• MCx Johnsson × Krichbaum 240mm Björkmans Twist gyuto, blade face and stacked birch-bark handle
  • Reverse side of the Johnsson × Krichbaum Björkmans Twist gyuto with maker’s mark
  • Choil view showing the gyuto’s fine convex bevels and thin geometry behind the edge
  • Spine view showing the aggressive distal taper towards the gyuto’s fine tip
  • Björkmans Twist blade detail with MCx mark and stainless-steel bolster
  • Stacked birch-bark takedown handle with stainless-steel bolsters, held in hand
  • Johnsson × Krichbaum maker marks shown across two Björkmans Twist blades
  • MCx Johnsson × Krichbaum gyuto held in hand, showing its complete blade profile
  • Six Johnsson × Krichbaum Edition 01 gyutos with individual Björkmans Twist patterns
  • Three MCx Edition 01 gyutos with stacked birch-bark handles
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Gyuto 240mm Damasteel Björkmans Twist by Johnsson × Krichbaum — Ed 01

Gyuto 240mm Damasteel Björkmans Twist by Johnsson × Krichbaum — Ed 01

By MCx

No longer available

MCx Johnsson × Krichbaum

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The first edition of the MCx Johnsson × Krichbaum line is a 240mm gyuto made jointly by Jonas Johnsson and Simon Krichbaum. Jonas forged and heat-treated the blade before it moved to Simon for grinding, finishing and etching, bringing two distinct workshops into the making of one knife. This fully allocated edition established the collaboration through a shared interest in modern metallurgy, natural materials and clean, functional design.

The blade is forged from Damasteel in the Björkmans Twist pattern, acid etched to bring definition to its tightly turning lines and finished with contrasting satin-polished surfaces. At 240mm long and 56.6mm high at the heel, it has the reach and board presence of a substantial all-purpose gyuto. Its fine convex bevels form a full-height Walkschliff, carrying controlled strength through the upper blade before becoming exceptionally thin behind the cutting edge. An aggressive distal taper—from 5mm at the heel to 2.24mm at the midpoint and 1.08mm near the tip—steadily reduces resistance and gives the forward section greater precision. This is an all-rounder geometry suited to broad preparation, long slicing work and controlled use of the fine tip.

The hidden-tang takedown handle combines stacked birch bark with stainless steel bolsters in a rokkaku hanmaru form. Its softened facetted top section provides clear orientation without pronounced corners, while the compressed birch bark gives the handle warmth, grip and natural variation. The mechanical takedown construction allows the handle to be removed for cleaning, maintenance or future servicing. At 208g and 373mm overall, the finished knife remains substantial without carrying unnecessary weight in the handle.

The etched Björkmans Twist, stacked birch bark and polished stainless fittings bring the two workshops together in a composition that moves naturally between organic texture and precise construction. Jonas’s steel work and handle making remain visible alongside Simon’s high performance geometry and finishing, but the knife reads as one complete design. Edition 01 is fully allocated and retained here as the beginning of the MCx Johnsson × Krichbaum archive. Follow the line to see where the collaboration goes next.

Product Specification
  • Blade Type:
  • Overall Length: 373mm
  • Edge Length: 240mm
  • Spine Heel: 5mm
  • Spine Mid: 2.24mm
  • Spine Tip (20mm before): 1.08mm
  • Blade Height: 56.6mm
  • Weight: 208g
  • Cutting Edge Steel:
  • Steel class: Stainless
  • HRC: 64
  • Blade Construction:
  • Blade Finish: Acid Etched (Forced Patina), Satin Polish
  • Grind:
  • Handle Construction:
  • Handle Materials: Birchbark, Stainless Steel
  • Handedness: Ambidextrous

Blade type

Gyuto

牛刀

The gyuto is the Japanese interpretation of the western chef knife, and the most versatile blade in a modern kitchen. It carries a long edge, most often 210 to 270 mm, that runs flatter through the heel than its western counterpart before rising in a gentle, late curve to a fine point — a line that favours push- and pull-cutting while still allowing a rocking motion when the work calls for it. There is enough height at the heel to keep knuckles clear of the board, and the tip is fine enough for detail work, which is why most cooks reach for it first.

The flatter edge is the defining characteristic and the trade-off both. More of the blade lands on the board at once, which suits push cutting and gives clean, decisive contact through an ingredient, but a cook who works primarily by rocking will find less curve to work with than a western profile offers. Modern makers increasingly blur the line between the two, drawing a profile that rocks and push-cuts equally well — Birch & Bevel's Modern Gyuto profile, Antoine Kniamen's Western Gyuto, and Benjamin Kamon's own gyuto profile are all examples of that hybrid thinking.

