Moritaka Hamono Aogami Super Kurouchi 240mm Kiritsuke

I added the sharpening service and got the bevels thinned for me prior to shipping and this is the sharpest knife I ever used, all of my colleagues agree.
Also it just feels and looks amazing. It is a bit heavier than my other carbon blades, which perfectly suits the push cut style that it's designed for

If you LOVE Kiritsuke as I do, you will know it's quite difficult to find this type of blade, that has a more flat-profile, alike their traditional single bevel cousins.

Naoki Mazaki & Kagekiyo are the few others that come to mind, however these blades are made with Shirogami#2 & Aogami#1 respectively. To find a Kiritsuke with that profile AND for it to be in Aogami Super (with proper heat treating, bevel and edge grind), it just does not exist to my knowledge.

I personally would prefer to find something in Shirogami#1 however, I don't believe that currently exists outside from the custom world.

What I am saying is this is a VERY SPECIAL blade, which could EASILY go for 3.5 (x) the cost (and STILL BE WORTH IT)!

If you are a flat profile, asymmetrical double bevel grind Kiritsuke-lover like I, do yourself a favor and GET THIS BLADE!

The Pros:
Aogami Super steel. A premium steel at an affordable price. Most aogami super knives cost at least a hundred more than this moritaka.
Great heat treat. Aogami super with a good heat treat means this knife gets sharp easily and stays sharp for a good long time.
Flat-ish profile. The relatively flat cutting edge or lack of belly means this knife is great for my personally preferred push or pull cuts (I don't like rock cutting).
Unique kiritsuke look. Everyone has a classic looking european chef knife / gyuto. The kiritsuke is different and people will notice.
Fairly easy to maintain. The kurouchi finish prevents this iron cladding (can rust) from actually rusting. Just wipe it dry before putting it away and you're good.
The Cons:
Wedging. The knife is ground where it gets pretty thick after the primary bevel (about a centimeter from the cutting edge). This can result in wedging and difficulty cutting dense foods like carrots. This con can be remedied by thinning the knife yourself or getting a professional to thin it. Once it's thinned, this knife is flawless.

Most Aogami (blue) Super steel gyutos are over a hundred to hundreds of dollars more expensive than these Moritaka blue super knives. In addition to a premium steel, Moritaka also does a great heat treat of the blue super steel to make a knife that gets sharp easily on whetstones and stays sharp for a good long time. One more pro is the relatively flat curve of the blade edge or in other words a lack of a belly, which makes push or pull cutting a breeze and eliminates any accordion cuts ("accordion cuts" happen when your knife doesn't fully contact the cutting board and therefore doesn't fully cut your food leaving many slices of food still stuck together looking like the folds of an accordion). My one gripe with this knife is that it gets pretty thick about a centimeter from the cutting edge due to how it's ground, which can cause some wedging and difficulty cutting dense food like carrots. You can thin the knife (or get a professional to thin it for you) and then this knife has zero flaws.