This Yusaku Blue #2 petty knife is made by a young, up-and-coming blacksmith named Kousuke Muneishi, a 3rd generation blade maker 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 blade-making 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!
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. The knife comes with a very nice oak octagonal handle with burnt urushi finish.
Brand: Yusaku
Blacksmith: Kousuke Muneishi
Location: Tosa, Japan
Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged
Edge Steel: Aogami (Blue Paper)
Edge Grind: Even (See Photo)
Weight: 2.4 oz (70 g)
Blade Length: 120 mm
Overall Length: 260 mm
Spine Thickness at Heel: 2.2 mm
Blade Height at Heel: 30.5 mm
Handle: Oak Octagonal