[MINAMOTO-IZUMIMASA] Azumagata Usuba hocho 210mm Blue paper foged [MIM110402]

We are unable to ship this product to the UK (we cannot ship products with blades longer than 8 inches).

Usuba hocho is a suitable for cutting vegetables. Azumagata meaning is Eastern type and Bushi type. Azumagata Usuba hocho used by eastern Japan region, for example Tokyo (Edo). There is a central of Japanese in several hundred years. This 210mm edge is a normal size. If you want cut hard or large vegetables, we recomended 225mm one. If you want a fine work, we recommend the 195mm one.

This kitchen knife is making the body in a traditional way that is bonded to soft iron and steel. Blue paper No.2 steel brings together the flexibility and hardness. Simply because it is a general manufacturing method, you will notice that the technical capabilities of MINAMOTO-IZUMIMASA is stand out.

It is edged many times in the manufacturing process, this knife is to remove the distortion many times. Blade straight, and even more attractive your food thoroughly.

What is "Haze Polish"? The haze is a border of soft iron and steel. It will appear by sharpen perfectly the body that has been forged in the forge welding and high technology. Genuine Haze Polish is a designation given to only especially the more technical and beautifully than normal Haze Polish.

After receiving an order, in order to produce, it will be necessity about 3 weeks for longest to send.

About a maker, MINAMOTO-IZUMIMASA = Matsuo edges factory ( SAKAI, OSAKA pref )

MINAMOTO-IZUMIMASA is a brand name of Matsuo edges factory that is in SAKAI, OSAKA pref. Sakai is a kitchen knife producing area famous in the world. Among the factory of the Sakai, technology MATSUO edges blacksmith is especially good. Prominent cutlery store in Japan is coming to purchase a large number. Therefore, It is a blacksmith and grinder that is selected to chef of Japanese cuisine.
The top of master name is Yoshiaki Matsuo (photo). His skills gained from long experience are used in high-grade products. Kyohei Matsuo and Tsubasa Matsuo are Yoshiaki's cousin. They are also masters of kitchen knife griding.
* MATSUO edges factory has still a repertoire of size and material. If you want another material or another size, please let me know your request.

How to Sharpen a Single-Bevel Knife

This video shows how Tsubasa Matsuo sharpens a deba knife. It serves as a practical reference for sharpening single-bevel knives of any style and from any maker. A Japanese knife cannot truly perform until it has been properly sharpened, please watch and give it a try.
This is everyday maintenance sharpening, not the more intensive process used when finishing a knife for sale.
* Subtitles available in 15 languages.

Key steps for sharpening a deba knife
Before sharpening, carefully inspect the condition of the blade.
Make sure the whetstone surface is flat.
Front: rough whetstone to restore blade geometry, then a medium whetstone to establish the edge. Matsuo Hamono adds one additional whetstone between the rough and medium grades.
Back: medium whetstone to remove the burr.
Finish: raise the front slightly and sharpen to create a micro-bevel, then wipe the blade two to three times with a cloth.

One step unique to Matsuo Hamono: at the very end, the edge is tested against the craftsman's own hair. It's also worth watching for the posture, body mechanics, and working habits of a professional sharpening workshop.

Demonstrated by Tsubasa Matsuo of Matsuo Hamono Co., Ltd. (Izumimasa), Sakai, Osaka.

How Izumimasa Makes a Knife

In Sakai, the crafts of forging, sharpening, and handle-fitting are each handled by separate specialists. Among them, the sharpener acts as the producer of the finished product, responsible for the final edge and accountable to the customer for everything. This video captures the process by which Izumimasa takes a forged knife blank and sharpens it into a finished product ready for use.

Matsuo Hamono, founded in the Meiji era (1906), operates under the registered trademark Izumimasa, supplying knives to professional kitchens, hotels, ryokan, restaurants, and kappo dining, both in Japan and abroad. Working across large rotating whetstones and changing grit as he goes, master sharpener Tsubasa Matsuo's most critical task is eliminating morā, microscopic irregularities in the flat of the blade that affect both sharpness and ease of future sharpening. Training the eye and fingertips to detect and correct these invisible imperfections alone takes years. Between passes on the whetstone, he repeatedly holds the blade up to check that the edge runs perfectly straight.

From machine grinding to hand finishing, the knife becomes something new at each stage. At the very end, Matsuo tests the finished edge against his own hair, a method unique to Matsuo Hamono, where the craftsman's own body becomes the final instrument of quality control.

Demonstrated by Tsubasa Matsuo of Matsuo Hamono Co., Ltd. (Izumimasa), Sakai, Osaka.

The notes on use about Azumagata Usuba hocho 210mm Blue paper foged [MINANMOTO-IZUMIMASA]

* Please do not twist.
* This kitchen knife has been optimized to work to slice vegetables.
* It rusts for a steel part. Please wipe after use well.
* Please grind with a whetstone, if it becomes difficult to cut.
* If edged tool oil is applied, it will last long more.