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Home | Yoshikazu Tanaka | Sakai Kikumori Choyo 270mm Yanagi Shirogami 2 with Saya

Sakai Kikumori Choyo 270mm Yanagi Shirogami 2 with Saya

£324.46
£324.46
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Sakai Kikumori ‘Choyo’ 270mm Yanagi. Single bevel shirogami #2 core with mirror polish iron cladding. Octagonal magnolia wood and water buffalo ferrule handle. Comes with saya.

These have a light blade with a thin, low beveled kireba so the yanagis — that usually rely on weight to help propel a pull cut — slice just as easily as heavier ones.

Shirogami #2 is very responsive to sharpening stones, taking an extremely fine but biting edge easily. It is a highly reactive carbon steel.

Choyo series knives represent some of the best of Sakai’s knife making. They are made by craftspeople who are highly respected for preserving demanding traditional techniques while contributing their own refinements and creativity to the trade.

Choyo Shirogami 2 knives are forged by Tanaka Hamono. Tanaka-san’s top level forging and heat treatments make for unusually easy sharpening, superb edge life and toughness.

Choyo grinder and polisher is Morihiro Hamono. Morihiro-san's grinding is superb; he pioneered this low kiriba grind on wa-gyuto. The characteristic result of this grinding and polishing are the even, wide bevels, chamfered spine and brilliant mirror polish.

Sakai Kikumori was started in 1926 and draws on Sakai's 600 year history as the major center of traditional Japanese cutlery manufacturing. They work with a large variety of Sakai's best smiths, sharpeners and small factories to offer a wide variety of knives ranging from traditional to modern.

This knife has a hard carbon steel core with iron cladding for added durability. The entire blade will develop a patina with use, and especially so with acidic foods. Special attention is needed to keep from rusting. Hand wash and dry before storing. Do not leave wet and do not use a dishwasher. Rust can be removed with a light abrasive.

Hardwood-end grain or softwood long grain cutting boards are preferred. Avoid bamboo and plastic cutting boards.

Steel Type Shirogami 2
Handle Material Magnolia Wood & Water Buffalo Horn
Weight 167 g
Height at Heel 33 mm
Overall Length 414 mm
Cutting Edge Length 259 mm
HRC

*Actual weights and measurements may vary piece to piece

These knifes come from the maker with lacquer on the blade for corrosion protection during shipping. It can be removed using acetone or lacquer thinner (follow manufacturers instructions for use).

If you would like us to remove it prior to shipping, enter "Please remove lacquer" in the +Special Instructions on the Cart page. This could delay shipping by up to 5 days.

This is a carbon steel knife. Carbon steel is expected to develop a dark patina with use. It needs to be hand washed and dried immediately after use. Do not air dry. Do not put it in the dishwasher. Long exposure to moisture and debris will result in rust. Any rust development should be removed with a light abrasive.

Twisting, scraping, and heavy use, as well as use on hard and very dense objects can lead to edge damage. Use on a quality wooden cutting board will help the knife stay sharper for longer. Use on hard surfaces like plates and bamboo will reduce the edge life and can result in edge damage. Special attention needs to be taken to prevent edge damage. Scraping, twisting and forceful as well as using on hard or very dense foods can result in chipping.

We recommend hand sharpening on whetstones. We have found that most Japanese knives perform best at a finer finish starting around 4000. Avoid pull through sharpeners and non-water cooled mechanized sharpening. Ceramic honing rods are preferred.

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