The Yusaku Blue #2 Gyuto is made by a young up-and-coming blacksmith we have recently discovered. His name is Kousuke Muneishi and he is a 3rd generation blademaker heralding from Tosa. His grandfather started the Muneishi Cutlery Mfg company in 1955 to produce farming and forestry tools. His son took over management of the business and continues making these specialized cutting tools using mainly Aogami #2 steel.
Now grandson Kousuke has begun making kitchen cutlery to expand the family business and add to his blademaking skills. We are very impressed with these first efforts and have high hopes of a long relationship with this talented young man.
We have named these knives Yusaku and the kanji on the blade reflects this branding. The last character is pronounced Yu, but also can be pronounced as Suke when used in a name. The first kanji is Saku and it means work. So Yu-Saku means the work (or produced by) of Kousuke!
The first offering is a nice 210mm gyuto made from Blue #2 steel that is laminated with a soft iron. He uses the san-mai method and leaves the forger’s scale (kurouchi) on the blade face. The grind is very well realized and quite sophisticated. It is thin behind the edge and has a nice profile that will match most kinds of cutting styles.
These are high value knives that belie their keen price. The overall package of well executed grinds, good fit and finish, and an all-purpose design add up to a knife that will appeal to many users, both professional and home-based.Brand: Yusaku
Blacksmith: Kousuke Muneishi
Location: Tosa, Japan
Constrcution: Hammer Forged, San Mai
Edge Steel: Hitachi Blue #2
Cladding: Soft Iron
Finish: Kurouchi/Sand Blast Shinogi
Edge Grind: Double Bevel (See Choil Shot)
Weight: 6.7 oz (192 g)
Blade Length: 215 mm
Overall Length: 362 mm
Spine Thickness at Heel: 3.4 mm
Blade Height: 48.4 mm
Handle: Burnt Urushi Octagonal
Photos are updated with the new handle
Now grandson Kousuke has begun making kitchen cutlery to expand the family business and add to his blademaking skills. We are very impressed with these first efforts and have high hopes of a long relationship with this talented young man.
We have named these knives Yusaku and the kanji on the blade reflects this branding. The last character is pronounced Yu, but also can be pronounced as Suke when used in a name. The first kanji is Saku and it means work. So Yu-Saku means the work (or produced by) of Kousuke!
The first offering is a nice 210mm gyuto made from Blue #2 steel that is laminated with a soft iron. He uses the san-mai method and leaves the forger’s scale (kurouchi) on the blade face. The grind is very well realized and quite sophisticated. It is thin behind the edge and has a nice profile that will match most kinds of cutting styles.
These are high value knives that belie their keen price. The overall package of well executed grinds, good fit and finish, and an all-purpose design add up to a knife that will appeal to many users, both professional and home-based.
Reviews
4 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) Beautiful in form and functionPosted By: Linzay Young - verified customer
1 people found this review helpful
This knife is stunning in both its appearance and its performance. The rustic finish of the outer layer is a nice contrast to the bright edge of the clean carbon core steel, and the handle is a thing of beauty with the fire toasted effect bringing out the grain of the wood. The knife is sharp as hell, and It eases through vegetables as if it is doing the work itself. I haven't had to steel the knife yet, so looking forward to seeing how the edge rebounds over time with use and eventual sharpening but with carbons core I know I will have a laser for life in this blade.
1 people found this review helpful
This knife is stunning in both its appearance and its performance. The rustic finish of the outer layer is a nice contrast to the bright edge of the clean carbon core steel, and the handle is a thing of beauty with the fire toasted effect bringing out the grain of the wood. The knife is sharp as hell, and It eases through vegetables as if it is doing the work itself. I haven't had to steel the knife yet, so looking forward to seeing how the edge rebounds over time with use and eventual sharpening but with carbons core I know I will have a laser for life in this blade.
A nice knifePosted By: Brannon - verified customer
This is a nice looking knife that is very well made with a nice grind. Sharpness OOTB was good, but took some work to get extremely sharp. It is a bit longer than a typical 210 mm gyuto and I find it a bit weight forward on a pinch grip, but I think that very much depends on the size of your hands. I've been using it now for about a month on a daily basis and I really like using it and find it comfortable as the edges on the spine and heel have been filed. The knife is rustic looking, but that fits the look of my other knives. So far, it holds an edge very well, needing a honing every few days.
This is a nice looking knife that is very well made with a nice grind. Sharpness OOTB was good, but took some work to get extremely sharp. It is a bit longer than a typical 210 mm gyuto and I find it a bit weight forward on a pinch grip, but I think that very much depends on the size of your hands. I've been using it now for about a month on a daily basis and I really like using it and find it comfortable as the edges on the spine and heel have been filed. The knife is rustic looking, but that fits the look of my other knives. So far, it holds an edge very well, needing a honing every few days.
Excellent!
