Yoshikazu Tanaka-san is a blacksmith from Sakai renown for his mastery of carbon steel knife forging. In particular, he is known for his Blue #1 steel, which has the high hardness point without the accompanying difficulty in sharpening, according to professional sharpeners working with his blades in Sakai. Tosho fans may already know of Tanaka-san’s work from Konosuke’s coveted Fujiyama series. Despite Tanaka-san’s advanced age and propensity to work with iron cladded knives, he still challenges himself by experimenting with new materials.

Kyuzo is the pseudonym for a sharpener from Sakai city lauded for his wide bevel (“Shinogi-style”) sharpening technique on double bevel knives. A trademark of Kyuzo’s ability is to shape blades to a very thin edge while maintaining straightness and even primary bevel (“Shinogi”) line. Today, he is amongst the few craftsmen in Sakai who can execute such a precise wide bevel grind, one of the most challenging techniques in sharpening.

The Tanaka Kyuzo Blue #1 line is ideal for serious cooks and enthusiasts looking to invest in a high performance carbon steel blade with excellent edge retention. It is also very easy to sharpen by hand and a great choice for first time sharpeners of carbon steel knives. “Migaki” refers to the polished finish on the hira (face/flat) of the knife, a finish traditionally preferred in fine dining establishments for its elegance. It is important to note that the super thin edge requires a delicate hand when using, it can chip if not used with the utmost care and respect.

A kiritsuke-gyuto is a chef's knife with a slanted tip from a traditional single-sided blade called a kiritsuke. It is essentially a chef's knife with a twist. It serves the same function as an all-purpose knife, and although some swear that the accentuated tip makes it easier to execute fine cuts, we find that the k-tip mostly offers aesthetic power boost (rough guess 50%).

Brand: Hitohira ひとひら
Blacksmith: Tanaka Blacksmith 田中刃物製作所
Producing Area: Sakai-Osaka/ Japan
Profile: Kiritsuke Gyuto
Size: 240mm
Steel Type: Carbon Steel
Steel: Blue (Aogami) #1, Soft Iron Clad
Handle: Yakusugi Cedar & Buffalo Horn Ferrule Octagonal
Total Length: 382mm
Edge Length: 226mm
Handle to Tip Length: 236mm
Blade Height: 51mm
Thickness: 2.2mm
Handle Length: 142mm
Weight: 166g
Hand Orientation: Ambidextrous
Sharpener: Kyuzo
Handle Maker: Taihei