- Maker: Tadafusa
- Model no.: HNB-165A
- Blade Steel: Aogami #2 (Blue Paper Steel) with kurouchi finish
- Blade Length: 165mm
- Handle: Magnolia with buffalo horn collar (kakumaki)
The Tadafusa HN range of knives offer a distinctly Japanese look and design, combined with lasting quality in the kitchen. The blades are hand forged by from Aogami #2 (blue paper steel), which is a premium steel used for chef's knives that must hold their cutting edge, while being easy to sharpen.
The HNB-165A is a Santoku knife, which means 'three virtues' - originally valour, wisdom and benevolence - but in the case of the Santoku knife refers to the three tasks it does best: slicing, dicing, and mincing. It is essentially the Japanese version of a general chef's knife, compared to the Gyuto, which is the Japanese interpretation of the Western-style chef's knife. The blade of this knife has a beautiful kurouchi finish about two-thirds down, where it retains characteristics of the forging process, while the cutting edge is polished and sharpened to ensure a clean and precise cut.
Please note: this knife is hand forged using carbon steel and soft iron cladding only and has no stainless protection. It will develop a patina and needs to be kept clean and dry to prevent oxidation.
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Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture is a well known hub in Japan of blacksmith factories and hardware manufacturing businesses. Its blacksmith tradition goes back to 1635.
The founder of Tadafusa - Torasaburo Sone - started Tadafusa in 1948 and, by using the techniques of the region, began making sickles, short swords, kitchen knives and hand-forged metal scales. Over time, Tadafusa became renowned especially for fishing knives, kitchen knives and soba knives.
Now in its third generation under the leadership of Tadayuki Sone, Tadafusa has introduced many contemporary elements to its knife ranges, including partnering with industrial designers like Fumie Shibata for its Hocho Kobo range and Yusuke Seki for its knife showroom. As a result, Tadafusa has won a number of Good-Design Awards and in the words of the company "have been continuing taking great effort to create the hand-forged knives that customers really desire for with the demands of the present age."
Tadafusa knives are ideal for serious home cooks as well as professional chefs and come in different blade types and wooden handle finishes. They have pioneered a process of carbonising wood handles to improve the antibacterial properties.
