Masamoto Sohonten White #2 Hongasumi Unagi Ell Osaka-saki
Features
Style:Osaka-Saki
Steel Type:Carbon steel (CAUTION: MOISTURE AND ACID CAUSES RUST AND DISCOLORATION)
Steel Material:White Steel #2
Classification:Hongasumi
Saya Cover:Not Included
Knife Bevel:Single Sided
Handle Material:Carbon (handle not covered with additional material)
Bolster Material:
HRC:62 - 63
Knife Weight in grams:
Blade Width (Widest part of the blade) in inches:
Spine Width (Widest part of the spine) in inches:
Handle Length in inches:
The Masamoto Shiro-ko Hongasumi knives are forged in Japan from a combination of white carbon steel #2 and soft iron steel, and handled with magnolia wood and a water buffalo bolster. White steel’s pure carbon content allows for the sharpest cutting edge. The main difference between the kasumi and hongasumi line is found in the crafting process. More steps, higher level craftsman, and greater attention to detail are involved when crafting hongasumi knives, and they therefore are more refined than kasumi knives.
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 Osaka-saki
Unagisaki knives are special traditional Japanese knives used for cutting and filleting eel. What makes the unagisaki knives especially interesting in comparison to other traditional Japanese knives is the number of styles that exist. If you were to divide unagisaki knives into two categories, they would be Kansai and Kanto style unagi knives. If one were to be more specific it would be Edo-style, Kyoto-style, Nagoya-style, Osaka-style and Kyushuu-style. The reason for the number of styles is not because there are different needs or types of eel depending on region. It is due to the variations in preparing the eel. Chefs in the Kanto region slice and open eel from the spine, because of the region's samurai background. Although slicing eel from the stomach would make filleting such a long and slippery fish easier, the idea is strongly associated with seppuku, which is a form of suicide by disembowelment used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor. Therefore the image of cutting the stomach is thought to be taboo and brings bad fortune. However, in the Kansai region where nobility and merchants heavily influenced the culture, there was no disapproval or hesitation to cutting from the stomach. Another theory to the difference is because of a popular saying in the Kansai region by the merchants. "hara o watte hanasou", which literally means lets split our stomach and speak frankly. Osakasaki knives have the most unique and distinct look. These knives are rectangular, have a pointed tip like the Edo-saki knives, and do not have a handle. They look similar to a carpenter's tool and are used to filet the eel from the stomach.
CAUTION: Moisture Causes Rusting and Discoloration
CAUTION: Moisture Causes Rusting and Discoloration
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.
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 different types of sharpening stones or sharpening tips.
Country of Origin: Japan