Kagayaki

JCK Original Kagayaki Basic Series KG-14 Usuba 165mm (6.4inch)

$120.00

Availability: Normally ships the same day

Description
Specification
About Left Handed Version
Instructions & Maintenance

Description

“KAGAYAKI Basic Series” knife is made with V-Gold No.1 stainless steel, heat-treated to HRc. 60. This beautiful sparkling blade is meticulously hand finished and their smooth pakkawood handles will fit your hand comfortably. We think that in terms of quality control and cutting performance this knife is a work of art, it will bring joy to home cooks and chefs alike.

Kagayaki Basic Series knives are made by Mr. Gotou’s fine Craftsman Team. For 40 years, it has been Mr. Gotou’s goal to make highly functional blades that have excellent cutting performance, blade geometry, edge sharpness and durability. He has made knives for many famous Japanese retailers and knife companies, and we recommend his knives with confidence.

The Usuba is ideal for cutting vegetables and fruits which are served raw, because the thin and sharp blade produces cut surfaces with very little cell damage, and this minimizes the discoloration and change in flavor often caused by oxidation. The versatile middle section of the blade can be used for thinly slicing vegetables and also for performing the specialized Katsuramuki ("Rotary peeling”) technique.

Specification

Knife Model: JCK Original Kagayaki Basic Series Usuba

Blade Material: VG-1 Stainless Steel

Rockwell Hardness (HRc): 60

Blade Grind and Edge Shape: Single Bevel Edge

Handle Material: Black Pakka Wood Handle with Stainless Steel Bolster

Saya Included: No.

Usuba 165mm (6.4")
Cutting edge length: 165mm (6.4")
Total Length: 285mm (11.2")
Blade Thickness: 2mm (0.07")
Blade Width: 44mm (1.7")
Handle Length: 113mm (4.4")
Total Weight: 185g (6.5oz)

About Left Handed Version

Sorry. This knife is not available for left handed version.

Instructions & Maintenance

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

Important

This is the Stainless steel blade kitchen knife, which has good rust resistance for easy maintenance. However even stainless steel blade kitchen knife has rust situation if you leave it with wet condition.

Before starting to use the knife, please wash it with water for cleaning up.
Please do not put this knife in the dishwasher, please hand wash.
Please do not leave this knife in water or wet condition for a long time.
*After using, please hand wash it and wipe it clean and dry with soft clothes. (Includes bolster and handle part)
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, hard foods such as lobster and crab which have hard surface.
We recommend re-sharpening the knife using Japanese whetstones, when it gets dull.

Kagayaki Brand Concept

We believe knives that claim to be "best-quality" and "practical" must offer great cutting performance, great edge retention and adequate strength, whilst also being easy to maintain and sharpen. They should also be functional, be beautiful and be well made, with good fit and finish. All of these elements are important to serious users and professionals, who demand and need highly practical, professional-quality knives. JCK Original Kagayaki knives were specifically developed to meet these requirements.

Kagayaki Craftsmanship

JCK Original Kagayaki knives are handcrafted by a team of special craftsman, using traditional handcrafting methods that have been handed down by many generations of experienced, skillful craftsmen in Seki City, the Japanese knife making capital that has been known as "The City of Blades" since the Muromachi era (1338-1573). Motivated by their passion and true craftsman’s spirit, they are determined and proud to carry on the Seki tradition of producing high-quality knives.

The 'Essential Ingredients' of Best-Quality Knives: 水砥 (Mizu-to) "Whetstone Grinding and Sharpening"

To ensure an optimum balance of high cutting performance, edge retention and strength, the blade is ground to have a thin, convex cross section and a fine edge. The blades are manually ground on a large wet grindstone; a process that requires the sensitive touch and skill of an experienced craftsman. By rapidly pivoting his hands up and down while grinding, the craftsman creates a slightly convex blade with a thin edge. It takes years of experience, dedication, passion and spirit to grind and sharpen top-quality, practical knife blades.

The 'Essential Ingredients' of Best-Quality Knives: 歪取り (Hizumi-Tori) "Blade Straightening"

After the heat treatment, grinding and sharpening processes, the Master Craftsman pays extra attention to straightening the blades. This hammering process might seem simple, but it requires an experienced craftsperson with sharp senses. Blade straightening aids efficiency and precision during the next manufacturing processes, so it is very important. This manual work is time-consuming, delicate and difficult, but it is essential for the production of top-quality, practical knives.

Kagayaki Craftsman’s Story: Creating VG-1 Mono-Steel Knives

Question: For over 40 years, the Kagayaki Craftsman Team has concentrated on making Mono-Steel knives (One-piece construction) in VG-1 Stainless Steel — Why did the team make this decision?

About 40 years ago, high hardness stainless steels that offered good cutting performance were rare, so the main material for Japanese knives was carbon steel. At that time, many people thought it was impossible to make stainless steel knives with great sharpness and cutting performance. The experienced Kagayaki Craftsman Team challenged themselves to create a stainless-steel knife with a hardness level and cutting performance similar to a high carbon steel knife. They discovered VG-1 stainless steel, which has a relatively high carbon content, could offer hardness, cutting performance and sharpness that was similar to a carbon steel knife. At that time, creating stainless Mono-Steel knives with a high Rockwell hardness and high cutting performance was a great technological achievement. However, the craftsmen had to spend a lot of time and energy researching and testing how to make high quality, practical stainless-steel knives.

Kagayaki Craftsman’s Story: Creating VG-1 Mono-Steel Knives (Continued)

For over 40 years, the experienced Kagayaki Craftsman Team has concentrated on making Mono-Steel blades with the use of traditional blade crafting techniques, including Mizu-To (Whetstone Grinding and Sharpening) and Hizumi-Tori (Blade straightening). These well preserved traditional handcrafting processes are essential when making practical, high-quality, Mono-Steel knives, which can be particularly difficult to grind and sharpen. The Kagayaki Craftsman Team is proud to preserve their traditional handcrafting methods and use this great Japanese steel to make these Mono-Steel knife blades. They believe the combination of steel, knife construction and expert craftsmanship produces the most practical, cost-effective knives.

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