Kohetsu is a CKTG exclusive brand - knives developed and specified by Mark Richmond, made in Seki City, Japan. The name loosely translates to "be happy." Seki is Japan center of production-scale knife making, organized around a network of specialist shops - forgers, grinders, sharpeners, handle fitters - each owning one stage of the process, with blades moving between them in plastic crates on small delivery trucks. Mark visited Seki City and toured these shops personally. The Kohetsu AS line is made by the Tsukahara family, specialists in finish sharpening, with Aogami Super hardened to HRC 64 and tested for consistency on every batch.
The nakiri is Japan dedicated vegetable knife - flat edge, tall blade, squared tip, built entirely for push-cutting and chopping produce. Aogami Super in this format rewards the cook who does high-volume vegetable prep daily. The 60/40 asymmetric grind is biased toward the right side with a feathered, thinned tip - Tsukahara-san does this intentionally to improve cutting performance, particularly on fine cuts near the point. A hazy scratch pattern near the edge is a normal result of this thinning process, not a defect. Stainless san-mai cladding protects the AS core and simplifies daily maintenance while the carbon edge does the cutting work. The ho wood octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule is well finished and light in hand, suitable for right- and left-handed users. Fit and finish are of a high standard throughout. CKTG is the only source for this line.
Care Instructions: Aogami Super is a reactive carbon steel - the stainless cladding protects the flanks but the exposed carbon edge will patina naturally with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use. Avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only, never dishwasher. Apply camellia oil for long-term storage. Sharpen on quality water stones - AS at HRC 64 rewards good sharpening technique and responds beautifully to stropping. A hazy or cloudy scratch pattern near the edge is normal and results from the intentional thinning process during sharpening.
The nakiri is Japan dedicated vegetable knife - flat edge, tall blade, squared tip, built entirely for push-cutting and chopping produce. Aogami Super in this format rewards the cook who does high-volume vegetable prep daily. The 60/40 asymmetric grind is biased toward the right side with a feathered, thinned tip - Tsukahara-san does this intentionally to improve cutting performance, particularly on fine cuts near the point. A hazy scratch pattern near the edge is a normal result of this thinning process, not a defect. Stainless san-mai cladding protects the AS core and simplifies daily maintenance while the carbon edge does the cutting work. The ho wood octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule is well finished and light in hand, suitable for right- and left-handed users. Fit and finish are of a high standard throughout. CKTG is the only source for this line.
Care Instructions: Aogami Super is a reactive carbon steel - the stainless cladding protects the flanks but the exposed carbon edge will patina naturally with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use. Avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only, never dishwasher. Apply camellia oil for long-term storage. Sharpen on quality water stones - AS at HRC 64 rewards good sharpening technique and responds beautifully to stropping. A hazy or cloudy scratch pattern near the edge is normal and results from the intentional thinning process during sharpening.
- Brand: Kohetsu
- Exclusive: CKTG Exclusive - Available Only at CKTG
- Blacksmith: Tsukahara Family
- Location: Seki City, Japan
- Construction: San Mai
- Edge Steel: Aogami Super (Super Blue) Carbon Steel
- Cladding: Stainless Steel
- HRC: 64
- Finish: Migaki (Polished)
- Edge Grind: 60/40 Asymmetric Double Bevel
- Engraving: Acid Etched Kanji
- Handle: Octagonal Ho Wood (Magnolia)
- Ferrule: Buffalo Horn
- Blade Length: 165mm
Reviews
5 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) An excellent knifePosted By: Timothy
44 people found this review helpful
I got this knife today! I got it right before service started at work. So I didn't have time to do my prep with it but I played with it in my down time and I LOVE this knife.
Are covered it with mustard for 15 minutes wipe the mustard off with a wet cloth soaked in apple cider vinegar wash the knife off and the patina that developed and that short amount of time was crazy! The cladding reacted to the core so the entire knife is reactive! I've used a lot of knives over my 17 years of being in kitchens and this here is a nice knife If you have the opportunity grab it!
