Hitohira Imojiya MZ Blue #2 Stainless Clad Nakiri 165mm Pakka Handle
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Description:
Imojiya MZ is the affordable series that offers great cutting performance without breaking the budget. The knife is equipped with an ultra-thin blade, which ensures that it can effortlessly cut through dense objects, such as root vegetables.
The blade has two outer layers of stainless steel and a core of Blue (Aogami) #2. The steel Aogami is not stainless and will over time form a dark patina which will contrast beautifully with the stainless exterior. Aogami steel is also characterized by being clean and hard, which is why it is possible to maintain an incredible sharpness.
Due to the hardness of the steel and the thin profile of the blade, care must be taken not to cut into hard objects such as bone, cartilage and frost, as small breaks in the egg can then occur.
The knife can be seen and tested in the sharpening shop by appointment.
Specifications:
Brand: Hitohira ひとひら (一个)
Production area: Seki-Gifu/ Japan
Knife type: Nakiri / Vegetable knife
Size: 165mm
Steel type: Carbon steel
Steel: Blue (Aogami) #2, Stainless clad
Stock: Pakka wood, western
Total Length: 286mm
Blade length: 165mm
Length of handle to tip: 170mm
Blade height: 47mm
Blade thickness: 1.3mm
Length of handle: 118mm
Weight: 159g
Maintenance & Care
CARE AND MAINTENANCE:
NEVER PUT YOUR KNIVES IN THE DISHWASHER! That's it, and it applies to all knives. There are far too many chemical processes and changing heat effects for it to be good for anything made of steel. Most stock material cannot withstand it either.
You can roughly divide knives into two categories when we talk about care and maintenance; carbon knives (carbon knives) and stainless/semi stainless knives.
Carbon steel can be sharpened insanely sharp and holds an egg well (edge retention), but can rust and patina. Stainless steel has the advantage of being less prone to rust, but is not quite as sharp. Roughly speaking, because there are gradually many stainless "super steels" that have close to the same properties as carbon steel.
USE
Pay attention to how hard the knife is hardened. Be especially careful with knives of 60 hrc and above. Hard foods can "chip" the blade. Be careful with fruit stones, bones, shellfish, woody stems or very hard cheese. Frozen foods are a total no-go.
Your cutting board plays a big role. Use wood. Endwood is particularly good. Plastic can also be fine, but definitely not glass, granite or bamboo. Hinogi (cypress) is particularly good and otherwise there are from the very top shelf, rubber cutting boards with wooden handles.
Scraping the edge of the knife sideways will dull or damage your knife. Instead, use the back of the knife to move items across the cutting board. Do not twist the edge or pry the tip and for the record, your knife is NOT a screwdriver!
CLEANING
After use, wash the knife by hand with ordinary washing-up liquid, rinse with warm water and dry immediately. No dishwasher! Highly reactive steel, such as white #1, can be advantageously wiped off regularly during use. These types of steel can benefit from a little oil on the steel from time to time.
Wooden handles can dry out over time and exposure to water. Simply treat them with some food-safe mineral oil or beeswax. Can possibly lightly sanded with sandpaper before and after.
STORAGE
Take care of the egg, for your own sake and the sake of the knife. A saya (sheath) is optimal, but a simple blade cover will be fine if you store knives in a drawer or travel bag. Loosely lying in a drawer is a super bad solution.
A wall magnet made of wood is a great way to display your knives. Be sure to put it back on the spine first, then roll it on the surface of the blade. This will prevent the egg from making contact with the tree first. Steel knife magnets are a bad idea as they will scratch the blade of the knife.
Knife blocks are not optimal, neither for the egg nor for hygiene.
MAINTENANCE
All knives should be straightened before each use. This is best done on a leather strap. Steel irons are unsuitable for knives with a hardness of 59 and above. A ceramic version can be used here, but you have to be aware that it will grind and remove steel every time you use it. It is not appropriate if the egg simply needs to be "raised". We can help with leather straps and their use.
When the knife gradually becomes so dull that a decidedly Sharpening is unavoidable, this is best done on wet stone or a slow grinding machine. If you don't have the skills or the courage, drop it off with us and we'll take care of it.