Tsukasa Yanagiba Shirogami #2 Oak 135mm (5.3″)

The Tsukasa Yanagiba Shirogami #2 135mm is a compact and versatile kitchen knife crafted by the highly skilled blacksmith Tsukasa Tokaji at the renowned Tokaji forge in Kōchi, Japan. This knife showcases the exceptional handmade quality and features a blade made from Shirogami #2 steel, well-known for its high carbon content and outstanding edge retention. Nothing else comes close to the beauty, precision, and finesse of Shirogami. Chefs swear by it, saying it’s an absolute joy to slice and dice with! 

With its small size and exceptional craftsmanship, this knife proves to be a valuable tool for culinary enthusiasts as it excels in various kitchen tasks.

BLADE SHAPE:
Tsukasa Yanagiba Shirogami #2 135mm is a double-bevel knife designed for smaller, versatile tasks in the kitchen. Despite its name “Yanagiba,” this knife falls into the category of petty (utility) knives.

This Tsukasa Yanagiba has a short blade, but it still rocks the cool willow leaf shape you see in traditional yanagibas. It may not have the length for those long, straight cuts as the larger slicers do, but it’s a handy all-purpose knife for all kinds of smaller kitchen jobs. You can use it to clean and peel veggies, fillet smaller fish, and tons of other stuff.

STEEL:
Shirogami #2 is a traditional high-carbon steel in Japanese knife manufacturing, and #2 is the most frequently used Shirogami steel. Due to its high carbon content, it can reach a hardness of over 60 HRC, which means that blades forged from it will have excellent edge retention. The blades will sharpen easily and will be able to achieve a very fine sharpness, owing to the steel’s very pure composition. For the same reason, the steel isn’t corrosion resistant and the blade will develop a protective patina over time. Therefore, it’s recommended you wipe the blade dry between and after use and oil it regularly.

Traditional Japanese knives are made from steels high in carbon content, and this is mainly for two reasons:

• due to the steels’ pure composition, the blades are able to achieve an extremely fine sharpness,
• for the same reason, once they get dull, they can be easily resharpened back to optimal shape.

LAMINATION:
The blade was laminated with soft iron, which is iron with only a small amount of carbon added to it. Laminating the blade improves its structural integrity, as the knife’s core is made of hard—and therefore brittle—high-carbon Aogami #2 steel that is prone to breakage on its own.

Due to its purity and lack of any added elements such as chromium (Cr), soft iron doesn’t resist corrosion well. Therefore, the upper laminated part can also develop rust when not taken care of properly.

KNIFE CARE:
The steel will gradually acquire a patina, which only endows this knife with more charm. Do not wash this knife in a dishwasher, but rather wash it by hand and wipe it with a dry cloth. The advantage of having a blade made of high carbon steel is the fine sharpness, ease of sharpening, and long edge retention. We recommend the occasional coat of knife maintenance oil to protect the blade from external influences.

→ Read more about patina on our blog.
→ Read more about how to take care of high carbon knives and patina in our Knife maintenance blog post.

GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade.
Viewed from the back of the blade, the knife is heavier and stronger at the handle and thinner and more precise at the tip. This blade shape makes the knife easier to use because the blade is very responsive, easily maneuverable and nicely balanced. This type of blade design is also called distal taper – you can read more about it in the article on blade geometry.  

BLADE FINSIH:
The knife has a kuro-uchi finish, which gives it a unique, rustic look. It’s worth noting that each blade in the series is individually handcrafted. You might notice some minor imperfections or scratches. However, these are just signs of the hand-making process and do not affect the overall quality of the knife. Oh, and there’s also the master’s signature engraved in Kanji characters on the blade. Pretty cool, right?

HANDLE:
The handle is octagonal and made from a single piece of oak wood. It fits perfectly in both left and right hands. People are starting to prefer oak handles over the traditional magnolia ones in their home kitchens because they’re sturdier and can handle all sorts of wear and tear. Plus, they just look really nice!

BLACKSMITH:
Tsukasa Tokaji dedicated himself to the art of knife making under the mentorship of renowned blacksmith Tadayoshi Tokaji, mastering traditional techniques of free forging over the years. Tsukasa’s knives are crafted from Shirogami carbon steel and laminated with soft iron. This combination ensures outstanding durability and blade strength, making the knives reliable and suitable for long-term use.