44 people found this review helpful
I got this knife today! I got it right before service started at work. So I didn't have time to do my prep with it but I played with it in my down time and I LOVE this knife.
Are covered it with mustard for 15 minutes wipe the mustard off with a wet cloth soaked in apple cider vinegar wash the knife off and the patina that developed and that short amount of time was crazy! The cladding reacted to the core so the entire knife is reactive! I've used a lot of knives over my 17 years of being in kitchens and this here is a nice knife If you have the opportunity grab it!
Really nice
Beautifully simplePosted By: Derek B
13 people found this review helpful
I purchased this knife as an introduction to Nakiris and AS steel, and am very satisfied with the knife this far. It is an example of function over form, being simple polished stainless cladding over a reactive AS core. However, it is very light with nice balance and takes a razor edge. It was my go to knife when prepping our Canadian Thanksgiving meal. The core has since developed a beautiful patina, which contrasts beautifully with the cladding, only adding to its aesthetics. The reason for 4 stars are as follows. First, food release could be better with wet starchy foods (particularly potatoes). I think a textured cladding would assist with this (my next purchase will consider this). Secondly, the handle is barely sealed. Washing raised the grain on mine so much that I will be sanding and sealing it in the near future. That said, this is an excellent value for an AS knife. I am sure I will get good use out of it in years to come.
13 people found this review helpful
I purchased this knife as an introduction to Nakiris and AS steel, and am very satisfied with the knife this far. It is an example of function over form, being simple polished stainless cladding over a reactive AS core. However, it is very light with nice balance and takes a razor edge. It was my go to knife when prepping our Canadian Thanksgiving meal. The core has since developed a beautiful patina, which contrasts beautifully with the cladding, only adding to its aesthetics. The reason for 4 stars are as follows. First, food release could be better with wet starchy foods (particularly potatoes). I think a textured cladding would assist with this (my next purchase will consider this). Secondly, the handle is barely sealed. Washing raised the grain on mine so much that I will be sanding and sealing it in the near future. That said, this is an excellent value for an AS knife. I am sure I will get good use out of it in years to come.
Great workhorsePosted By: Dylan Boissey - verified customer
11 people found this review helpful
I have been using this knife in a professional kitchen environment for over a year now and it performs great. The fit and finish are simple yet beautiful and the core steel takes a SCREAMING edge. I have also found that it is much more versatile than you would think. The non reactive cladding looks great and aids a lot in maintenance, although I would recommend wiping it off after every use anyway. I do not have any problems with reactive ingredients, but I forced a patina as soon as I received the knife. Overall, I love the knife and would recommend it for anyone.
11 people found this review helpful
I have been using this knife in a professional kitchen environment for over a year now and it performs great. The fit and finish are simple yet beautiful and the core steel takes a SCREAMING edge. I have also found that it is much more versatile than you would think. The non reactive cladding looks great and aids a lot in maintenance, although I would recommend wiping it off after every use anyway. I do not have any problems with reactive ingredients, but I forced a patina as soon as I received the knife. Overall, I love the knife and would recommend it for anyone.
Wonderful, lovely knife! :)Posted By: Carol T. - verified customer
11 people found this review helpful
Love this knife! Very pretty, soft look, and very scary, wicked edge! It came extremely sharp, and with just a little work by someone not very skilled at sharpening (me, lol), became even sharper! An absolute joy to use, so light and well-balanced, and just plows through vegetables. This is going to save me massive prep time and energy, and is fun to use besides.Great customer service, too. I ordered the knife 2-day delivery, and apparently Susan upgraded me to next-day, so I got it a day earlier than expected! Thanks so much for everything! :)
11 people found this review helpful
Love this knife! Very pretty, soft look, and very scary, wicked edge! It came extremely sharp, and with just a little work by someone not very skilled at sharpening (me, lol), became even sharper! An absolute joy to use, so light and well-balanced, and just plows through vegetables. This is going to save me massive prep time and energy, and is fun to use besides.Great customer service, too. I ordered the knife 2-day delivery, and apparently Susan upgraded me to next-day, so I got it a day earlier than expected! Thanks so much for everything! :)
