Yoshihiro Suminagashi Blue Steel #1 Kama Usuba Traditional Japanese vegetable Chopping Chef Knife, Ebony Wood Handle
SKU:
High-Carbon Care
This item is made from high-carbon steel. It offers excellent sharpness but can rust or develop a patina if not kept dry and properly maintained.
- 64 HRC
- No
- Free Magnolia Saya Cover Included
Blade Hardness
HRC (Rockwell Hardness) measures how hard the blade's steel is. Kitchen knife steel typically falls in the high-50s to mid-60s on this scale. Harder steel is built to hold a fine edge over long use, while softer steel favors flexibility and easy resharpening. The right HRC depends on the steel and design, not a single higher-is-better number.
Stain Resistant
This steel is not stain resistant. High-carbon steel can rust or develop a patina if not kept dry and cared for, in exchange for the sharper edge it holds.
Saya Cover
This knife comes with its saya cover included at no additional cost, shaped to its exact blade for the same custom fit customers pay extra for on other knives.
Full Specifications
Blade
- Knife Type
- Usuba (Vegetable Knife)
- Primary Use
- Vegetable cutting
- Blade Metal
- Blue Steel #1
- Grade
- Suminagashi
- Construction
- Multi-Layer Damascus (Suminagashi)
- Blade Hardness
- 64 HRC
- Blade Edge Type
- Single Bevel
- Blade Finish
- Plain
- Stain Resistant
- No
Handle
- Handle Material
- Ebony
- Handle Shape
- Octagonal
- Bolster Material
- Water Buffalo Horn (Color Varies)
- Tang Type
- Partial Tang
Product Details
Suminagashi translates as "floating ink," referring to the stunning marbled, wave-like patterns that extend across the blade from tip to heel. These intricate designs reveal a unique mosaic with every sharpening, showcasing the extraordinary craftsmanship required to create such complex and beautiful formations. Only the most skilled artisans can forge these metals together in perfect harmony, blending aesthetics and performance to craft knives of the highest caliber.
Our handmade Yoshihiro Blue Steel Suminagashi knives are crafted with exceptional skill by our master artisans, utilizing the most intricate forging, layering, and hammering techniques. The Aoko Blue Steel #1, with a hardness of 64 on the Rockwell scale, is combined with iron to create a blade with an exquisite finish. These knives are complemented by a traditional Japanese-style handcrafted Ebony wood handle, affixed with a Water Buffalo horn bolster for added strength and beauty. A Saya, a protective wooden sheath, is also included, offering both protection and aesthetic appeal when the knife is not in use.
One of the most sought-after knives, and a fast-growing essential companion to the popular chef's knife, is the traditional Japanese Usuba. Reminiscent of a small cleaver, the Usuba features a sharp tip for intricate work. It's revered for its ability to chop through root vegetables and finely slice delicate tomatoes. Whether you're prepping greens for a salad or chopping vegetables for a main dish, the Usuba elevates the simplest tasks, transforming them into a culinary art form with a knife that is as beautiful as it is functional.
Care & Origin
- Country of Origin
- Japan
- Care Instructions
- Hand wash only.
Dry immediately.
Avoid the dishwasher. - Sharpening Method
- Sharpen by hand using whetstones. Do not use honing rods.