The Anryu Nakiri Aogami #2 165mm (6.5") is a blade designed specifically for preparing vegetables. It comes from the boutique Anryu Hamono Workshop with over 80 years of tradition. This blade is forged entirely by hand by Ikeda-san, the successor of the great master Katsushige Anryu, so each piece is unique.

The blade is available without a handle, giving you the option to assemble your very own unique custom knife! You can fit your own handle or choose from a large selection of knife handles we have on offer here. If you would like us to fit the chosen handle on the blade, please choose the option handle fitting service.

BLADE SHAPE:

Designed for cutting vegetables, the Nakiri shape is perfect for long or short cuts, while the thin tip allows for precise work. The Nakiri aka Nakiri Bocho is a traditional Japanese knife with a square, thin blade and a deep, flat belly. Because the entire flat edge of the knife touches the cutting board in a clean, vertical motion, no horizontal pulling or pushing is required.

STEEL:

Aogami #2 is a very popular steel in Japanese knife making and one of the finest high-carbon steels, which means that knives forged from it have excellent edge retention and are very easy to sharpen. At the same time, it is less resistant to corrosion, which means that the blade can develop a patina, while prolonged contact with water or other corrosive substances can also cause rust. This is improved to some degree by the addition of chromium and tungsten, but it is still a high carbon steel that should be cared for accordingly (read more about knife care here). Aogami #2 steel consists of carbon (C) 1.1%, chromium (Cr) 0.5%, manganese (Mn) 0.3% and tungsten (W) 1.5%.

LAMINATION:

The blade consists of 3 layers of steel which are welded together in what is known a san-mai damascus construction. This technique is used to protect the hard (but delicate) core from outside factors, such as rust and physical impacts, which could lead to breakage.

GEOMETRY:

It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade. The blade tapers towards the tip; it is stronger at the tang and thinner and more precise at the tip. This blade shape makes the knife easier to use because the blade is very responsive, easily maneuverable and nicely balanced. This type of blade design is also called distal taper - you can read more about it in the article on blade geometry.

BLADE FINISH:

The blade has circular tsuchime indentations made with a specialized textured hammer and a nicely polished spine. Towards the edge the hammer indentations transition into a migaki blade finish.

HANDLE:

This blade comes without a handle. You can fit your own or choose from the large variety of our custom handles here.

BLACKSMITH:

The Anryu Forge was founded by Anryu san, but after his retirement in early 2021, knife production passed to his nephew, apprentice and highly skilled blacksmith Takumi Ikeda. Anryu is a forge with over 80 years of knife-making tradition.