Gyuto knife, Aogami super with stainless steel cladding, Tsuchime Kurouchi finish, Denka range, western handle - Fujiwara

The Fujiwara family have been making edged tools for 140 years. They started as sword producers but as demand decreased after WW2 they turned their attention to chef knives. Master Teruyasu Fujiwara is the fourth generation to work in this family run business. He is a pioneer of cladding carbon steel in stainless steel that is commonplace today. He also unusually does every part of the knife making process himself.

RANGE: Denka

SHAPE: Gyuto. Literally translates as "cow sword", this is Japan's answer to the western chef knife. 

STEEL: Aogami (blue paper) super steel. This is very similar to white paper steel but with tungsten and chromium added to it which helps with edge retention and slows down rusting. The super part indicates the highest amount of carbon steel - at up to 1.5% - out of the blue series steels. The steel has then been wrapped in stainless steel to further ease maintenance.

FINISH: Tsuchime. This is a hand hammered finish that is not only beautiful but also functional. The small depressions stop food sticking to the knife. This finishes comes in many different forms from the traditional round hammer marks to more modern patterns. 

Kurouchi. This is a traditional, rustic finish achieved by leaving the furnace scale from the forging process on the blade rather than polishing it off. It has the advantage of reducing the reactivity of the surface of the knife and gives the blade a stylish, matt black finish. 

HANDLE: Western handle in Pakkawood.

LENGTH: 180mm or 210mm in length.

MAKER: Teruyasu Fujiwara - Tokyo, Japan

BEST FOR: A slightly familiar western feel but definitely Japanese sharpness

SAUNDERS SAYS: "I normally am a wa Handle kind of guy but the western is a goer for me. A fantastically weighted knife."

These knives are hand-forged so there may be slight variations in measurements and finishes.