Hatsukokoro Mercury Kiri-Gyuto Kurozome Damascus 240mm (9.4") [Mono Olivewood]

Perfectly suited for professional kitchens, the Hatsukokoro Kiri-Gyuto is ultra-lightweight and exceptionally well-balanced, offering effortless control even during long prep sessions. Its laser-thin blade, forged from ultra-hard SG2 powder steel, delivers precise cuts and outstanding out-of-the-box sharpness—a truly high-performance knife. Finished with multi-layer Damascus cladding that pops with an acid-etched design, it combines performance, durability, and striking aesthetics in one heirloom-quality knife.

In short, this knife combines precision, balance, and functionality: laser-thin, excellent food release, ergonomic, and perfectly engineered geometry—truly 10/10 in feel and performance.

BLADE SHAPE:
The Kiri-Gyuto combines the elegance of a traditional single-bevel kiritsuke with everyday versatility of a gyuto. Perfect for slicing steak, fish, and vegetables, and handles prep with ease. Given its 240mm length, this knife offers exceptional precision while allowing you to handle larger ingredients with ease. 

• The spine tapers gradually to a very thin, precise tip, allowing the blade to pass effortlessly through ingredients—one of the key reasons for its high performance. The fine tip excels at drawing cuts, enabling clean, slim slices and closer, more accurate work with excellent control. The blade is also thin at the edge where it matters most, delivering excellent cutting efficiency.
• The belly of the blade is slightly curved and the overall blade is wider, which differentiates it from a standard, flatter kiritsuke shape and makes it a sort of kiritsuke-gyuto hybrid. This means that the knife can be utilized well for rocking motions, too.
• With a height of nearly 50 mm, it offers generous knuckle clearance for a pinch grip and plenty of ground clearance to use on the cutting board.
  
• The balance point sits just above the choil, resulting in a fairly neutral, well-controlled feel in hand.

STEEL:
SG2 steel is a powder steel, renowned for its hardness and subsequent edge retention—due to a high carbon (C) content of 1.5%. The steel is also high in chromium (Cr)—around 15%, which adds to corrosion resistance and Molybdenum (Mo) that improves the blade’s wear resistance. SG2 steel blades will be able to achieve a fine sharpness due to the fine microstructure of the steel and will keep it—without having to worry about maintenance and corrosion.

LAMINATION:
The hard SG2 core is sandwiched between 15 layers of softer stainless steel on each side, finished with a striking Damascus pattern. This san-mai construction protects the delicate core from impacts and everyday use while keeping the blade strong, durable, and resistant to breakage.

GEOMETRY:
A convex (hamaguri) grind features an outward-curving, clam-shaped edge inspired by traditional katana blades. It improves sharpness, food release, and edge strength by keeping more steel behind the edge.

BLADE FINISH:
The blade features a black-etched kurozome Damascus finish, which is slightly raised—helping food release, allowing you to glide through different ingredients without drag or resistance. The knife is beautifully finished knives with etched Kanji on the right side of the blade. The spine and corners are carefully polished, with a flawlessly finished choil and polished edges for a refined, ergonomic feel. The rounded choil and spine prevent hand fatigue, even during extended use.

HANDLE:
The knife features a Japanese (Wa) octagon handle crafted from a single piece of olive wood—an unusual choice for Japanese knives. Its slightly lighter density shifts the balance point subtly toward the handle, so with a pinch grip it feels slightly handle-heavy, but overall remains neutral and well-balanced. The handle is expertly finished with a tight seal and flawless fit. The warm tone of the olive wood beautifully complements the dark, etched Damascus blade.