The Kogetsu line of knives is made by a smith working in tandem with his son under a workshop called Hamono. Committed to the path of blademaking in his early 20’s, his philosophy revolves around the pursuit of functional perfection in every knife coming out of his forge. Each knife is individually forged by hand and finished with a rustic look, giving each blade its individual characteristics. The convex (aka. Hamaguri) grind seen on the edge is individually done by the maker. Every time we get these, it’s like Christmas. Made from SK4 steel, these knives are easy to sharpen and retain their edge very well thanks to its hand-forging quality. SK4 steel is commonly used as a tool steel and is not often forged by hand for kitchen knives, but boasts excellent hardening properties and can take on a very fine edge with sharpening. With Kogetsu, what you get is more than what you pay for. A chef's knife ('Gyuto' in Japanese) is the most versatile blade that can handle almost anything in the kitchen. Their shape and often generous edge length mean that whether it's cutting small tomatoes or portioning a large roast, you can do it with one blade. Most cooks have multiple chef's knives and it is not hard to justify getting one more when it has so much utility. Brand: Kogetsu 五香刃物 Smith: Goko Hamono 五香刃物製作所 Producing Area: Chiba/ Japan Profile: Gyuto Size: 180mm Steel Type: Carbon Steel Steel: Mono SK High Carbon Handle: Pakka Western Total Length: 302mm Edge Length: 183mm Handle to Tip Length: 185mm Blade Height: 44mm Thickness: 1.6mm Handle Length: 114mm Weight: 157g Hand Orientation: Right-Handed