Kajiwara Custom Ao Kurouchi-Damas Santoku 165mm
SPECIFICATIONS
Knife Style: Santoku
Steel Type: Carbon Steel
Blade Material: Aogami Blue #2
Blade Finish: Kurouchi Damascus
Blade Hardness: 63HRC (+/-1)
Bevel: Double
Handle: Olive wood with translucent epoxy (3D skull inside)
Blade Size: 165mm
Heel Height: 44mm
Spine Thickness: 3.20mm (Tapered)
Weight: 159g
Assembled at Kakushin's knife shop, a custom translucent handle on a kajiwara knife from Tosa, a region in Japan’s Kochi Prefecture on the southern island of Shikoku. It’s a place surrounded by forests, rice fields, and rivers, where craftsmanship runs deep.
Master Tsutomu Kajiwara, now almost seventy, is a third-generation blacksmith who works with his son-in-law to create some truly outstanding knives. At the core of these blades is Hitachi Aogami 2 steel—a high-quality Japanese steel known for its sharpness and durability, with a hardness of up to 63 HRC.
What really sets these knives apart is their look and feel. Kajiwara-san’s blades feature stunning suminagashi, or Damascus patterns—unique layers of steel that look like waves. He’s also well-known for his Kurouchi finish, which gives the blade a rustic, blackened look that’s as tough as it is beautiful.
If you’re looking for a knife that combines tradition, skill, and quality materials, Kajiwara knives won’t disappoint. They’re made to be used, admired, and passed down.
