Okada Blue #2 Tall Nakiri

Masanobu Okada was born in 1949 and is the 3rd generation of Okada Uchihamono. His original efforts as a blacksmith were aimed at making gardening tools such as sickles, hedge shears, and the like. However, in recent years, he has started to produce unique kitchen knives including his great looking Takobiki and this interesting tall nakiri. He works in his small shop located in one of the epicenters of Japanese knives, the Takefu Village Cooperative factory in Echizen. Okada-san carries the title of Dentoukougeishi (Traditional Craftsman) which is the Accreditation Examination conducted by the Traditional Crafts Industry Promotion Association Foundation.

The recent interest in Chinese cleavers and nakiris has spawned a breed of cross pollinated blades called tall nakiris. These hybrid designs feature the general profile and thin grinds of a nakiri but with the tall blade height associated with the cleaver. These are multi-tasking blades that will especially appeal to users with big hands, or a simple desire for a taller blade. It also makes food scooping a breeze. So while it resembles a cleaver, it is more of a nakiri in terms of grinds and profile. Also, like normal nakiri blades it is very flat along the edge.

The knife is fashioned from Blue #2 carbon steel that has been hammer forged with a stainless steel cladding in the san-mai style. The spine is quite robust with a nice convex grind down to the very thin edge. It has a rustic kurouchi finish which works well with a blade of this style.

Blacksmith: Masanobu Okada

Location: Echizen

Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged

Cladding: Stainless

Edge Steel: Blue #2

Weight: 8.0 oz (228 g)

Blade Length: 180 mm

Total Length: 334 mm

Spine Thickness at Base: 4.2 mm

Blade Height at Base: 74.3 mm