This is another fun and functional knife from one of our favorite budget knife makers, Okeya. Together with his son, Okeya-san has begun making kitchen knives out of his small shop that has, until recently, exclusively produced Kogatana style utility knives.
The core steel used in this blade is Ginsan stainless steel, hardened to about 61 HRC. It is clad with a soft steel to both reduce weight and add overall strength to the inner core. The front cladding is given a good looking tsuchime hammered finish. This is a single bevel knife that is only applicable to right-handed users.
The funayuki is a multi-purpose knife that originally found use on fishing boats. Recently the name has been attached to a broader range of blades that share a commonality in a flat profile, short length, and very little belly. They can be either single- or double-beveled.
The shorter length of this example makes it a perfect complement to a longer
gyuto or chef’s knife. It is useful in smaller spaces and tighter places. As with all the knives we carry from Okeya, affordability trumps finish, so the handle is a very simple ho wood and plastic construction, while the spine and choil areas are not polished like more expensive blades. For the money, however, this is a good little performer made from a high quality steel with great cutting abilities and fun looks.
Brand: Okeya
Blacksmith: Okeya-San
Location: Miki, Japan
Construction: San Mai
Method: Hammer Forged
Cladding: Tsuchime Finish
Core Edge Steel: Ginsan (G-3) Stainless Steel
HRC: 61
Edge Grind: Single Bevel (See Choil Photo)
Blade Style: Ko Funayuki
Handle: Ho Wood Oval
Ferrule: Black Plastic
Weight: 2.8 oz (78 g)
Edge Length: 121 mm
Total Length: 246 mm
Spine Thickness at heel: 2.8 mm
Blade Height: 29.2 mm
Please trust photos (not the video, which is older)