Matsubara Nashiji Aogami #2 Nakiri 165mm
This hand-forged Nakiri has a blade length of 165mm. It was forged in traditional handwork by Tanaka-san from the Matsubara forge in Japan. The Nakiri has a matte Nashiji finish which results from the 3-layer blade structure, consisting of the softer sheath steel and the very hard inner core steel, which forms the cutting edge of the knife.
The Nashiji finish has a rustic appearance because the blade blade is not polished. The core of the blade is made of Blue #2 steel, which keeps its sharpness for a long time and reaches a hardness of about 62 HRC. A layer of softer stainless steel is welded around the blade core using the San Mai method. The softer stainless steel on the blade blade not only protects the inner steel core, but also gives the blade a degree of flexibility.
The Nashiji finish on the blade was inspired by the Japanese pear, giving a lesser contact between the ingredients and the blade to prevent the sliced item from sticking on it. The characteristic of Katsuto Tanaka's masterpiece would be his extraordinary tall blade and heel giving a very good knuckle clearance along with excellent weight.