Aogami Super is one of the best carbon steels available for kitchen knives, taking a razor-sharp edge and holding it for an impressively long time, and this gyuto from the Masakage Koishi line is built to put that steel to full use. At 240mm long, the blade is large enough for big ingredients like heads of lettuce but still nimble enough to mince onions with precision.
The core is hardened to around 63 to 65 HRC and wrapped in a softer stainless cladding for added strength. The gently sloping belly suits both choppers and rockers, and the outer layer carries the kurouchi finish over the dimpled koishi pattern, a rustic look that stands out against shinier competitors. The handle is an octagonal cherry wood wa handle with a black pakka ferrule for contrast.
What Customers Are Saying:With sixteen reviews, this is one of the most reviewed knives in the entire Koishi line, and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive on sharpness, food release, and how thin the grind is behind the edge. Several reviewers specifically call out the hammered finish for keeping cling to a minimum during long shifts, with one going a full week of ten-hour days without noticing any slowdown in performance. A couple of notes worth knowing about: one reviewer found their particular knife did not have much of a flat spot at all, which they took as normal variation on a handmade blade, and another mentioned a slight bend in their blade that Mark helped them correct, since clad knives can bend more easily than mono steel. Both still rated the knife highly overall.
Care Instructions:Aogami Super is reactive and one of the hardest carbon steels around, so wipe and dry the blade immediately after each use rather than letting it sit. 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 a quality water stone with a final strop will keep the edge at its sharpest between full sharpenings.
The core is hardened to around 63 to 65 HRC and wrapped in a softer stainless cladding for added strength. The gently sloping belly suits both choppers and rockers, and the outer layer carries the kurouchi finish over the dimpled koishi pattern, a rustic look that stands out against shinier competitors. The handle is an octagonal cherry wood wa handle with a black pakka ferrule for contrast.
What Customers Are Saying:With sixteen reviews, this is one of the most reviewed knives in the entire Koishi line, and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive on sharpness, food release, and how thin the grind is behind the edge. Several reviewers specifically call out the hammered finish for keeping cling to a minimum during long shifts, with one going a full week of ten-hour days without noticing any slowdown in performance. A couple of notes worth knowing about: one reviewer found their particular knife did not have much of a flat spot at all, which they took as normal variation on a handmade blade, and another mentioned a slight bend in their blade that Mark helped them correct, since clad knives can bend more easily than mono steel. Both still rated the knife highly overall.
Care Instructions:Aogami Super is reactive and one of the hardest carbon steels around, so wipe and dry the blade immediately after each use rather than letting it sit. 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 a quality water stone with a final strop will keep the edge at its sharpest between full sharpenings.
- Brand: Masakage
- Line: Koishi
- Blacksmith: Yoshimi Kato
- Location: Echizen, Japan
- Workshop: Takefu Knife Village
- Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
- Cladding: Stainless Steel
- Edge Steel: Aogami Super
- HRC: 63-65
- Finish: Kurouchi
- Edge Grind: Even
- Handle: Cherry Octagonal
- Ferrule: Black Pakka Wood
- Engraving: Hand Engraved
- Weight: 6.9 oz (196 g)
- Blade Length: 247 mm
- Total Length: 403 mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 3 mm
- Blade Height: 52 mm
Reviews
16 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) Amazing knife and people!, February 3, 2025 Great GyutoPosted By: Jordan Magaro
24 people found this review helpful
I absolutely love this knife. It is a perfect all-rounder gyuto, it can slice, chop, dice, and has enough heft to handle chopping through bigger veg. It takes a razor sharp edge and retains it. The fit and finsh are wonderful.
24 people found this review helpful
I absolutely love this knife. It is a perfect all-rounder gyuto, it can slice, chop, dice, and has enough heft to handle chopping through bigger veg. It takes a razor sharp edge and retains it. The fit and finsh are wonderful.
First GyutoPosted By: Jordan Magaro
23 people found this review helpful
I have always loved quality blades but this is my first foray into handmade traditional Japanese knives and I am impressed. The fit and finish are amazing and the steel is so very sharp. This is a beautiful and easy to care for knife that will give me years of joy. It is rather stout and a great all-rounder in the kitchen; it performs all the slicing and chopping tasks I ask of it and is quite comfortable to use. Thanks CKTG!
23 people found this review helpful
I have always loved quality blades but this is my first foray into handmade traditional Japanese knives and I am impressed. The fit and finish are amazing and the steel is so very sharp. This is a beautiful and easy to care for knife that will give me years of joy. It is rather stout and a great all-rounder in the kitchen; it performs all the slicing and chopping tasks I ask of it and is quite comfortable to use. Thanks CKTG!
Best Amazing performer Excellent purchase The Shark!Posted By: JeffryB - verified customer
21 people found this review helpful
That's what we call this knife in our house. One of the best performers on CKTG. Super sharp, superthin at the tip and a super cutter. A high-flying act in other words.What does that mean? The Koishi flicks through onions better than any knife I have ever used. The tip is made for precision. It can go places few gyutos can. But you do have to be careful. Being very hard AS steel can chip and the tip seems fragile.What else? Very nice handle. F&F above average. The Kurouchi is quite nice, though food sticks a bit until after some use.Like most J knives, the Koishi is best for pushing and it's got enough of a flat spot to chop well. I'd be careful rocking because of the tip.Superb knife.
21 people found this review helpful
That's what we call this knife in our house. One of the best performers on CKTG. Super sharp, superthin at the tip and a super cutter. A high-flying act in other words.What does that mean? The Koishi flicks through onions better than any knife I have ever used. The tip is made for precision. It can go places few gyutos can. But you do have to be careful. Being very hard AS steel can chip and the tip seems fragile.What else? Very nice handle. F&F above average. The Kurouchi is quite nice, though food sticks a bit until after some use.Like most J knives, the Koishi is best for pushing and it's got enough of a flat spot to chop well. I'd be careful rocking because of the tip.Superb knife.
