Moritaka 210 mm Kiritsuke Aogami-Super

Kiritsuke with a blade of 210 mm in three layers with a core of aogami-super (blue-super)

Moritaka in Kumamoto is one of the world's absolute oldest knifesmiths, whose knives have today become iconic and very easily recognizable for their rustic design characterized by the clearly hand-forged blade with a dark kurouchi surface.

The Kiritsuke is a kind of quintessentially Japanese chef's knife with a very distinctive profile. It has what you would call a K-tip, which makes working with the tip of this knife absolutely excellent. It is mainly used by head chefs as their preferred chef's knife - or so the story goes. So it should simply be understood as a chef's knife. 

The handle is made of walnut wood and is octagonal in the classic WA shape.

You should be aware that knives from Moritaka rust very easily. That's what they're meant to do, so that's to be expected. Maintenance is therefore extremely important, and you should e.g. always rinse the blade of your knife immediately after cutting with it. 

As mentioned, the core steel is aogami-super. Aogami is the category of so-called blue steel, and "Super" is the hardest of these alloys. For the same reason, this is not a knife to take chances with by cutting anything too hard. Bones, cartilage, frozen foods etc. are of course off-limits. 

If, on the other hand, you are willing to look after your knife, Moritaka is definitely one of the most fun and most personal knives you can get your hands on.

Never cut into bones or frozen items as this may damage the egg. Always wash the knife by hand and dry it thoroughly immediately.

Please note that both the blade and handle can be seriously damaged and broken if the knife is washed in a dishwasher – this also applies to stainless steel and wooden handles.