Knife Blog

Today, I introduce the types of hatsuke (creating the edge) of Japanese Knives.
 
The number of types of hatsuke is briefly three: “Kairyo”, “Kasumi” and “Hon (High-ranked)-Kasumi”.
Some hatsuke artisans have “Chu (Middle-ranked) -Kasumi”, which does not brighten part of a knife. However, generally, the number of types is three. The price of “Kairyo” is the most reasonable and that of “Hon-Kasumi” is the most expensive. “Hon-Kasumi” is the most time-consuming.
 
 
The differences among three types are as follows.
 
Japanese Knives have the part of “Kireha (cutting edge)” and Kireha has the hazy part, which is one of the beautiful points of Japanese Knives. When this part is blasted with iron powder, we call this type of hatsuke “Kairyo.”
 
“Kasumi” requires more time because artisans have to scrub the surface of a knife using a rubber piece and powder of natural sharpening stone to create a hazy tarnish, but “Kasumi” is more beautiful. It is a little difficult to distinguish “Kairyo” with “Kasumi” even if you watch, so some retailers prefer “Kairyo” because it is more reasonable. However, others prefer “Kasumi.”
 
The look and feel of “Hon-Kasumi” is the same as that of “Kasumi” on the surface, but time and effort is different. “Hon-Kasumi” requires more time. Generally in most cases, blue-steel knives and some white-steel knives are given “Hon-Kasumi” and part of white-steel and SK (carbon tool steel) are given “Kasumi.”
 
As I have mentioned above, there are some types of hatsuke, so you may be able to enjoy the differences.
 
*On the picture, the type of Hatsuke on the left is “Kasumi” and the one on the right is “Kairyo.”