The Wenge Kiritsuke — 9" Chef Knife
The kiritsuke is the knife a head chef traditionally carried, and it earns that reputation the moment you pick it up. The angled tip gives you a fine point for detail work — scoring, precise slicing, breaking down fish — while the long flat edge behind it handles push cuts through vegetables without ever rocking. It asks a little more of the person holding it than a rounded chef's knife does, and gives back more in return.
The blade is Hand forged stainless steel, forged and hand-finished, with a bold flowing pattern that runs from the heel out to the tip. Every blade comes out different — the pattern is in the steel itself, not printed or stamped on. Ground thin behind the edge so it parts food cleanly rather than wedging it apart, with a long flat section that meets the board fully on every cut.
The handle is octagonal wenge — a dense African hardwood with deep chocolate colour and strong black striping, one of the few woods that looks better the more it's handled. Two brass spacers break up the length and set off the grain. Octagonal wa-style means it sits identically in a pinch grip, a hammer grip, or choked up on the blade, and it works the same in either hand. At 5" it keeps the balance close to the heel, so the weight sits in your palm instead of pulling the tip down.
Each knife ships with a hand-tooled leather saya, stitched by hand and closed with a brass snap — safe in a drawer, a knife roll, or a bag on the way to work.
Made one at a time by hand. Variation in grain, pattern and finish is part of what you're buying.
Care: Hand wash and dry immediately — never the dishwasher. Wipe down after cutting anything acidic. A little food-safe oil on the handle every few months keeps the wenge from drying out.