View full knife type guide →

Cutting edge steel

Damasteel

Brand / process — powder metallurgy stainless damascus

Typical HRC
60–63
Corrosion class
Stainless
Production
Pattern-welded
Origin
Sweden

Damasteel is not a single steel but the brand and process of a Swedish manufacturer producing pattern-welded stainless damascus from powder-metallurgy steels — most commonly RWL34 paired with PMC27 (a softer stainless contrast layer). The two powders are layered, hot isostatic pressed, and forge-welded into patterned billets with names like Odin's Eye, Vinland, Hakkapella and Thor.

In a kitchen knife built from Damasteel the metallurgy is governed by the harder layer (typically RWL34); the softer layer is cosmetic. Hardness in the low sixties is typical, and the cutting behaviour is for practical purposes that of a RWL34 blade — a refined, stainless powder edge with very good corrosion resistance and respectable edge retention.

You see Damasteel most often in high-end custom folders and in display-grade kitchen knives where pattern is part of the brief. Among the makers Modern Cooking carries, Fredrik Spåre, Martin Huber, Jonas Johnsson, and MCx work in Damasteel. It is the gold standard for visually expressive stainless damascus and a reliable indicator that the maker is comfortable working at the upper end of the steel-supply chain.

View full steel guide →

Blade construction

Mono Steel

A knife forged from a single piece of steel — no laminations, no clad layers. The simplest and most direct construction. The entire blade is the cutting steel, with no softer outer jacket to protect or contrast it. Most contemporary Western kitchen knives in carbon and stainless steel are mono-steel constructions, as are honyaki and most European bladesmith work.

The trade-off is straightforward: mono-steel knives are easier to forge, sharpen, and reason about, but the entire blade carries the cutting steel's properties — including its reactivity if it's a clean carbon. There is no soft jacket to protect a more brittle core from impact, so the heat treatment and geometry have to do all the work.

View full construction guide →

Grind

Walkschliff

The Kesselscher Walkschliff is a traditional Solingen grind in which each face of the blade curves outward from the spine, reaching its greatest thickness slightly below it before tapering towards the edge. Beneath this pronounced convex “bulge,” the blade is ground exceptionally thin and continues into a fine, subtly convex cutting edge. This distributes material through the upper blade for rigidity and stability while preserving the low cutting resistance of a very thin edge.

Achieving this compound geometry consistently demands considerable control, specialist knowledge and experience, whether it is produced on a traditional grinding wheel or with a belt grinder. Once part of Solingen’s celebrated grinding tradition, the Walkschliff is now practised by relatively few makers. A well-executed example is valued for the way it reconciles qualities that can otherwise seem opposed: strength through the body of the blade, fineness behind the edge and an exceptionally keen, confident cut.

View full grind guide →

Handle construction

Takedown

A takedown is a hidden-tang construction built to come apart. The tang passes through the handle and is drawn up by a threaded fitting — a nut at the butt, or a pommel that screws down — so the handle can be dismantled and re-fitted rather than being permanently bonded in place. Everything else follows the hidden-tang pattern: a concealed tang inside a one-piece handle, with no steel showing along the grip.

The point of the design is serviceability. Because the handle is mechanical rather than glued, it can be taken off for thorough cleaning and drying, swapped for a different material or profile, or replaced entirely if it is ever damaged — all without destroying the original fittings. It is the construction to choose for a knife meant to be maintained and kept for the long term, and for owners who like the option of changing a handle later.

View full construction guide →

Shipping & Returns

Shipping

We process orders 5 days a week (Monday - Friday) and ship from our shop in Sydney, Australia. We ship with FedEx, UPS and DHL.

We are happy to offer free international shipping on a variety of orders depending on location and order value.

Free Shipping Regions and Minimum Order Values

For Australia and New Zealand the minimum is $500AUD. For the rest of the world it is approximately €1000EUR. The discount is applied automatically when you reach the minimum cart value at checkout.

Returns

If you're not entirely happy with your purchase, you can return it within 14 days of delivery for a refund. The item must be in its original condition with all original packaging.

  • Returns are accepted for 14 days
  • The customer is responsible for return shipping costs
  • A 15% restocking fee may be applied to change-of-mind returns
  • We do not accept returns on second-hand items for change of mind

Faulty or Damaged Items

You must notify us within 5 business days of receiving your order. Photographic evidence of damage is required. Once approved, Modern Cooking will cover return shipping costs.

Product Care

Cleaning: Clean by hand with warm water. Avoid wetting the handle when possible.

Sharpening: We advise using whetstones to sharpen your knives and a honing rod or steel to maintain the burr between sharpening sessions.

Reactive Steels: Reactive steels like Aogami Super, Apex Ultra or premium reactive German and Swedish steels are susceptible to rust if not properly cared for. Keep the knife dry between uses and when storing for longer periods, wiping the blade with Tsubaki oil or another food-safe oil is a wise choice. A patina can be a beautiful personal feature on your knife and helps to stop rust forming.

Handle Care: For non-stabilised wooden handles, apply Tsubaki oil or another food-safe oil from time to time. Food-safe wax can be applied to both stabilised and non-stabilised wooden handles. Never apply hot wax or oil as you risk warping or damaging the handle.

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