Tosa 165mm Santoku Kurouchi Stainless Clad Aogami 1 Octagonal Red Sandalwood & Pakka

Hand forged stainless clad aogami 1 with red sandalwood and octagonal pakka ferrule handle

Free forged from bar stock rather than from pre-laminate, these have been forged fairly thin with a nice taper. The aogami 1 steel core works well at a fine finish from 4k to 8k synthetic stones and many natural stones. The stainless cladding adds ease of use and less reactivity with food.

Hand forged knives from the Tosa area of Shikoku Island, Japan's least populated island, with a long history of smithing. Shikoku's thick forests, agriculture and fisheries have led to a local style of smithing that is characterized by rustic free forged knives and tools. Many Tosa knives are ryoba-style, forged and ground symmetrically, and suitable for both right- and left-hand users.

This is a stainless clad reactive carbon steel. It should be mentioned that extra care is required, as only the cladding of the blade is stainless and should be dried immediately after use. The core will develop a dark patina with usage, but any orange rust should be removed with a light abrasive.