The Nakagawa Ginsan Kiritsuke 240 mm reflects the evolution of a master smith. On my first trip to Japan, I visited Kenichi Shiraki, who at the time was considered one of the top blacksmiths in the country. During that visit, I met a young apprentice named Satoshi Nakagawa who had already begun building a strong foundation under Shiraki san. Since Shiraki’s retirement, Nakagawa has taken over the forge and established himself as a master in his own right. He is also one of the few smiths producing honyaki blades, a demanding technique forged from a single piece of carbon steel that requires exceptional skill and control.
This kiritsuke is forged in san mai construction using Silver 3, also known as Ginsan steel, with stainless cladding. Ginsan is fully stainless and one of our favorite steels for kitchen knives due to its fine grain structure, clean sharpening feel, and excellent edge retention. The blade is ground even at 50/50 for balanced cutting performance and features the distinctive kiritsuke profile that excels at precise push cutting and slicing tasks. After hearing from our forum customers, we inquired about the sharpening and confirmed that Morihiro san performs the final grind, adding another level of refinement to the blade. The wenge octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule gives the knife a refined, substantial presence in hand. As with any thin Japanese knife, avoid twisting, prying, or cutting bones or frozen foods to prevent chipping.
Care Instructions: Hand wash and dry after use. Do not place in dishwasher. Use wood or soft plastic cutting boards only. Store in a blade guard or saya when not in use.
Blacksmith: Nakagawa San Sharpener: Morihiro San Location: Sakai, Japan Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai Cladding: Stainless Edge Steel: Ginsan Edge Grind: Double Bevel; Even 50/50 Handle: Wenge Octagonal Ferrule: Buffalo Horn Weight: 5.8 oz / 164 g Blade Length: 200 mm Overall Length: 349 mm Spine Thickness at Heel: 2.8 mm Blade Height at Heel: 41.7 mm
This kiritsuke is forged in san mai construction using Silver 3, also known as Ginsan steel, with stainless cladding. Ginsan is fully stainless and one of our favorite steels for kitchen knives due to its fine grain structure, clean sharpening feel, and excellent edge retention. The blade is ground even at 50/50 for balanced cutting performance and features the distinctive kiritsuke profile that excels at precise push cutting and slicing tasks. After hearing from our forum customers, we inquired about the sharpening and confirmed that Morihiro san performs the final grind, adding another level of refinement to the blade. The wenge octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule gives the knife a refined, substantial presence in hand. As with any thin Japanese knife, avoid twisting, prying, or cutting bones or frozen foods to prevent chipping.
Care Instructions: Hand wash and dry after use. Do not place in dishwasher. Use wood or soft plastic cutting boards only. Store in a blade guard or saya when not in use.
Reviews
1 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) Very nicePosted By: Dee
25 people found this review helpful
Confession: I bought this knife for only one reason- I think it is beautiful. It did not disappoint, a work of art. I certainly don’t need another 210, but as an added bonus, this knife performs wonderfully. It’s light and nimble in my hand. Ootb sharpness on phone book paper was just ok, but it was absolutely spooky how it fell thru product. It seems very thin bhte. I have had this about a month, using it every day on meal prep at home, slicing cooked meat for the table, cutting citrus. One thing I did not see until the first sharpening (1 week in w/SG 2000& 4000) was a hole in the edge on the right side about
midway from heel to tip. Very slight, (~1” long) but definitely there. It looks like it will sharpen out and I can’t detect any mis cuts using a wood board, but a little off putting for a $300 knife. It is getting shorter after 3 light sharpenings I guess even the great ones (Morihiro san) can have an off day. Hence the four star rating. But bottom line = Get One, I would buy this again.
25 people found this review helpful
Confession: I bought this knife for only one reason- I think it is beautiful. It did not disappoint, a work of art. I certainly don’t need another 210, but as an added bonus, this knife performs wonderfully. It’s light and nimble in my hand. Ootb sharpness on phone book paper was just ok, but it was absolutely spooky how it fell thru product. It seems very thin bhte. I have had this about a month, using it every day on meal prep at home, slicing cooked meat for the table, cutting citrus. One thing I did not see until the first sharpening (1 week in w/SG 2000& 4000) was a hole in the edge on the right side about
midway from heel to tip. Very slight, (~1” long) but definitely there. It looks like it will sharpen out and I can’t detect any mis cuts using a wood board, but a little off putting for a $300 knife. It is getting shorter after 3 light sharpenings I guess even the great ones (Morihiro san) can have an off day. Hence the four star rating. But bottom line = Get One, I would buy this again.
