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ZDP-189 Kiritsuke Black is a longer and larger brother of our bestseller ZDP-189 Bunka Black.

Kiritsuke knives have a special place in the Japanese (strict) kitchen hierarchy. Japanese traditions only allow the Executive Chef to wield this knife. But since most of us reside outside of Japan, we can kind of omit the strict rules and enjoy this multi-purpose chef's knife in our home kitchens too! Kiritsuke knives are hybrids between the traditional Japanese knife Yanagiba (slicer knife, mostly used for sushi) and the Usuba (knife specialized to cut vegetables), meaning they can be used for all sorts of tasks in the kitchen, from making sashimi, slicing through ribeye, to chopping veggies.

Although traditionally kiritsuke knives are single bevel, Yoshida ground this one on both sides (double bevel) to cater to the needs of Western users. Due to similarities in usage with the Gyuto (Chef's knife), we classified Kiritsuke under our Gyuto collection. This knife can be a great alternative to the Gyuto knives, however due to its straight edge (very little belly curve), Kiritsuke won't rock through cuts as the Gyuto does.

Kiritsuke Black is manufactured at the smithery of Yoshida Hamono in Japan, a family company with an age-long tradition in manufacturing state-of-the-art tools and Japanese swords (katanas) by hand. Yoshida Hamono has a great deal of experience forging ZDP-189 steel in the traditional manner. See the photo story from our visit to their smithery.

The heart of the knife is made of ZDP-189 steel, selected because systematic testing has proven its superior qualities and long-lasting sharpness. Steel is laminated, which entails that the core is made of very strong steel covered with an external layer of softer stainless steel. Such a blade remains sharp for a very long time; its softer external layer makes it easier to sharpen, and it also protects the core steel from external factors.

Kuro-uchi finish, the unprocessed (black) part on the top side of the blade has already developed a dark patina, which protects the blade and gives it a traditional Japanese look.

Kiritsuke Black was fitted a traditional Japanese wooden handle, called Wa. The wooden handle is made of Walnut wood and has an octagonal shape, which fits well into the hands of both left- and right-handed users.

The steel contains as much as 3% Carbon (C), which is one of the main elements contributing strength and typically found in amounts of up to only 1% in other types of solid steel, while the Chromium (Cr) content, which prevents corrosion, amounts to nearly 20%. It also features 1.5% Tungsten (W), which considerably increases the abrasion resistance of steel, 1.3% Molybdenum (Mo), which helps to preserve the strength and power of steel under variable temperatures, and 0.10% Vanadium (V), the key element in increasing steel strength. Heat treatment produces steel with a hardness of 65-67 HRC.

Specifications:

Blade shape:	Kiritsuke
Steel type:	ZDP-189
Hardness (HRC scale):	65-67
Overall length:	400mm (15.8")
Blade length:	240mm (9.5")
Blade height:	56mm (2.2")
Spine thickness:	2.3mm (0.09")
Weight:	250g (8.8 oz)
Handle length:	150mm (5.9")
Handle type / wood:	Japanese / Walnut
Blacksmith:	Yoshida Hamono

Use & Care:

Handwash in warm water and towel dry
Use a sharpening stone (not a honing steel!) to sharpen your knife
Do not cut frozen foods and meat bones
Do not put the knife in a dishwasher
Read our comprehensive guide on proper Maintenance of Kitchen Knives.

Still doubting which type of Japanese knife should best fit your needs? We created a quick, 5-steps quiz to help you find the perfect knife based on your cooking skills and the type of food you prepare.

Kiritsuke Knives [Chef's Knife]