Tsubaki Blue #2 Kori Gyuto 240mm

We had to take a prop plane to visit Mr. Miyazaki from Nagasaki Airport in 2017 and we discussed making this knife line for us at that time. While discussing the grind of the knife he told me he was studying a knife that he had that he thought was excellent. I asked to see it and he pulled it out of a drawer and lo and behold it was a Shigefusa. :)

Miyazaki San was kind enough to write an explanation of the manufacturing process which we have translated and included in this product description.

“Please let me explain how I produced the first lot of CKTG Original Gyuto 240mm.” “I manually insert Hitachi Aogami #2 steel into quality mild soft iron. I carefully made it annealed into ash of rice straw where carbon powder is added.”

“After forging (the steels together), considering the gyuto’s original character, I hardened it (using) pine charcoal at about 800 degrees centigrade. Then (it is) immediately (quenched) in water at about 28 degrees centigrade, to (make) it much tougher.”

“I ground the blade to be what is called a “clamshell” finish, to have the cutting feeling lighter and (to make) re-sharpening even easier” Hamaguri is Japanese for clam or “clamshell,” and it describes a blade ground with convex radiused bevels. Also called an Appleseed or Moran grind, it is often produced by grinding on a slack grinding belt. This knife has been made exclusively for CKTG. Kori means "Ice" in Japanese and the nice sand blasted finish has a frosty feel to it. This blade is made entirely by hand. Comes with a beautiful custom octagonal handle.

Brand: Tsubaki

Blacksmith: Miyazaki San

Knife Line: Kori

Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged

Edge Steel: Blue #2

Cladding: Iron

Finish: Sand Blasted

Height: 50mm

Weight: 8.3 oz / 236g

Blade Length: 246 mm

Overall Length: 404 mm

Spine Thickness at Heel: 3.1 mm

Blade Height at Heel: 46.8 mm

Handle: Custom Octagonal