Sakai has been the center of Japanese blade production for over 600 years, and Sakai Takayuki is one of the city's most established names - a manufacturer with the depth to produce specialist knives that most of the market simply does not attempt. The Kamagata Usuba is one of those knives. This is not a general-purpose vegetable knife. It is a single-bevel precision tool designed specifically for the style of fine vegetable work practiced in Osaka-region professional kitchens: decorative cuts, continuous thin peeling, intricate garnish work, and the kind of exacting prep that a double-bevel knife cannot execute with the same control. This version is ground left-handed, making it one of the rarer formats we carry.
The blade is forged in ni mai (two-layer) construction from Blue #2 (Aogami 2) carbon steel - a high-carbon tool steel known for exceptional sharpness and a sharpening response that rewards time on quality water stones. The kamagata profile gives the blade a swept, upturned tip rather than the squared-off heel of the Tokyo-style usuba, which opens up a wider range of precise cuts and makes the tip available for detail work. At 197mm it has the reach for extended prep sessions while remaining light enough for delicate control. The ho wood handle with buffalo horn ferrule is traditional and well-proportioned for the task. This is a knife for a specific purpose - and within that purpose, it is exceptional.
Care Instructions: Blue #2 is a reactive carbon steel that will develop a patina with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use and avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only - no dishwasher. Apply camellia oil before extended storage. Single-bevel knives require flat-stone sharpening technique - sharpen the flat (ura) side on a flat stone and work the bevel side carefully to maintain the grind angle.
The blade is forged in ni mai (two-layer) construction from Blue #2 (Aogami 2) carbon steel - a high-carbon tool steel known for exceptional sharpness and a sharpening response that rewards time on quality water stones. The kamagata profile gives the blade a swept, upturned tip rather than the squared-off heel of the Tokyo-style usuba, which opens up a wider range of precise cuts and makes the tip available for detail work. At 197mm it has the reach for extended prep sessions while remaining light enough for delicate control. The ho wood handle with buffalo horn ferrule is traditional and well-proportioned for the task. This is a knife for a specific purpose - and within that purpose, it is exceptional.
Care Instructions: Blue #2 is a reactive carbon steel that will develop a patina with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use and avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only - no dishwasher. Apply camellia oil before extended storage. Single-bevel knives require flat-stone sharpening technique - sharpen the flat (ura) side on a flat stone and work the bevel side carefully to maintain the grind angle.
- Blacksmith: Sakai Takayuki
- Location: Sakai, Japan
- Construction: Hammer Forged, Ni Mai
- Edge Steel: Blue #2 (Aogami 2) Carbon Steel
- Grind: Single Bevel, Left-Handed
- Handle: Ho Wood
- Ferrule: Buffalo Horn
- Weight: 9 oz (254g)
- Blade Length: 197mm
- Total Length: 355mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 4mm
- Blade Height: 51mm
