Tadafusa Nashiji Hand Hammered

Close-up view

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Tadafusa knives are entirely hand hammered in a workshop setting in Niigata City. This is an area famous for producing the finest sake in Japan and a traditional centre for tool and knife forging. Knives and booze together at last, what a great idea.

The blade is made from a core of hard Aogami #2 (blue steel #2) carbon steel and clad with soft stainless steel. In my mind this is a great method of manufacturing kitchen knives. You get all the performance of carbon steel (a very long lived edge, ease of sharpening and a silkiness when cutting) without most of the maintenance issues (possible rusting).

Blue steel #2 (Ao-gami #2) is basically Shiro-ko (white carbon steel) with the addition of magnesium and tungsten. These additions increase the durability of the blade, reduce the reactivity of the steel and give the potential for longer edge retention. Ao-gami steel is not stainless, but tarnishes slower than Shiro-ko. Blue #2 is the toughest of the Blue Steels basically it is less likely to chip. Because the core is carbon steel it will oxidize (change colour) over time. This is a natural process and adds character to the look of the blade. Just use, wash and dry immediately.

These Tadafusa knives feature a tapered tang for great balance. The finish of the blade is called Nashiji which refers to the blade looking and feeling like the skin of an asian pear. I also think they look really cool. The handle is made of durable bubinga wood and is naturally anti-bacterial.