Hokiyama Kiritsuke Ginsanko 210mm (8.3")

Hokiyama Kiritsuke Ginsanko 210mm (8.3") is a multi-purpose Japanese kitchen knife, suitable for use at home, as well as in a professional kitchen.

Due to its resistance to corrosion, it is suitable for first-time buyers of a Japanese kitchen knife. It can also serve as a wonderful gift!

BLADE SHAPE:
The Kiritsuke blade shape is a multifunctional Japanese kitchen knife shape, suitable for everyday use. The 210mm (8.3") blade length is an optimal size for chopping vegetables as well as cutting larger pieces of meat and fish.

STEEL:
The heart of this knife is made of Hitachi's Silver III steel, also named Ginsan steel or Ginsanko, which was hardened to around 63 HRC. Due to its high content of Chromium (Cr), Ginsan steel will resist corrosion very well.

GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade.

LAMINATION:
At the bottom of the blade, we can see a very pronounced, curvy line that extends along the entire length of the blade. This is the line between the core and the two softer, outer layers of steel that serve as additional protection of the core steel. This cladding of the harder core steel with softer outer steels is called san-mai clad. Most Japanese knives are made this way today. This technique, called san-mai, is used to protect the hard (but delicate) core from outside factors, such as rusting and physical impacts, which could lead to breakage.

BLADE FINISH:
The knife bears visible impressions of the hand-forging process. Beautiful and unique hammer dents were left unpolished on the top part of the blade – the blade's surface sports a beautiful hammered nashiji finish, resembling the skin of the Asian pear, which is then separated from the cutting edge by a smooth kasumi line. The nashiji finish also serves a practical purpose, preventing slices of food from sticking to the blade while cutting.

HANDLE:
Hokiyama blacksmiths decided to fit a traditional Japanese (Wa) wooden handle on this beautiful knife. The handle is made of rosewood and is oval-shaped, so it is suitable for both left- and right-handed users.

About Hokiyama:
Hokiyama Hamono is a leading smithy in Kochi Prefecture, Japan. They have been making Japanese knives for more than the past 100 years (they were founded in 1919). Hokiyama Hamono is known for the excellent quality of their knives. They use traditional skills, which have been around for over 800 years, to make them. Their work reflects the handiwork and traditional craftsmanship that has been passed down from generation to generation, yet they also strive to combine this with ever-new knowledge and innovation. Their knives combine the best of both worlds – they make knives using ancient traditional methods and, at the same time, follow modern technological guidelines and innovations in the field of metallurgy, material processing, and production processes. Hokiyama, in the smithy's own words, is a fusion of tradition (土佐 一), innovation (無限), and practicality (左近).

Each knife in the workshop goes through about 50 different processes, which are performed and controlled by experienced craftsmen. Among the various steps required to make a Hokiyama knife, there is a special process called Rolling-Forging. It enables the efficient and uniform production of knives while maintaining the properties and qualities of Japanese steel.