Ittetsu is a relatively new maker for us, but what we have seen we have been very impressed with.

SHAPE: Gyuto. Literally translates as "cow sword", this is Japan's answer to the western chef knife. 

STEEL: SG2 or R2. These are modern powder steels and as the name suggested are formed from mixture of powdered elements heated and pressed together. This allows for very precise recipes to be followed. The steels themselves have the ability to be hardened to above 65 on the Rockwell scale giving them excellent edge retention. This does come at a slight cost in that them can be slightly difficult to sharpen.

FINISH: Damascus or Suminagashi. This type of finish is made by creating a Kitaeji; which is produced by repeatedly folding/stacking then compressing two different steels until they create a laminated pattern. This can then be manipulated in various ways to produce the maker’s desired pattern effect. This material is then clad around the core metal of the blade as an elaborate protective layer for the core steel - thus giving the knife a beautiful and striking appearance.

HANDLE: Octagonal Walnut wood with a pakkawood ferrule

LENGTH: 210mm in length

MAKER: Ittetsu - Echizen, Japan

BEST FOR: Damascus fanboys

SAUNDERS SAYS: "Blimey these are nice cutters and the heat treat makes them nice and easy to sharpen."

These knives are hand-forged so there may be slight variations in measurements and finishes.