Up for sale is a Tsunehisa 210mm Aogami (Blue) Super Kurouchi Tsuchime Kiritsuke. This series of Tsunehisa Aogami Super Kurouchi Tsuchime (Black Hammered) knives is made in Tosa and is an overall great value. The blades are roll forged, but a lot of manual work goes into grinding, finishing, handling, etc. This line is specifically made to be somewhat rustic, yet the knives are very functional and beautiful in their own way, as is typical with cutlery from the Tosa region.
Kiritsuke are general-purpose Japanese kitchen knives with a sheepsfoot type tip (K-tip or Kiritsuke-tip), making them extremely versatile and able to process a wide range of food items. The shape has become increasingly popular in recent years, due to the versatility, interesting aesthetics, and the fact that in Japan similar knives are usually reserved for use by executive chefs. The Tsunehisa Aogami Super Kurouchi Tsuchime 210mm Kiritsuke has a nice shape and profile, basically a larger version of their 170mm Bunka, with a fairly flat edge that makes it ideal for slicing, chopping and precision cutting. The black hammered (Kurouchi Tsuchime) finish is both beautiful and functional. The very nicely done traditional type grind along with the hammering, make foods less prone to sticking to the blade. The edge bevels have a great looking Kasumi ("misty") style finish. A nice "Hamon" line clearly delineates the hard cutting core from the softer cladding. Rounding out the package is comfortable and durable oval rosewood handle, which has some very nice-looking grain on this example.
The cutting core of this Tsunehisa 210mm Kurouchi Tsuchime Kiritsuke is made of Hitachi Aogami (Blue) Super high-carbon steel, which is well known for its extreme edge retention properties and ability to take a very fine edge. Aogami Super is not very hard to sharpen with some experience and is relatively easy to keep sharp for extended periods of time with minor touch-ups.
Tsunehisa is now a well know brand of knives from Japan, offering a wide range of fairly priced knives from a variety of makers and regions. Tsunehisa knives are some of the best values currently on the market in their respective categories.
Specifications/information:
These Tsunehisa knives come with a fairly low grit yet very acutely angled edge from the factory. Some of my customers love the coarse and toothy factory edge. For those wanting as fine an edge as this steel can handle from the get-go, I can give the knife a razor-sharp edge before shipping out (please contact me by message or leave a note when ordering). The buyer can use the free hand sharpening service twice in the future.
Since these knives are not fully stainless, it is very important to keep them dry and well maintained. While in use, please wipe the knife dry if it needs setting aside for any period of time. After use, wash by hand with soap and warm water, without any abrasive sponges, and dry quickly. If extended storage is required, apply a food safe oil to the blade before storing. After a period of use, the knife will develop a patina where the reactive steel is exposed, making it somewhat more stain and rust resistant.
Please do not put this knife in a dishwasher or cut frozen foods, bone, or other hard material. After use, wash with a gentle dish soap, and non-abrasive sponge, to prevent damaging the finish.
Most Japanese hand finished knives may have some minor scratches, dings, or imperfection on the blade or handle. This is normal and not out of the ordinary, and especially noticeable on handmade knives. Boxes may have scratches, dings, perforations, etc. when shipped to me. If anything outside normal is seen as far as imperfections go (Wabi-Sabi), I will put a note at the top of the item description.
The knife in the pictures is the exact knife the buyer will receive. Please look at the photos carefully, as they are part of the item description. I will package the knife to the best of my abilities and ship it out within 1-2 days after payment is received.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with inquiries!