Top Selling Takeshi Saji AS Kurouchi Santoku

First Impressions

An excellent grind and consistent finish are exactly what you’d expect from this level and from a blacksmith of this experience and skill and it doesn’t disappoint.

Beauty

We do think that there’s an easy to spot style for Saji-san’s knives and while the AS collection doesn’t have the visual wow of the famous rainbow damascus, it’s fair to say that by any sensible measure this is a darn good looking knife.

The kurouchi finish is somewhat rustic and it’s reasonable to say that on some of the knives you might want to give them a bit of a scrub when you start using them to tidy them up because it really is a “blacksmith finish” on some of them, leaving forging material on the cladding.

The absolutely fabulous heavyweight full tang handles with its polished collar and pins that just addthe right amount of visual pop while remaining classy and understated.

In Hand

The full tang handle and thick blade is perhaps not for everyone – it’s a very comfortable and nicely tapered handle and while it’s a wonderfully balanced and nimble knife, it does feel like you’re working with something quite hefty so if you’re more keen on a lighter weight it might be something to bear in mind.

Durability

The AS core is hardened to around 63-64 so edge retention is good and it’s a popular steel choice and hardness with many blacksmiths for a good reason so durability won’t be a problem.

Ease of Care

There’s not a great deal to worry about with this one, it’s a reactive steel but beyond our normal care tips and looking after carbon steel with a few drops of camellia oil every now again, you’ll find it pretty easy to sharpen and care for.

Our Verdict

The AS Kurouchi is a classic knife from one of the best blacksmiths in Japan and when you pair the high quality finish and grind quality of the blade with the full tang ironwood and custom handles it’s an extremely impressive knife in every respect and an investment in quality that you will be happy to have masde.