For a long time, only professional chefs appreciated the working qualities of their knives. And only they were ready to adequately pay for them. But times are changing. With the return of the popularity of cooking at home, amateur cooks have become very attentive to the properties of the cooking tool. After all, a worthless tool is a waste of time and effort.
The success of Damascus manufacturers made both professional chefs and amateurs pay attention to knives from the Land of the Rising Sun. Today, the Damascus Kitchen knife set is a unique symbiosis of modern technology, the richest historical traditions, and the highest production culture. If financial opportunities allow, then with Damascus knives in the kitchen, truly new horizons of ergonomics, quality,y, and working properties open up.
It is not in vain that the author’s direction in the manufacture of knives is considered the avant-garde of the industry. It is here that everyday practice tests everything: new ideas, materials,s, and technologies. Only after such a check, which sometimes takes not a single year, did industrialists slowly begin to introduce into mass production the most interesting solutions for the author’s manufacture of knives, one of the most prominent representatives of which today is Mr. Hiro Itu.
In Mr. Itu’s chef’s knives, high-tech materials, excellent ergonomics, and bright original design are combined into a genuine knife masterpiece. The result is spectacular externally and very practical knives. The popularity of the master has long crossed the borders of the Damascus islands. His versatile creations can be found in the finest professional kitchens and the hands of experienced hobbyists around the world.
1. Santoku HI-1140n by master Hiroo
Santoku HI-1140n by master Hiroo Itou is a true masterpiece of the author’s direction. A #12000 honed R2 powder-coated steel laminated blade in gorgeous Damascus overlays tops a toned narwhal horn hilt.
Small Damascus firms, very attentive to all market innovations, do not lag behind private craftsmen. The President of Seki Kenzi Cutlery, Mr. Kawamura Mitsuru, considers it his main mission to collect the best from the author’s tradition in a limited-edition Kanetsugu knife.
At the same time, due to the use of industrial technologies, the price of a knife of such a knife should remain affordable. After all, not even all highly paid professionals can afford a knife worth several hundred dollars! Model 9006 of the Saiyan Damascus series is very popular precisely for its close to the author’s quality and affordable price tag.
This position is shared by the management of the small Damascus company Ryusen Hamono from the city of Echizen. The company has developed a unique technology of low-temperature forging of steel, which gives the blades a unique combination of cutting and strength properties. Knives of the Blasen series are the pride of the company. The RYS-73-2 model is equally suitable for peeling root crops and for artistic carving decorating the banquet tables of prestigious restaurants. The highest reputation of the company’s products is confirmed by orders from large firms such as Hattori. It is Ryusen who produces premium series of cook models for them.
2. Model 9006 of the Saiyan Damascus series
Model 9006 of the Saiyan Damascus series from Kanetsugu is the author’s quality at the price of a serial knife. #10000 honed laminate blade in VG10 steel with 33 layers of Damascus sheathing. Steel grip with micarta overlays.
3. Elegant carving baby RYS-73-2 from RyuSen Blasen series.
Elegant carving baby RYS-73-2 from RyuSen Blasen series. 65mm Super Gold blade sharpened to #12000 with stainless steel lining. Handle with steel pricing and Packwood overlays.
However, not all large firms order knives on the side. The largest Damascus serial manufacturer, Damascus, has several of its factories, world-class experts, advanced technologies, and equipment that are not available to either private traders or small manufacturers. This allows us to produce unique chef’s knives under the Damascus trademark, which are not inferior to the author’s ones.
Among the most popular are classic Damascus models that have been produced according to uniform canons for more than a hundred years. Debs for fish, Nakiri for vegetables, and Sujihiki for seafood with the Damascus logo can be found today in the shops of trendy Damascus restaurants and amateur kitchens from Europe to North America.
4. Deba F-977 traditional Damascus series.
Deba F-977 traditional Damascus series. Classic 2-ply “Aogami” carbon steel blade design, 180mm long, #6000 sharpened. Oak handle with horn trim.
5. Nakiri F-935 of the traditional Damascus series.
Nakiri F-935 of the traditional Damascus series. Classic 2-ply “Shirogami” carbon steel blade design, 210mm long, #6000 sharpened. Oak handle with horn trim.
Damascus is not limited to the classical national tradition. On the contrary, updated Damascus traditions and adaptations of classic Damascus designs to the habits and skills of Western users are widely popularized. One example of a successful fusion of East and West traditions is the popular Shippu FD-596 Gyuto model.Â
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