Tsunehisa Usuba 165mm (6.5")
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✔︎ No import fees & duties - worldwide |
- Description
- Specifications
- Knife Care
- Shipping
Usuba is a single beveled blade (right-handed users only!) designed for chopping vegetables. It is one of the "holy trinity" of Japanese classic kitchen knives for sushi preparation. The length of the blade is 165mm (6.5").
The knife has a minimalistic polished blade and is fitted with a traditional Japanese (Wa) handle made of Rosewood with a black pakka wood ferrule.
Where the blade meets the handle, you may notice a special feature called Machi spacing. This is a small gap between the lower part of the blade and the handle, which can be seen mostly in single bevel knives. It is a feature that pays tribute to Japanese swords and is typical mostly in the work of blacksmiths located in and around the Tokyo area. So don't worry, it is not a flaw in assembly of the blade and the handle, but rather a homage to Japanese forging tradition that could be displayed on a magnet right there on your kitchen wall.
The rectangular blade consists of 2 layers of steel - the harder steel AUS-8 (60 HRC) and a layer of softer stainless steel are forge welded together in what is known as "nimai" construction. AUS-8 steel is a popular Japanese steel from the Aichi steelworks that is incredibly resistant to rust, yet simple to sharpen. The steel contains high amounts of carbon (0.7-0.75%) and is also high in vanadium (0.10-0.26%) and molybdenum (0.10-0.30%). It also has a high percentage of chromium (14.5%), making the blade corrosion-resistant and increasing the hardness, durability and the tensile strength of steel mix.
This carefully balanced composition does not only endow the blade with exceptional hardness (60 HRC) but also good wear and tear and rust-resistance properties.
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AUS-8 characteristics: → Long lasting sharpness: 60 HRC hardness and high carbon content make the blade razor-sharp and help it retain its edge for a very long time. → Rust-resistance: due to high chrome content (14%), the steel is very resistant to corrosion. Even so, you should not skip any of the steps of blade maintenance: wiping it with a dry cloth after use and storing it correctly in a dry and safe place are important steps for prolonging the service life of your knives. → Wear and tear resistance: the composition of this steel mix also makes the blade very resistant to wear and tear. |
Due to the choice of materials and precise final treatment of the blade by hand, the blade is simple to maintain, retains its edge for a very long time and is perfect for sharpening on water stones. These are essential characteristics of a traditional Japanese single bevel knife, such as Usuba.
Suitable for first-time buyers of a Japanese kitchen knife. It can also serve as a wonderful gift!
BLACKSMITH:
Tsunehisa knives are a brand that combines a variety of high-quality knives from various knife centers of Japan such as Tosa, Seki, and Sakai. Their philosophy is that each region has its own steel and different manufacturing processes. For example, Tosa is best known for its Ginsanko and Aus-8 steels, Seki is famous for making excellent blades from the V-Gold group of steels, and Sakai for its single beveled Honyaki knives.
Blade shape: Usuba
Steel type: AUS-8
Blade construction: Ni-mai / migaki
Hardness (HRC scale): 60
Overall length: 296mm (11.7")
Blade length: 165mm (6.5")
Blade height: 41mm (1.6")
Spine thickness: 2.6-3.9mm (0.10"-1.5")
Weight: 175g (6.2 oz)
Handle length: 127mm (5.0")
Handle type / wood: Japanese / Rosewood
Kanji on the blade:
Blacksmith: Tsunehisa
Location of the smithy: TOSA / Kōchi Prefecture / Japan
☝️ Japanese kitchen knives in our store are handmade from natural materials. Slight variations in color, texture, weight and other dimensions are possible. We try to give a good photographic representation of our products, however computer screen resolution and colors do vary, so products might not look exactly as they are seen on screen.
Blade wear depends on the quality of steel, usage and maintenance of the blade. Japanese knives are made of high-quality steels. Follow these tips to keep your Japanese knife in top-notch shape:
✔ Use a wooden, plastic or rubber cutting board.
✔ After use, wash the knives and wipe them dry.
✔ For storage, use a knife holder or a protective knife sheath (saya).
✔ A good cutting technique is your best bet to prolong sharpness.
✔ Use sharpening stones to sharpen the knife.
❗️Don’t leave the knife in the sink. Wash it by hand.
❗️Don’t wash the knife in the dishwasher.
❗️Don’t use the knife on glass, ceramics, marble or steel surfaces.
❗️Don’t scrape the food off the cutting board with the edge of the blade. Use the spine of the knife instead.
❗️Knife is a tool intended for specific use - cutting food. It is not a can opener, screwdriver, trowel, wire cutter, hammer etc.
→ For more details, read our guide
on Maintenance of Kitchen Knives.
🤙 Contact us if you need some help. We reply within 1 business day.
SHIPPING RATES:
- €10 - flat worldwide rate with DHL Express (express delivery, 2-5 business days).
- FREE - all orders over €300 (DHL Express).
EXCEPTIONS:
- United Kingdom - shipping to UK costs €15. All orders are shipped with UPS Express (2-3 business days). Free shipping on orders over €300.
- Russia (currently not available) - shipping to Russia costs €40. All orders are shipped with EMS postal service.
DUTIES AND IMPORT TAXES:
We ship all orders DDP (duties & taxes paid). This means you will not be charged for any import fees and taxes (including VAT). All our prices are final. The price you see at checkout is the final price, no hidden costs.
DELIVERY TIME:
- Europe: 1-2 business days
- US & Canada: 2-4 business days
- Rest of the World: 3-5 business days
RETURNS:
Our return policy lasts 30 days. If more than 30 days have gone by since the day you received your order, unfortunately we can’t offer you a refund or exchange.
→ Read our SHIPPING & RETURNS policy for more info. We strive to solve any issues fast and with as little hassle for you. If you have some additional questions, please contact us.
Each knife comes with:
✔️ Instructions and knife care leaflet.
✔️ A preventive Band-Aid – the knives are very sharp! 😉
✔️ Original box from the blacksmith, which we wrap in an old Japanese newspaper sheet – so every knife is ready to be passed on as a gift as soon as it hits your doorstep!
✔️ We also offer a special gift wrapping option with the traditional Japanese washi paper.
QUIZ
Still doubting which type of Japanese knife should best fit your needs?
We created a 5-steps quiz to help you find the perfect knife based on your cooking skills and the type of food you prepare.
