Moritaka Aogami Super Series Yanagiba Knife Carbon Steel Blade 21cm

The fans of Japanese cuisine and Japanese cutlery must have this Moritaka yanagiba knife 21cm in their kitchen. This special kitchen knife is perfect for preparing sushi and sashimi. In other words, it is a fantastic tool for making ultra precises slices of fish. It belongs to the Aogami Super Steel knife series from the Japanese brand Moritaka.

Known as one of the most distinguised manufaturers of knives in Japan, Moritaka is a brand managed by a family of bladesmiths that has been in the knife industry for more than 700 years. Moritaka knives are entirely handcrafted, which means that each single knife is truly unique piece of cutlery. Even if two knives are of the same model and size, each one would still be unique as they were not made by an automated machine in a factory.

These knives are not easy to find in the market due to the fact that they’re authentically handcrafted, and that is why the team of MyChefKnives is proud to have them on our website! Instead of focusing on industrial processes to maximise productivity, the main words in the manufacturing of these knives are patience and traditional know-how.

More about the brand:

All the Moritaka handcrafted kitchen knives are reliable. The rich and surprising history of the brand started in 1293 when it was founded by the boss of bladesmiths of the Buddhist monks of Mount Homan in the Japanese city of Fukuoka. There, they  put in practice their expertise throughout 13 generations!

The family business then moved to Kumamoto in the 17th century. In this new city, the manufacturing of knives continued throughout 13 new generations. As an interesting fact, Moritaka supplied the swords for the Daimyo, who were powerful Japanese lords of that time. It was just 5 generations ago when the brand finally decided to expand and start creating kitchen knives.

A top-quality blade

It is made of a steel alloy that comes from the YSS (Yasugi Speciality Steel) range of steel from Hitachi, which is known around the world for the great quality of its different types of steel. The YSS steel range is divided into different types of steel, but for this specific yanagiba knife, Moritaka chose to use the highest-end type of steel: the Aogami Super Steel.

This type of steel has a high content of carbon (between 1.4 and 1.5%) and tunsgten (between 2 and 2.5%), and these two elements greatly enhance the hardness of the blade. Indeed, the steel reaches 65 HRC in the Rockwell hardness scale, which is quite high when compared with average hardness of a good knife (usually between 58 and 60 HRC).

For more hardness and better protection, the Aogami Super Steel core is covered by a layer of iron. Thanks to the impressive hardness of the steel, the blade is able to remain sharp for long time. Therefore, this knife can remain highly effective without having to be honed so often. One honing session per year should be enough.

However, when compared to other types of hard steel, Aogami Super Steel is actually much easier to sharpen. For example, most blades made of VG10 steel have a hardness of 61 to 63 HRC, but they are not easy to sharpen due to the specific composition of the alloy (even though the steel is of great quality). That is not the case for a Moritaka knife as its blade is easier to hone.

Moreover, the surface of the blade has a Kurouchi finish, which simply translates as the bladesmith’s finish. The unpolished, dark surface gives the blade a rustic and authentic look that cooks in Japan love. Such original finish is another reminder that this knife is really handcrafted.

The blade has a V-shaped cutting edge that is more robust than the edges of single-beveled blades. Given that the steel core is symetrically covered by iron, the edge is better protected. Furthermore, such type of edge makes this knife perfectly suitable for both left and right handed cooks, which is something that is less common in Japanese cutlery than in Western cutlery.

The handle

Moritaka created a specific type of handle (patented by the brand) that is meant to solve a common problem found in Japanese knives. The main characteristic is the tang made of stainless steel, which differs from other knives with carbon steel blades that have carbon steel tangs. By being made of stainless steel, there is less risk of the tang being damaged by corrosion and thus causing internal damage to the handle.

For this yanagiba knife, you can choose between two different types of handles. One is made of walnut wood and has a D-shaped design, whereas the other is made of dark walnut wood and has an octangular shape. Both types of handle are connected to the blade through a black bolster.

Taking care of your knife

It needs to be washed under running water with some mild soap and rinsed with abundant hot water. Then, you should dry it immediately using a soft cloth, and store it in a safe place where there is no humidity. The fulfillment of this advice is very important for the right preservation of the knife, thus putting it in the dishwasher is strictly forbidden.

Because the steel of the blade has a high carbon content and is covered by a layer of iron, it is highly sensitive to corrosion, so if the blade is not dried correctly, rust spots can appear on its surface. Therefore, keeping the knife in a place without humidity should always be a priority.

However, due to the nature of carbon steel, some small stains can appear on the blade’s surface over time, and this would be normal as they might be caused by the acids of food ingredients. For that reason, carbon steel blades are recommended for cooks who are truly knowledgeable about them, as they would admire their quality whilst keeping in mind that they need to be taken care of quite meticulously.

Some quick details about this knife:

Total length: 35 cm

Blade length: 21cm

Blade height: 33 mm

Blade width: 2.2 mm

Weight: 120 grams

Now that you know all the impressive and superb qualities of this knife, the next step is to get one for your kitchen! Remember that each knife is handcrafted, which means that each one is truly unique, so do not be surprised if your knife does not look exactly as the one in the photos shown in this page.

If this knife does not fit your preferences, feel free to have a look at the rest of yanagiba knives available on our website and find the best fit for your kitchen!