Zhen Series Kiritsuki Sashimi Knife 270mm – M390 Powder Steel

Technical Description

This Kiritsuki-style sashimi knife is engineered for precision slicing, offering the clean and controlled cuts demanded in professional Japanese cuisine. Forged from mono-steel Böhler M390 powdered metallurgy steel, the blade delivers exceptional hardness (60–62 HRC), high wear resistance and outstanding edge retention. Vacuum heat treatment combined with deep-freeze processing ensures structural uniformity and maximises carbide stability.

The single-bevel geometry with a concave back surface reduces friction, minimises food adhesion and allows the blade to glide cleanly through raw fish. The handle, crafted from North American Desert Ironwood and finished with black buffalo horn and a white copper spacer, provides a balanced, secure grip with natural density and stability. Each knife is hand-finished through wet manual sharpening, producing a razor-sharp cutting edge suited for sashimi, sushi and delicate fish preparation.

Materials and Construction

Blade Core (Mono Steel):
Böhler M390 high-performance powdered steel, produced through PM metallurgy to achieve extremely fine carbide distribution. This allows superior edge integrity, high corrosion resistance, and prolonged sharpness even under repetitive slicing.

Heat Treatment:
Vacuum heat treatment combined with deep-freeze processing enhances the hardness range to 60–62 HRC, fully unlocking the steel’s wear resistance and microstructure refinement.

Edge Geometry:
Single-bevel 15° ±1 profile, wet-sharpened by hand to maintain a mirror-fine edge and reduce crushing of delicate fish fibres.

Handle Construction:
North American Desert Ironwood selected for density, dimensional stability and moisture resistance. Complemented with black buffalo horn and a white copper gasket. Octagonal Japanese profile for controlled handling and ergonomic weight distribution.