Kitaoka Blue #2 Kiritsuke 210mm

There is something about the shape of a kiritsuke that reminds us of a samurai sword. It has a ‘weapon’ look to it. And this knife is certainly a kitchen weapon of the highest order.

Kiritsuke knives are one of the few multipurpose traditional Japanese blades. They can be used as a yanagi for fish slicing, or as an usuba for vegetable cutting. These sword-shaped knives feature a straighter edge than a yanagi and a longer blade than an usuba. In Japan the chef must be highly skilled with traditional Japanese knives in order to master this unique design correctly. In fact tradition has it that these knives are used only by the executive chefs as a symbol of status and due to its difficulty in use.

The Kitaoka 210mm Kiritsuke is made from the popular Hitachi Blue Paper #2 alloy with a soft iron jigane covering the front and spine. It is a single bevel knife and the core steel is hardened to 62-63 HRC. The back of the blade has a mild concave grind to aid in food release. The blade is very reactive so you must keep it completely dry between uses and wipe it down regularly if cutting acidic foods. The knife is intended for right-handed users only.

Comes with a nice rosewood octagonal handle. Please note Kitaoka installs the machi on his knives with a gap that is called Tokyo Style. It's not a flaw, it's an aesthetic choice based on a traditional way of installing the handles. See photo #4 for a visual.

Maker: Kitaoka

Type: Kiritsuke

Steel: Blue #2

HRC: 62-63

Handle: Rosewood Octagonal

Ferrule: Black Pakka Wood

Grind: Traditional Single Bevel Right Handed

Finish: Satin

Weight: 4.1 oz (116 g)

Edge Length: 197 mm

Total Length: 340 mm

Spine Thickness at Base: 2.7 mm

Blade Height: 35.2 mm

Handle Install: Exposed Machi see photo 4

Please note: We are only shipping Kitaoka knives in the USA