Kikuichi Elite Carbon

Close-up view

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These blades are forged from White Carbon Steel. The advantages of carbon steel are that it keeps a great edge for an extended period of time and it’s super easy to maintain the edge. White steel is the simplest of the Carbon steels. The ingredients are basically iron and carbon (up to 2%). This is the easiest steel to sharpen and is capable of achieving the most perfect mirror finished edge. This steel has the ability of being forged to incredible hardness which translates to exceptional edge retention. The performance per dollar cannot be beat.

Kikuichi history dates back some seven hundred years when an exceptionally talented sword smith named Shiro Kanenaga produced blades of such outstanding quality that the Emperor, Gotoba, granted him the right to use the emperor's chrysanthemum symbol. For the next several hundred years their family manufactured samurai swords that bore the emperors chrysanthemum symbol or Kiku-no-mon as a mark of their excellence. Today Shiro Kanenaga's original swords are considered national treasures in Japan and are on display at Seikado Museum in Tokyo. Kikuichi blades carry the true legacy of the Samurai sword smith.

When the Meiji Revolution brought an end to the samurai era in 1868, the Kikuichi company re-invented itself as a maker of cutlery. The legacy of Shiro Kanenaga, their illustrious ancestor, is represented in the company's full name: "Kikuichi-Monjyu-Shiro-Kanenaga." Kikuichi means "first chrysanthemum," and Monjyu the Buddha that Shiro Kanenaga worshipped in his hometown of Nara.

Kikuichi knives are made in Sakai, Japan where 95% of traditional Japanese knives are made.

This steel will discolour and develop a dark patina with proper care, but will rust if treated poorly. So wash and dry twice before storing. Maybe think about oiling the steel with camellia oil or a food grade mineral oil. Take care of these blades and they will repay you with years of cutting excellence. Patina is your friend.

These knives are finished with a Western style pakka wood handle. Pakka wood is basically layers of rose or sandal wood bound with heaps of silicone. This type of handle is very rugged; I would say they are virtually indestructible. The handle is fixed to the tang with three rivets for strength and durability.