Breaking down a whole chicken goes faster with a knife designed for the job, and the honesuki, which translates roughly to bone knife, is the shape Japanese cooks reach for when poultry is on the board. The stiff, triangular blade and pointed tip slip into joints and along the frame, letting you separate thighs, free the breast, and clean up the oysters without fighting the bird.
This 145mm Ariake version uses an AUS10 stainless core clad in softer stainless steel, a san mai, or three layer, build that puts a hard cutting edge exactly where it is needed while the outer layers add toughness. Hardened to about 61 HRC, the edge holds up well to repeated trips along cartilage and skin, and the tall heel gives your knuckles clearance on the board.
The handle is octagonal walnut with no ferrule, and the eight flat faces give a sure grip that stays secure even when your hands get slick during butchery. Ariake knives are made in Saga Prefecture and named for the Ariake Sea along its southern coast, and the honesuki is the most specialized shape in the line.
Care Instructions: AUS10 is a stainless steel, so it shrugs off the spotting and patina that carbon blades develop, but it still deserves a quick hand wash and a towel dry right after use. Keep it out of the dishwasher, which is hard on both the edge and the walnut handle. Cut on wood or rubber boards, work around joints rather than through heavy bone, skip frozen foods, and touch up the edge on a fine water stone when it starts to slip on tomato skins.
This 145mm Ariake version uses an AUS10 stainless core clad in softer stainless steel, a san mai, or three layer, build that puts a hard cutting edge exactly where it is needed while the outer layers add toughness. Hardened to about 61 HRC, the edge holds up well to repeated trips along cartilage and skin, and the tall heel gives your knuckles clearance on the board.
The handle is octagonal walnut with no ferrule, and the eight flat faces give a sure grip that stays secure even when your hands get slick during butchery. Ariake knives are made in Saga Prefecture and named for the Ariake Sea along its southern coast, and the honesuki is the most specialized shape in the line.
Care Instructions: AUS10 is a stainless steel, so it shrugs off the spotting and patina that carbon blades develop, but it still deserves a quick hand wash and a towel dry right after use. Keep it out of the dishwasher, which is hard on both the edge and the walnut handle. Cut on wood or rubber boards, work around joints rather than through heavy bone, skip frozen foods, and touch up the edge on a fine water stone when it starts to slip on tomato skins.
- Brand: Ariake
- Location: Saga Prefecture, Japan
- Made in Japan
- Construction: San Mai (3 Layer)
- Edge Steel: AUS10 Stainless Steel
- Cladding: Stainless Steel
- HRC: 61
- Handle: Octagonal Walnut
- Ferrule: None
- Blade Length: 145 mm
