Japanese Sushi Knife is very popular right now. Not only in Asia but also all over the world. Chefs in Europe and America are using Japanese knives nowadays. But before buying it is really necessary to read a review about an expensive thing. Today I am gonna present you a sashimi/sushi knife review.
Japanese cutlery companies use best materials to make the steel hard and significantly durable. Chefs can make their dishes different from others by just using Japanese Sushi Knife because cutting and slicing have got a new level. Some Japanese dishes like sushi, sashimi are very popular all over the world. I like sushi and sashimi a lot. To make sushi and sashimi chefs need a special knife.
Today I’m gonna talk about a very precious knife. Every professional chef who loves to make sushi wants to have it in his arsenal. It’s a Japanese sushi sashimi chef’s knife. Comes from Yoshihiro cutlery company. Yoshihiro is a very famous knife making company. They are making knives for 100 years. Before 2008 their knives were only available in Japan. Now they are selling knives all over the world.
Yoshihiro Aoko Blue Steel1 Suminagashi Yanagi Kiritsuke (Sword) Japanese Sushi Sashimi Chef’s Knife with Ebony Handle (10.5″, 270mm). Yes, it is the name of the knife. A name that tells you a lot of things about the knife. Don’t be afraid if you are not familiar with the above words or terms. I will talk about all of them in the description panel.
I am presenting you a complete Japanese sushi knife reviews here. The things you will know after reading the review is given below-
- Detail of steel of the sushi knife.
- An excellent handle on the knife.
- How to maintain the knife?
- What is the advantage of the knife?
- Some precaution.
- Is it good to buy or not?
We all know one simple thing that a knife has two part. The blade and the handle. The blade is made of steel. Let’s know about steel Yoshihiro used making this Japanese Sushi Knife.
Let’s Move to the complete review of the Japanese Sushi Knife
The steel
We all know that steel is the main material of a knife. All over the world knife makers are making a knife with different kinds of steel. Every Japanese knife maker is very sensitive to the steel. Yoshihiro is the boss of them. In order to make this Japanese Sushi Knife, they use aoko blue steel#1.
There are two kinds of blue steel. Yoshihiro used grade #1 in this knife. It is very hard. In the Rockwell scale hardness is 64-65. Only the master artisans of Yoshihiro can forge the blue steel#1 with iron with a very sincere process. Their perfect blending process makes the steel a superior item.
When you look at the blade you can see a marble like a pattern on the surface of the knife. It is called suminagashi. It’s a Japanese word. It means floating ink. This excellent marbled look pattern gives the knife an outstanding appearance that you don’t find in any other knife.
When you sharpened the blade it unveils the new design of patterns. The master artisans of Yoshihiro makes this magical blend of metals with their priceless experience. This is a Yanagi knife. Yanagi knife is long blade knife. It is very easier to cut sushi sashimi with a long blade of Yanagi knife. It provides an uninterrupted cutting stroke through the food.
The Handle
Being a Yanagi type knife this knife needs a heavy and long handle. Japanese knife makers always use a good quality wooden handle. In this Japanese Sushi Knife, Yoshihiro uses an octagonal shaped wooden hand. It is made of ebony. Ebony is a dark wood veneer. The shiny wooden handle gives the knife a stunning look. The octagonal shape helps not to slip the handle from your hand.
Additionally, the handle doesn’t hurt you at all. This type of handle is comparatively comfortable than any other handle you have ever seen. Moisture absorbing is an important issue here. This wooden handle does not catch moisture.
A bolster is affixed to the handle at the top part of it. It is made of water buffalo horn. A bolster is situated at the junction of the knife blade and the handle. For a good transition from the blade to handle a quality bolster is used. It enhances the durability of the handle as well as the knife.
Maintenance
Japanese knife makers use carbon steels which are not stainless. They used carbon steel because it is harder than stainless steel. Japanese knives have a sharper cutting edge. In order to keep a sharp edge the steel has to be hard. Although the steel is not stainless, so you can use it for a very long time with care. It needs little more care things.
Always try to keep it dry between uses. Wipe it with dry cloths. Use Tsubaki oil which is included with the knife. Store the knife in a dry place. I personally suggest using a knife block. There are beautiful knife blocks in the market.
- The knife is wide and thick as it is a Yanagi knife
- Suminagashi Damascus pattern gives the knife an excellent outlook and an easy gliding facility through the food of course
- Hard blue steel ensures the durable cutting edge of the knife
- Yanagi kiritsuke knife helps a chef to cut fish sushi and sashimi with ease.
- The octagonal ebony handle gives you maximum grip.A bolster made from water buffalo horn makes the handle durable and enhances the strength of the handle.
- Saya cover ensures the safety.
- You have to spend near about a grand to have it.
- The blade of the knife is not stainless correspondingly needs more maintenance
Basic information about the Japanese Sushi Knife at a glance
Manufacturer | Yoshihiro |
Item name | Yoshihiro Suminagashi Damascus Aoko (Blue Steel#1) Yanagi Kiritsuke (Sword)”Ebony Handle & Saya” Japanese Sushi Sashimi Chef’s Knife 10.5″ (270mm)inches |
Item model | SMYK270EHES |
Blade size | 10.5 inches |
Steel type | Aoko Blue steel#1 |
Handle type | Octagonal Ebony handle |
Bolster-type | White buffalo horn |
including | Saya cover, Tsubaki oil |
Questions and Answers
Question 1: Is that a multipurpose knife?
Answer: Actually no. But you can do any cutting job. Its specialty is to cut sushi and sashimi.
Question 2: How does a long knife help?
Answer: Long knife gives you an uninterrupted cutting while you are generating a big stroke.
Question 3: What about the durability?
Answer: It is durable undoubtedly. Although it needs some care.
Final Words
This Japanese Sushi Knife is one of the best Japanese knives you can have. This knife is a masterpiece. I am quite sure that the work of the master artisan from Yoshihiro will impress you. It’s a good buy I would say. I think this sushi knife review will help you out to choose the right sashimi/sushi knife from the market. Thank you for your patience.