Japanese Knives

Honyaki Blue Steel Highly Mirrored Yanagi Knife with Silver Ring Handle
本焼・玉青鋼誂 柳刃刺身　鏡面仕上（銀輪黒丹8角柄・ 銀付黒丹サヤ付)

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There are basically three grades for Masamoto Japanese knives – Honyaki, Hongasumi and Kasumi knives.  These grades are defined by the forging methods and materials used.

Honyaki Knives
[正本総本店・本焼]

Honyaki – HA・HS

Masamoto Honyaki knives are highest-quality, made of one high-carbon steel (white or blue steel).  Honyaki are difficult to forge and finished entirely by hand which requires higher-skilled craftsmen.

The blade holds an extremely sharp edge and the greatest retention. Honyaki are suitable for professionals with high-level skills. 

Honyaki blue, beautifully hand-polished like a mirror 本焼・玉青鋼誂 鏡面仕上

Material: High carbon white, blue steel; non-stainless
Blade: Single-edged
Handle: Magnolia wood with a water buffalo horn bolster
Sharpening: Advance

Hongasumi Knives
[正本総本店・本霞]

Masamoto Hongasumi knives are high-grade of Kasumi knives. They are made of highly refined carbon steel (white or blue steel) with more work processes such as much longer hammering than Kasumi knives. 

Hongasumi Blue Carbon Steel Knives
[本霞・玉青鋼誂]

Blue steel of chromium and tungsten added to white steel gives higher wear resistance and longer edge holding.

The back of the blade is engraved with “青鋼”(blue steel).

Material: High carbon blue steel #2; non-stainless
Blade: Single-edged
Handle: Magnolia wood with a water buffalo horn bolster
Sharpening: Advance

Hongasumi White Carbon Steel
[本霞・玉白鋼]

Material: High carbon white steel #2; non-stainless
Blade: Single-edged
Handle: Magnolia wood with a water buffalo horn bolster
Sharpening: Advance

Damascus 8 Layered Steel
[本霞・玉青鋼誂 八層打]

The layered knives are made in refined blue carbon steel and soft iron steel. The special forge, welding, and hammering processes create beautiful wavy patterns on the blades.

“Hasso” (八層) literally means “eight layered”, and “uchi” means hammering in Japanese.

Material: High carbon blue steel #2; non-stainless
Blade: Single-edged
Handle: Magnolia wood with a water buffalo horn bolster
Sharpening: Advance

Kasumi Knives
[正本総本店霞・玉白鋼]

Masamoto’s Kasumi are hand-crafted and made of a combination of white carbon steel and soft iron. The carbon steel forms the cutting edge and the soft iron forms the blade’s body and spine.

Kasumi knives are more affordable than Hongasumi and are easier to sharpen and hold their edge very well.  Recommended for all levels of users.  An ideal knife for first time users of Japanese knives.

Material: High carbon white steel #2; non-stainless
Blade: Single-edged
Handle: Magnolia wood with a water buffalo horn bolster
Sharpening:

KS Wa-Gyuto Japanese Style Gyuto knives
[正本総本店本霞・玉白鋼和牛刀]

KS Wa-Gyuto features the double-edged Gyuto blade with a traditional Japanese wooden handle. 

This is the most sort-after Masamoto-Sohonten knives. Highly-recommended. 

Material: High carbon White steel #2, non-stainless 
Blade: Double-edged
Handle: Magnolia wood with a water buffalo horn bolster

VG-10 Stainless Yanagi Knives
[正本総本店・VGステンレス柳]

Masamoto’s stainless traditional Japanese yanagi sashimi knives.

VG-10 steel is an extremely hard and corrosion-resistant blade, so it can retain an edge for longer than carbon knives.

Material: VG-10 stainless steel
Blade: Single-edged
Handle: Magnolia wood with a water buffalo horn bolster