With a stiff, robust spine, this blade’s deeply hollow-forged flats allow it to be extremely thin behind the edge. The slightly forward balance gives the knife some heft for powerful cutting. The core steel (Takefu Shiro2), is one of my favorites: it is easy to sharpen to hairsplitting keenness, and it is quite tough, even at the high hardness required for a quality kitchen knife.

Blade materials: Damascus-clad Takefu Shiro2

Handle materials: Ziricote

Blade length*: 222mm

Tip to heel length: 212mm

Blade height at heel: 49mm

Spine thickness at handle: 5.2mm

Spine thickness at heel: 4mm

Spine thickness mid-blade: 3mm

Spine thickness 1cm from tip: 1mm

Overall length: 352mm

Weight: 187g

*measured from the tip to where the blade meets the handle