After a 50-year career, Anryu san handed daily forging duties at Anryu Hamono over to his longtime apprentice, Ikeda san, who continues to build knives with the same attention to detail the workshop is known for. This hand-hammered 165mm santoku is thin at the edge and arrives fairly sharp out of the box, with just a few strokes on a fine stone bringing it to a razor edge.
The core is Shirogami #2 high carbon steel, hardened to about 61 HRC and prized for its strong edge retention and relative ease of sharpening, set into a multi-layer soft iron Damascus cladding. The outer layer carries a rustic kurouchi coating that fades into a layered suminagashi pattern along the blade road. The choil and neck area are nicely finished, and the handle is a basic but well-made oval rosewood with a black pakka wood ferrule.
What Customers Are Saying: Reviewers consistently describe this santoku as a work of art, with one buyer who also owns the 270mm Anryu gyuto praising the same attention to detail and a balance point exactly where they expected to find it. Another longtime knife user of over 60 years calls it a precision-crafted, purpose-built blade that sharpens easily and holds up well, while a third reviewer simply describes it as gorgeous and notes it has held its edge well so far.
Care Instructions: Shirogami #2 is a reactive carbon steel, and the soft iron cladding is reactive as well, so wipe and dry the blade promptly after every use. Avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade for long stretches, and apply a light coat of camellia oil for longer-term storage. Hand wash only, and sharpen on quality water stones.
The core is Shirogami #2 high carbon steel, hardened to about 61 HRC and prized for its strong edge retention and relative ease of sharpening, set into a multi-layer soft iron Damascus cladding. The outer layer carries a rustic kurouchi coating that fades into a layered suminagashi pattern along the blade road. The choil and neck area are nicely finished, and the handle is a basic but well-made oval rosewood with a black pakka wood ferrule.
What Customers Are Saying: Reviewers consistently describe this santoku as a work of art, with one buyer who also owns the 270mm Anryu gyuto praising the same attention to detail and a balance point exactly where they expected to find it. Another longtime knife user of over 60 years calls it a precision-crafted, purpose-built blade that sharpens easily and holds up well, while a third reviewer simply describes it as gorgeous and notes it has held its edge well so far.
Care Instructions: Shirogami #2 is a reactive carbon steel, and the soft iron cladding is reactive as well, so wipe and dry the blade promptly after every use. Avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade for long stretches, and apply a light coat of camellia oil for longer-term storage. Hand wash only, and sharpen on quality water stones.
- Workshop: Anryu Hamono
- Blacksmith: Ikeda San
- Location: Takefu Village, Echizen, Japan
- Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged
- Edge Steel: Shirogami #2 (White Paper #2)
- Cladding: Soft Iron Damascus
- HRC: 61
- Finish: Kurouchi
- Edge Grind: Even
- Handle: Rosewood Oval
- Ferrule: Black Pakka Wood
- Weight: 5.0 oz (142 g)
- Blade Length: 172 mm
- Total Length: 310 mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 4 mm
- Blade Height: 46 mm
Reviews
3 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) just wonderfulPosted By: Aquila
6 people found this review helpful
I bought this knife after buying the Anryu 270mm damascus gyuto. These really are fantastic knives with great attention to detail. Visually they are works of art, and functionally, very effective with balance point where you would expect. As with the 270, I haven't taken a stone to it yet, just stropping and enjoying. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that it doesn't sing like the gyuto does, which is a phenomenon that still amazes me.
This one weighed in at about the advertised weight, and like the gyuto, the blade is very thin and flexible. I think the maker, by keeping the hardness around 61-62, is giving us a very durable blade for it's thickness. I doubt that there are going to be problems with the edge, but like the gyuto, I'm respecting that thinness.
Really wonderful.
6 people found this review helpful
I bought this knife after buying the Anryu 270mm damascus gyuto. These really are fantastic knives with great attention to detail. Visually they are works of art, and functionally, very effective with balance point where you would expect. As with the 270, I haven't taken a stone to it yet, just stropping and enjoying. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that it doesn't sing like the gyuto does, which is a phenomenon that still amazes me.
This one weighed in at about the advertised weight, and like the gyuto, the blade is very thin and flexible. I think the maker, by keeping the hardness around 61-62, is giving us a very durable blade for it's thickness. I doubt that there are going to be problems with the edge, but like the gyuto, I'm respecting that thinness.
Really wonderful.
Great santoku knife Anru Kurouchi Damascus Santoku 165mmPosted By: Roy - verified customer
5 people found this review helpful
Accurately described and only exceeded by the customer service. This is a light weight, precision crafted tool that is exactly what I was looking for: a custom made, purpose built, easily sharpened blade that will provide years of satisfaction. I've used knives for over 60 years for a variety of reasons and you get what you pay for. In this case you get more!
5 people found this review helpful
Accurately described and only exceeded by the customer service. This is a light weight, precision crafted tool that is exactly what I was looking for: a custom made, purpose built, easily sharpened blade that will provide years of satisfaction. I've used knives for over 60 years for a variety of reasons and you get what you pay for. In this case you get more!
