Hocho Kobo Yanagiba 210 Tadafusa

Manufacture: Japan, Sanjo
Brand: Tadafusa
Model: Hocho Kobo HK-7 Yanagiba
Total Length: 320 mm
Blade Length: 210 mm
Blade Height: 30 mm
Blade Type: single-edged, suitable for right-handers
Blade Surface Finish: Migaki - polished
Steel: SLD + stainless steel
Hardness: 60 HRC 

Founder of Tadafusa - Torasaburo Sone - established his company in the year 1948. Tadafusa is based in the city of Sanjo in the Niigata prefecture and combines production based on long-standing tradition with contemporary aesthetics and today's demands. It regularly collaborates with contemporary industrial designers and holds a number of Good-Design Awards. Tadafusa focuses on traditional handcrafted production with an emphasis on accessibility, and therefore their knives are among the more affordable handcrafted pieces from Japan. The specific processing of materials may result in small inaccuracies, which are a natural feature of the brand and give the knives a distinctive character. Similar to the Kaji-Bei brand, whose style appears almost rustic with visible traces of handwork (scratches, marks from the grinder or distinctive wood grain), we gradually came to appreciate their sharpness, swiftness, and unique appearance.

JP Tadafusa Co., Ltd., 27-16 Higashihonjoji, Sanjo-city, Niigata, 955-0823, +81-256-32-218, info@tadafusa.com CZ Tokyo Tools s.r.o., Slovinská 652/19, Prague 10, 10100, CZ, 773707811, info@tokyotools.cz

The knife has a blade made of three-layer steel (SLD + stainless steel). Semi-stainless steel SLD was originally designed by Hitachi for cutting other steels. SLD is hard and easy to sharpen. It retains its sharpness as long as carbon steel, but is much easier to maintain.
The handle is made of carbonized chestnut wood. Antibacterial carbonized wood is wood that has been smoked in a kiln, thus coming one step closer to charcoal. This wood has almost no moisture or nutrients, making it impossible for bacteria to establish and multiply.

Note: The knife is delivered in a beautiful cardboard packaging. 

If you want to keep your Japanese knives in perfect condition, here are a few must-haves: Wash the knives by hand. Wipe with a dry cloth. Regularly oil the blade and handle. Avoid the dishwasher, which can damage the edge. The blade of this knife is made of semi-stainless steel SLD. SLD is a compromise between the edge retention of carbon steel and the corrosion resistance of stainless steel. This steel will rust if you allow it. For proper care, it is essential to keep the blade clean and dry after use, especially if cutting something acidic. To increase resistance, you can apply a thin layer of oil on the blade - preferably linseed or camellia oil. Regularly sharpen the knives on a whetstone, but remember that Japanese knives have a different edge angle and therefore require special and finer whetstones. For a single-edged knife, mainly the sharp part is sharpened, with the burrs on the edge removed from the other side. Use a quality wooden cutting board. Store knives in a dry place to prevent steel oxidation. Do not usefor cutting or chopping frozen products or bones. The blade may chip or break.