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Details
Specifications
- Series: Minonokuni Matsu
- Shape: Kama-usuba, Kansai style (single-bevel vegetable knife with a pointed tip)
- Blade length: 210mm (8.3 inches)
- Steel: Aogami #2 (Blue #2) carbon steel, hon kasumi construction (a hard steel edge forge-welded to a softer iron body); not stainless
- Hardness: 63-65 HRC
- Grind: Single bevel with an urasuki (hollow-ground) back, ground for right-handed use
- Spine thickness: 4.1 mm (0.16 inch)
- Weight: 8.5 ounces (241 g)
- Handle: Octagonal oiled ho (Japanese magnolia) wood with a buffalo horn ferrule
- Included: Ho wood saya (sheath)
- Item number: Matsu-1589
- Made in: Japan
Matsu Kama-Usuba Sizes
| Knife | Blade | Hand | Suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matsu 7.1-inch (180mm) Kama-Usuba | 180mm (7.1 in.) | Right | Home boards, garnish work |
| Matsu 8.3-inch (210mm) Kama-Usuba | 210mm (8.3 in.) | Right | Professional prep with detail work |
Matsu, Take and Ume Compared
| Line | Steel | Hardness | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matsu | Aogami #2 (blue) | 63-65 HRC | Experienced single-bevel users; longest edge retention, most delicate |
| Take | Shirogami #2 (white) | 60-62 HRC | The sweet spot; professional use, less brittle than blue |
| Ume | SK-4 (yellow) | 58-60 HRC | Novices; most forgiving and the best for learning to sharpen |
About a Hand-Forged Knife
Each Matsu blade is forged and finished by hand, not cut from sheet steel by machine. Hammer marks, a cloudy kasumi finish on the iron and slight differences in the grind lines from one knife to the next are signs of that work. They are expected, they vary from knife to knife, and they do not affect how the knife cuts.
Before First Use
Wash the knife with warm water and mild soap, then dry it completely. The edge and tip arrive sharp; a light pass on a fine waterstone refines them further.
Tips for Best Results
- Use the flat section of the edge for push cuts and katsuramuki, and the tip for scoring and carving.
- Do not pry with the tip or use it on frozen food.
- Sharpen the beveled face with the curve of the tip following the stone, then remove the burr on the flat back.
- Cut on wood or a soft synthetic board.
Care
- Hand wash and dry the knife immediately after use. Never put it in a dishwasher or leave it to soak.
- Carbon steel reacts with acidic food and moisture. A gray or blue patina will form over time and helps protect the steel; rust spots can be removed with a fine abrasive.
- For storage, apply a thin film of camellia oil and keep the knife in its saya, away from damp.
- More guidance is in our article on the care and maintenance of carbon steel knives.
Additional Info
| Blade Length (Inches) | 8.3 in. |
|---|---|
| Blade Length (mm) | 210 mm |
| Blade Width (inches) | 2 |
| Grind | Urasuki Chisel |
| Steel Type | Blue Steel |
| Rockwell Hardness | 63-65 |
| Stainless | No |
| Handle Material | Oiled Japanese Magnolia (Ho) Wood with a Buffalo Horn Ferrule |
| Spine Thickness (mm) | 4.1 |
| Brand | Minonokuni |
| Country of Manufacture | Japan |
| SKU | Matsu-1589 |
| Manufacturer's Part Number | 1589 |
| Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price | $528.00 |
