Honyaki Gyuto
Honyaki kitchen knives are forged using a technique most similar to that used in the forging of Japanese katana. The technique was developed to improve the strength and sharpness of the swords. Honyaki are forged from high carbon steels using a variable hardening technique that involves the application of a special clay to the spine of the blade before it is quenched. This process leaves the blade with a soft, resilient spine, a hamon (or temper line), and hard, sharp edge.
Honyaki kitchen knives are highly sort after by collectors and enthusiasts due to the exceptional beauty of the hamon and because of the high level of skill required to produce these knives. Even the most talented of blacksmith will have up to 30% of their blades fail. It is for this reason that we are only able to produce the Birch and Bevel Honyaki Gyuto series in the smallest of quantities.
Our Honyaki Gyuto's are forged with a tapered spine and ground Walkschliff, a grinding technique that is done by hand and requires a huge amount of skill. The Walkschliff grind is characterized by the thickest part of the blade being situated bellow the spine. So, the spine is thinner than the overall blade. This oval shape provides a high level of stability, improved cutting performance and an extremely thin and finely ground cutting edge.
Product Specification
Blade Type: Gyuto
Edge Length: 230mm | 250mm
Spine Heel: 3.6mm | 3.6mm
Spine Mid: 2.2mm | 2.2mm
Spine Tip (20mm before): 1mm | 1mm
Blade Height: 55mm | 57mm
Weight: 177g | 211g
Cutting Edge Steel: 26C3
Stainless: No
HRC: 64
Blade Construction: Mono Steel
Blade Finish: Satin Polish
Grind: Walkschliff
Handle Construction: Hidden Tang
Handle Materials: Oak, Birchbark, Brass
Handedness: Ambidextrous
Saya Included: No
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 one of the many premium reactive German and Swedish steels are susceptible to rust if not properly cared for. In this case we advise that you keep the knife dry between uses and when storing the knife for longer periods wiping the knife blade with Tsubaki oil or another food safe oil is a wise choice. This will not stop a patina forming on the blade, but it will stop rust. A patina can be a beautiful personal feature on your knife and helps to stop rust forming. So, dry your knife regularly between uses, store in a dry place and apply some Tsubaki oil from time to time when storing for long periods.
A reference guide to steel types
Handle Care: If you have a knife with a non-stabilised wooden handle, you can apply Tsubaki oil or another food safe oil to your handle from time to time. Food safe wax can be applied to both stabilised and no-stabilised wooden handles. Never apply hot wax or oil as you risk warping or damaging the handle.
