Asai SRS15 Suminagashi

Close-up view

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Asai Masami-san

Sexy and high performance. What else could you want in a kitchen knife? Asai san, as all master craftsmen, creates very high performance blades. His knives stand out as works of art akin to jewelry. Kitchen jewelry, what a great idea! Asai san laminates the SRS15 core with many layers of hand folded Damascus steel which he then acid etches to make these gorgeous knives. The texture of the blade makes them less ‘sticky’ therefore the knife will slide through food better.

SRS15 High Speed Powder Steel is my kind of steel. It is mega hard, therefore holds a fine edge amazingly well. Combined with a very fine grained structure it feels absolutely silky when cutting. Some say that SRS15 feels clinical. Its stainless qualities mean you needn’t worry about rusting or discolouring. This steel is often found in precision tools, dentist drills and surgical equipment.

Asai Masami, born in 1948, works in Takefu Village, Echizen in Fukui Prefecture. His blades are known for a refined and long lived edge. In 1980, Echizen was the first production centre for forged blades to be awarded the nationally recognized Traditional Craft Product accolade. Blades have been hand forged here since Muromachi period (1392-1573).

These knives are finished with an octagon shaped Japanese style rosewood handle and black pakka wood collar. A modern look for traditional handles. Pakka wood is basically layers of rose or sandal wood bound with heaps of silicone. This type of handle creates a knife with overall lightness and a blade forward balance. I love a light knife as one does not become fatigued with heavy use and they are more precise.

The Damascus or Suminagashi cladding steel is super sexy. Can I call a knife sexy? I think so. Having a light, thin blade this knife is capable of extreme sharpness and glides through food. These are great little workers but remember they are like Ferraris; don’t treat them too roughly or drive them in the ditch. This is a very high performance, precision knife.