Nigara Aogami Super Kurouchi Tsuchime 240mm Kiritsuke Gyuto

The first-ever Aogami Super series from Niagara incorporates Kurouchi (blackened) and Tsuchime (hammered pattern) finishing. One major characteristic of this knife is the Willow shape hammered pattern that is nowhere to be found in other workshops. On top of it, a layer of Kurouchi finishing is added. What's more is the yellow flare on the blade that can be seen in various tilting angle. The fit and finish of this Kiritsuke Gyuto remains as excellent as Nigara has always been, arguably the most exciting series from Nigara. 

Spec:

• Origin (Made in): Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
• Brand: Nigara Hamono
• Craftsman: Tsuyoshi Yoshizawa (吉澤 剛)
• Knife Type: Kiritsuke Gyuto
• Blade
• Construction: San Mai
• Grind: Double-edged Blade (50/50 Grind)
• Hagane (Core Steel): Aogami Super (Blue Super)
• Jigane (Cladding): Stainless Steel
• Hardness: 62-63 HRC
• Hand-forged, hand-grinded, hand-sharpened
• Blade Finishes: 
• Kurouchi
• Tsuchime (Hammered)
• Kasumi Polish
• Blade Length: 240mm (9.4")
• Blade Height (at heel): 52mm
• Spine Thickness
• Above heel: 2.3mm
• Middle: 2.2mm
• Handle
• Shape: Hachikaku (Octagonal)
• Material: Wenge
• Kuchiwa: Buffalo Horn
• Length: 145mm
• Overall Length: 385mm
• Weight: 209g (7.37oz)
• Engraved Mark: In Japanese Kanji "Nigara Made" (二唐作)

About Nigara Hamono 二唐刃物

With 350 years of history, starting from making swords for Tsugaru clan in the early Edo period, Nigara Hamono has passed down know-how and skills for eight generations. Its 5th generation blacksmith Kunitoshi Nigara was a legendary sword maker, earning a long list of accolades, honorary titles, and knighthood. The current (8th) generation blacksmith — Tsuyoshi Yoshizawa is supported by his father Toshiju Yoshizawa who has a keen interest in art and music. Nigara’s famous Anmon design is the result of Toshiju’s love for Andy Warhol’s artworks. The family business’ expansion into construction steelworks has given Nigara unmatched access to in-house know-how when it comes to advanced finishing. All these set Nigara apart as one of the most special knife makers in Japan.

Care:

Aogami Super (Blue Super) steel is considered the most superior Japanese high carbon steel for knife making. It is not stainless, therefore you must wipe your knife dry after each use, in particular the core steel not covered by the stainless cladding. Patina will develop over time, which will appear as “discoloration” on the cutting edge, but that is the nature of carbon steel - not a defect. The stainless cladding covers a large part of the blade, making maintenance easier but still preserving the cutting and sharpening pleasure of the Aogami Super core. Avoid cutting into bones, frozen foods, hard fruit pits.

Cutting Surface:

Recommended cutting surface: wood, rubberized boards and high-end composites, and quality plastics such as polyethylene make acceptable cutting surfaces, and will help protect and prolong knife’s edge. AVOID glass, metal, countertops, and other rigid, non-forgiving surfaces.

Sharpening:

We recommend sharpening all quality Japanese knives on whetstones, as we believe they yield the best results for your knives.