Yu Kurosaki Gyuto Gekko VG-XEOS Migaki 240mm (9.4")

Kurosaki Gyuto from the Gekko line is another special blade from the hands of a talented master blacksmith Yu Kurosaki. The minimalistic, lightweight, perfectly balanced blade is treated to a high polish − hence the name Gekkō (月光) which means moonlight in Japanese. 

The secret of this knife lies in a new VG-XEOS steel (62 HRC), which has excellent resistance to wear and corrosion.

BLADE SHAPE:
Gyuto is the most versatile and useful blade shape in the modern kitchen. It has a wide profile for easy food transfer and tends to be fairly flat towards the heel, enabling easy and fast chopping on the cutting board. A pronounced “K-tip” allows piercing and precise, delicate work. A slight curve between the tip and the midsection makes the belly great for rocking the blade back and forth when cutting. It can be used for cutting meat, fish, and vegetables. The blade is 240mm (9.4").

The Gekko series has a lowered and slightly offset blade in relation to the handle. The advantage of this design is that it has a greater knuckle-clearance, even though the blade is of a normal width for an all-round gyuto knife.

STEEL:
VG-XEOS is a high-quality stainless steel produced by Takefu Special Steel, known for steels such as VG-10 and VG-5. It is an alloy that combines strong corrosion resistance with high hardness and wear durability. The blade hardness is approximately 62 HRC. The fine microstructure is achieved through a special melting method that improves wear resistance, strength, and quenching properties.

VG-XEOS is designed for high-performance cutting tools, delivering excellent sharpness, good edge retention, and corrosion resistance.

LAMINATION:
The steel is laminated, meaning that the core is made of very strong steel covered with an external layer of softer stainless steel − also known as san-mai clad. 

GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade (50/50).

BLADE FINISH:
Hand-chiseled kanji signature is the only distinguishing element on this otherwise clean, highly polished (also called migaki) blade.

HANDLE:
The Kurosaki Gekko line features a traditional Japanese oak wood handle (Wa) with a universal, octagonal shape that comfortably fits in the hands of both right- and left-handed users. The whole handle is made of one piece of wood (without a ferrule). 

ABOUT THE BLACKSMITH:
Yu Kurosaki is a young, talented master blacksmith who lives in Takefu Knife Village, close to the city of Echizen. His knives are well known throughout Japan and also around the world for their beautiful, unique-looking design and superior quality. Hammer's dents on the blade are his signature finish, and just like with snowflakes, not a single dent is alike. Needless to say (but we will say it anyway), his knives don’t only look great but they’re also made of high-quality steel and have a razor sharp, long-lasting edge.

Before opening his own smithy, Kurosaki-san was the apprentice of Hiroshi Kato, a master blacksmith with more than 50 years of knife-making experience. Kato-san is one of the founders of Takefu Knife Village, where now more than 10 master blacksmiths make knives by hand and put them on display for visitors to admire and learn more about their craft. Kurosaki-san is the youngest blacksmith to be granted the title of Master Nokaji by Takefu Knife Village Association and is a senior teacher there.

☝️ When you visit Japan, make sure to put the Takefu Knife Village to your itinerary!

Here's a short video of Kurosaki's workshop: