complemented by a bolster in clear Pakkawood (an antibacterial composite material resistant to humidity and temperature variations). The contrast between the light-colored handle and the dark blade is striking.

Finally, the junction between the blade and the bolster is filled with a wood paste that seals the whole, preventing small scraps and cleaning water from penetrating the inside of the handle.

Care and maintenance :

It's important to note that it's normal for steel to discolor over time, turning dark blue despite good care. This is not dangerous. Aogami Super steel is very reactive, so it's essential to dry it with a cloth immediately after use and washing. Store in a dry place after use.

To maintain its appearance and effectiveness over time, the knife should be washed by hand. Do not leave in contact with moisture for prolonged periods. Dishwashing, soaking in water or leaving to dry in the open air are all things to be avoided (whatever the knife, even if it's stainless steel).

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