Yasuaki Taira Blue #2 Steel Mizu Honyaki Nami-Hamon Kiritsuke 330mm
Full Mirror Polished, Single-Bevel Wide Bevel Grind,
Paulownia Box, Signed Certificate & Ebony Handle Included
 

※ A paulownia wood box and a certificate hand-signed by Yasuaki Taira are included with the purchase.
 
 

[About Blue Steel (Aogami)]

Blue steel (Aogami, 靑鋼) is a traditional Japanese high carbon steel used for making kitchen knives.

In Japanese, “Ao-gami” literally means “blue steel”, and as the name suggests, the steel has a slightly dark bluish tone to it.

Compared with other Japanese knife steels such as composite steels often referred to as “kurogane” (black steel), blue steel contains a higher carbon content.

It also undergoes multiple heat-treatment steps to enhance the sharpness of the edge and the longevity of the blade.

Because of this, blue steel is well known among professional knife makers and knife collectors for its excellent cutting performance, and it is a very popular choice for those looking for a high-quality Japanese knife steel.


[Blacksmith Yasuaki Taira]

Born in 1965, Yasuaki Taira first trained in Sakai after high school, learning traditional Japanese knife polishing at Ajioka Hamono before returning to Fukuoka to inherit his father Morihiro’s forging techniques.

From his workshop Morihiro Hamono in Yame, he is one of the rare craftsmen who forges, heat-treats and sharpens every blade himself, keeping production very limited.

Today Taira is especially known among enthusiasts for his mizu-honyaki work: mono-steel blades hardened in water and brought to a full mirror finish, often with striking Mt. Fuji, moon or wave hamon patterns.

He repeatedly forges, quenches and tempers until the steel behaves exactly as he intends, then spends most of his time on the final multi-step hand sharpening, believing that the last few percent of performance are completed on the stones.

The result is an almost resistance-free cutting feel that has created long waiting lists for his knives, and in 2019 his craftsmanship was formally recognised by the Japan Culinary Culture Preservation Association.


[Notes after Purchasing a Saya (Sheath)]

1. Avoid long-term storage inside the saya

Even if the blade is completely dry, keeping it sealed inside the saya for a long time can trap moisture and cause rust.For long-term storage, please remove the knife from the saya.


2. Be careful not to scratch the blade when inserting it

To help minimize scratches, the opening on the inside of our saya is finished with a velvet lining.

However, scratches may still occur due to careless insertion or removal, so please keep this in mind when purchasing.

As this is considered a matter of normal use and handling, we may not be able to repair or compensate for scratches that occur during use.