In the year 2006, we had the chance to meet Mr. Itou and see his impressive Custom Kitchen Knife Collections. We will never forget this moment, it was our first time meeting Mr. Itou and our first time seeing his impressive, unique custom knives. Not long after that meeting, we started to introduce his fine custom knives to our customers.

 Since then, his knives have attracted many customers and they have been praised for their outstanding cutting performance and edge retention.

 Mr. Itou uses R-2 Powdered High Speed Tool Steel for the cutting edge of his knives (HRc. 62) and he creates his own Damascus steel, which has an incredibly beautiful and powerful appearance.

 Mr. Itou’s latest creations are his impressive "Luna Series" knives, which feature special new custom handles.

Like many other high-end custom knife makers, Mr. Itou hand tapers the blade tang to reduce weight and perfectly balance the blade and handle. He also contours and polishes the handle to ensure a perfect grip and an attractive finish.The fine, unique handle of this knife is made with Brown Wood-Micarta and it has been custom inlaid by Mr. Itou with a handcrafted Circle of beautiful White Abalone. As the Full-Moon shines in the Winter Evenings, Mr. Itou’s "Luna Series" knives and their Custom Inlaid Handles will be especially distinctive and magical.

Each one of Mr. Itou’s knives is a unique ‘one-off’, or ‘one-of-a-kind’ knife, that is 100% custom handmade and hammer forged.

The tall blade and rounded nose / tip of the Santoku make it a versatile knife that is well suited to cutting meat, fish, or vegetables; Hence it’s name, which literally means “Three-purpose”. The Santoku is often recommended as a multi-purpose kitchen knife.

Knife Model: Mr. Itou R-2 Custom Damascus Santoku170mm

Blade Material: R-2 Damascus

Rockwell Hardness (HRc): 62

Blade Grind and Edge Shape: Double Bevel Edge 50/50

Handle Material:  Brown Wood-Micarta Handle with Nickel Silver Bolster

Saya Included: No.

This knife comes with 50/50 double bevel edge geometry for both right and left handed use.

For your information, Japanese Kitchen knives are generally designed for right hand use with a slightly thicker and rounded grinding on the right side blade and a less rounded (almost straight flat) grinding on the left side blade. However, both right and left hander can use the knives that have double bevel edge sharpened 50/50 without problems. 

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

Important

This is the Powdered High Speed Tool Steel blade kitchen knife that has a rust resistance for easy maintenance. However, it may get rust, if kept in wet condition.

• Please do not put the knife in the dishwasher machine for cleaning.
• Please do not leave the knife in water or wet condition for a long time.
• After using, please hand wash the blade, bolster and handle thoroughly, and wipe it clean and dry with soft clothes, and keep it in a dry place.
• This is an extremely sharp knife. Please use special cares in using and storing it.
• Unlike German made knives, Japanese knife blades are ground to thin cutting edge for sharper cutting and easier re-sharpening. Please protect the edge from hitting hard materials to avoid chipping or cracking.
• Please do not use it to cut bone or frozen foods, any hard shell foods such as lobster and crab.
• We recommend using Japanese whetstones to re-sharpen the knife, when it gets dull.