Amazing knife!Posted By: Dave - verified customer
29 people found this review helpful
This knife is a stunner, no doubt. The grinds are great and it performs beautifully with minimal wedging. It's crazy thin behind the edge with strong backbone to it. It also has a great distal taper so the tip performs really well too. Sharpens quickly and easily. My copy doesn't have much of a flat spot at all unfortunately, but I think I'm unique as most others do. The finish, which cool, is also bit rough though and towels stick when wiping it down. Other than those two small complaints, it's perfect.
29 people found this review helpful
This knife is a stunner, no doubt. The grinds are great and it performs beautifully with minimal wedging. It's crazy thin behind the edge with strong backbone to it. It also has a great distal taper so the tip performs really well too. Sharpens quickly and easily. My copy doesn't have much of a flat spot at all unfortunately, but I think I'm unique as most others do. The finish, which cool, is also bit rough though and towels stick when wiping it down. Other than those two small complaints, it's perfect.
ExcellentPosted By: Chris - verified customer
17 people found this review helpful
This knife is a stunner with performance to match its bada$$ looks. Amazing sharpness out of the box, fantastic edge retention, great food release. Really just a winner of a knife. It is very thin at the edge, so be sure your technique is up to it.
17 people found this review helpful
This knife is a stunner with performance to match its bada$$ looks. Amazing sharpness out of the box, fantastic edge retention, great food release. Really just a winner of a knife. It is very thin at the edge, so be sure your technique is up to it.
true excellencePosted By: Angelo Nicoletti - verified customer
16 people found this review helpful
This knife surpassed my excpectations on all fronts. one the hand hammering keeps cling down to a minimum and 2 the 65 HRC's keep this boy super sharp for multiple days, you can use this knife for a week of 10hr shifts without even noticing any slowdown. the super steel also has great spring to it which i really appriceate when machine choping and the blade design allows for rock chopping without ever over bending your wrist. last the handle is quite a bit back from the blade so if you are a pinch or double pinch grip guy like myself you will be in heaven. I cannot recomend this knife enough. lastly although looks are not everything in a kitchen, this knife looks gorgeous, esspecialy when wet in use and the black gets really deep, this knife turns my GM's head when he walks through. this knife is amazing and has really sold me on Masakage. 5 out of 5 stars
16 people found this review helpful
This knife surpassed my excpectations on all fronts. one the hand hammering keeps cling down to a minimum and 2 the 65 HRC's keep this boy super sharp for multiple days, you can use this knife for a week of 10hr shifts without even noticing any slowdown. the super steel also has great spring to it which i really appriceate when machine choping and the blade design allows for rock chopping without ever over bending your wrist. last the handle is quite a bit back from the blade so if you are a pinch or double pinch grip guy like myself you will be in heaven. I cannot recomend this knife enough. lastly although looks are not everything in a kitchen, this knife looks gorgeous, esspecialy when wet in use and the black gets really deep, this knife turns my GM's head when he walks through. this knife is amazing and has really sold me on Masakage. 5 out of 5 stars
One of the GreatsPosted By: Jeff B - verified customer
16 people found this review helpful
Spectacular grind with very good food release and very good edge retention. This knife just powers through everything from soft produce to a head of cabbage. Excellent aesthetics with an above average handle. Another great buy from CKTG!
16 people found this review helpful
Spectacular grind with very good food release and very good edge retention. This knife just powers through everything from soft produce to a head of cabbage. Excellent aesthetics with an above average handle. Another great buy from CKTG!
Product Review Product Review Product ReviewPosted By: Katka Volna - verified customer
23 people found this review helpful
Hello,thank you for a excellent knife. I am very happy using it and aslo good shipping and other supporting services. Great job. I am looking forward ordering some other stuff from your shop. BR, Katka
23 people found this review helpful
Hello,thank you for a excellent knife. I am very happy using it and aslo good shipping and other supporting services. Great job. I am looking forward ordering some other stuff from your shop. BR, Katka
Product ReviewPosted By: Howard - verified customer
21 people found this review helpful
My first stainless clad aogami knife and I love it so much I don't think I can go back to full stainless. This knife is has a beautiful rustic finish, a razor sharp edge that cuts like butter and is really comfortable to use. The blade had a very slight bend in it that was easily fixed thanks to Mark's advise. Apparently clad knives can bend because the steels settle at different rates. Mark sent me a link on how to fix it and also offered to fix it for me for free. Great experience and beautiful knife. Thanks Mark!
21 people found this review helpful
My first stainless clad aogami knife and I love it so much I don't think I can go back to full stainless. This knife is has a beautiful rustic finish, a razor sharp edge that cuts like butter and is really comfortable to use. The blade had a very slight bend in it that was easily fixed thanks to Mark's advise. Apparently clad knives can bend because the steels settle at different rates. Mark sent me a link on how to fix it and also offered to fix it for me for free. Great experience and beautiful knife. Thanks Mark!
Product ReviewPosted By: Colin Rupp - verified customer
18 people found this review helpful
First week with this knife and it's impressive. The lines and weight are great. Keeps a great edge. Out of the box sharpness is pretty good but a little fine tuning and it's one of the sharpest I've seen. Would defiantly recommend this line of knife.
18 people found this review helpful
First week with this knife and it's impressive. The lines and weight are great. Keeps a great edge. Out of the box sharpness is pretty good but a little fine tuning and it's one of the sharpest I've seen. Would defiantly recommend this line of knife.
