Yasunori is a new company we recently discovered on our trip to Japan. They are a small shop producing a limited range of kitchen knives at very reasonable prices. Owner Yasunori-san undertakes the entire production himself, from forging to heat treating, grinding and edging.
Rather than using cost-saving methods like kurouchi finishes and cheap handles, his blades feature attractive brushed lower blade roads and hairline finishes. He even hand engraves the fine kanji script that decorates the blade.
He uses Blue #2 as the core steel which is then covered with a soft stainless awasi. Adding a stainless outer layer reduces maintenance to a minimum and strengthens the blade while reducing weight. Of course, you will need to keep it dry and clean between uses as the core carbon steel will rust if left wet.
This is a classic funayuki in that it has a fairly flat blade profile with relatively little belly. It is a short knife, which is a great complement or replacement for a
gyuto or chef knife. It really is a jack of all trades in the kitchen and a bargain for what it represents in materials and execution. We are very pleased to be the first seller of these interesting knives in the USA. We hope that the reaction will be positive and that we can add more designs to his line in the near future.
Weight: 4.0 oz (112 g)
Blade Length: 165 mm
Total Length: 303 mm
Spine Thickness at Base: 3.1 mm
Blade Height: 44.3 mm
Handle: Octagonal walnut; black pakka wood ferrule