Master Futoshi Nagao, the owner of Hiromoto Co., Ltd., is one of the most famous and experienced craftsmen in Seki City. Unfortunately, in 2015 Master Nagao decided to retire due to his old age (80 years old). Fortunately, we still have a selection of the last knives that he produced available in our inventory.

This very special Honyaki knife is produced from a single piece of Hitachi White No.2, a very pure type of high carbon steel. During the heat-treatment process, Master Nagao uses a water bath to rapidly quench the steel because it enables the steel to achieve a high hardness. The Mizu-Honyaki (Literally, “water quenching”) process requires special techniques and considerable skill to be successful - and even then, there is still a relatively high failure rate - but it enables the production of a blade with excellent edge sharpness and exceptional edge retention.

The knife features full tang construction, stainless steel bolster and black pakkawood (Resin stabilized wood composite) handle scales. The handles provide a comfortable, secure grip and good overall blade balance.

Hiromoto Honyaki knife is the result of many decades of trial and error with different time-consuming forging and handcrafting process. We think that Master Nagao’s final Honyaki knife is true masterpieces, which exemplify both his expertise and his dedication.

Stocks are limited, so please order now if you would like to own one of these very special knives!

The Gyuto is the Japanese version of the classic Western Chef’s knife. It can be used with a variety of different cutting techniques to achieve a wide range of kitchen tasks and is suitable for cutting the vast majority of meats, fish, vegetables and fruits. The Gyuto is true multi-purpose knife.

Knife Model: Hiromoto Honyaki Gyuto

Blade Material:  White Steel No.2

Rockwell Hardness (HRc): 63

Blade Grind and Edge Shape: Double Bevel Edge 70/30

Handle Material: Black Pakka Wood Handle with Stainless Steel Bolster

Saya Included: No.

Master Craftsman modifies edge shape and bevel for left hand use by hand sharpening process at the following additional cost:

Gyuto + $10

Left handed versions are normally in stock for immediate shipping. However, when it became out of stock, please allow 3 to 6 days for shipping.

For your information, many of the Japanese Kitchen knives come originally with double bevel edge sharpened 70/30 (face side/back side) for Western style knives. This geometry came from Japanese Traditional knives with single bevel edge and Shinogi blade construction. This is one of the special features and reasons why Japanese knives have an excellent cutting performance.

However, this 70/30 edge geometry is designed for right hand use, so we have a service to modify it to 30/70 for left handed users with re-sharpening process by skilled craftsman.

We believe the quality and cutting performance of Japanese knives are the best in the world, and hope you enjoy fine craftsmanship and sharp edge with your new knife. With proper cares, every Japanese knife should be your special cooking partner for long times.

Important

This is the Carbon steel blade kitchen knife that can get rust and discolor easily, and requires extra care and attention to prevent rust.