Masamoto Sohonten Blue #2 Mirrored Honyaki Yanagi

About Masamoto Ao-Ko Honyaki 玉青鋼誂鏡面仕上

Loved and admired by collectors, Masamoto’s highest quality yanagi knife is entirely handcrafted from a single piece of blue carbon steel #2. Each piece is embellished with an ebony handle, a water buffalo horn bolster, and two silver rings. Honyaki knives made of blue steel are less brittle and have a longer edge retention.

About Masamoto
Minosuke Matsuzawa, the founder of the Masamoto Sohonten Company started making knives in 1866. It was his dream that his family would come to be remembered as knife craftsmen throughout the generations. Now, five generations later, Matsuzawa’s vision has been realized and professionally crafted Masamoto knives have become widely regarded as the finest knives made for professional use.

Purpose of Yanagi
The yanagi is used to slice boneless fish fillets into sashimi and toppings for sushi. The graceful, long and thin blade is designed to cut slices in one drawing stroke, which applies minimal pressure on the flesh of the fish to avoid stress and cell destruction. Different cutting techniques are used with the yanagi to enhance the aesthetics and the flavors of the fish. There are several variations of fish slicers that are all used in different situations and regions, however the yanagi style is the most widely used. Originated in Kansai (Osaka) region.

General knife care tips and warnings

• Never wash knives in the dishwasher
  
• This is not stain resistant. It will rust and discolor after cutting acidic ingredients or if one leaves it wet.
  
• Improper care will result in chipping.
  
• Please wipe knives dry after use to prevent rusting. Korin recommends wiping carbon knives with tsubaki oil to keep moisture off the knife.
  
• Western style knives sold at KORIN have significantly thinner blades than typical Western knives. Use of honing steels or sharpening machines may result in chipping.
  
• We advice all customers to always use sharpening stones to sharpen or hone knives.

  
  

Caution

Please be cautious when inspecting carbon knives with wet hands after purchase. We ask customers to inspect all knives prior to using, and will not accept returns on damaged goods. In the event you receive a rusted knife, please call customer service within 48 hours, and we will be happy to assist you.

For more information, please check our pages on sharpening tips.