The knife is a Gyūtō (Japanese 牛刀, German “cattle knife”), a Japanese chef's knife ( Hōchō ) and is similar in geometry to the Western/European chef's knife . In Japanese cuisine, the Gyuto is used professionally as a universal chef's knife for meat, fish, fruit and vegetables.

The blade tip is finely forged and is suitable for fine and precise cuts.

The handle

The octagonal handle is made in the style of traditional Japanese Wa handles. It is made of ebony that was felled more than forty years ago. The total length of the handle is 130mm.

The decoration running across the handle was made of 925 sterling silver. The hand-engraved motif shows a crane in flight and stylized clouds.

The end cap of the handle is also made of 925 sterling silver and has a hand-engraved motif of a koi carp with water lilies and lily pads. Two water lilies are each set with an emerald and a ruby.

The longitudinal decorations on the ebony show three stylized cherry blossoms on a branch made of 1000/- fine silver. The cherry blossoms each have a diamond in their pistil. In the largest cherry blossom, the pistil is made of 999 fine gold.

The pattern on the underside of the handle is called Karakusa. The Karakusa is a traditional Japanese pattern that refers to stylized plants and is associated with Japanese flora such as bamboo, lotus and peony.

Vines extend from the pattern in all directions like a grapevine, representing longevity and prosperity.

In the past, the pattern was mainly used for decorative purposes, but it gradually became more and more used in crafts. The Karakusa encloses the name MANSHOLT, the manufacturer of the knife.

The Steel

The knife blade is made of non-stainless carbon steel with a high carbon content ( White Paper Steel No.2 , or Shirogami #2 ). The manufacturer is Yasugi Steel/ Hitachi Metals Japan. The carbon content is 1.05 to 1.15%. The blade was traditionally hand forged in Japan.

The blade length is 222mm, the height is 44mm. The blade is 3.5mm thick at its thickest point.

The cutting bevel has a symmetrical grind on both sides, the grinding angle is 21 degrees (this can still be recreated to a grinding angle of up to 15 degrees).

The blade surface is finely satinized.

The engraving of the Japanese characters on the knife blade was cut by hand and means “Shimanto River”. They indicate the place in Japan where the blade was forged.

There is a clearly visible hardness line along the blade. This so-called hamon or hamon line separates the hard, brittle part of the blade used for cutting from the softer, more flexible part of the knife.

After forging and before hardening, a mixture of clay, aluminum oxide, charcoal dust and water was partially applied to the blade. To harden it, the blade, heated to red heat, is quenched with the clay mixture in slightly tempered water until the hot steel stops bubbling in the water, which means the end of the Leidenfrost effect.

The blade was tempered in an open fire at around 200° Celsius.

The tang of the blade steel was burned into the wooden handle in the traditional way and finally fixed with tree resin (incense from the Sultanate of Oman). This means that the handle can be removed for any necessary repairs.

The total length of the knife is 352mm and the weight is 230 grams.

Blade length 222mm

The center of gravity is approximately 25mm in front of the handle; the knife is slightly blade-heavy and therefore very balanced.

For storage, the knife is stored in a handmade walnut wooden case.

Operating and care instructions

Non-stainless knife blades acquire a working patina over time. That is normal. However, to prevent rust from forming, the knife requires a minimum of care: Rinse under cold water and dry after use. Store dry. If you are not using it for a long time (e.g. on vacation), apply a drop of the included camellia oil to each side of the blade and distribute it.

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