Kiritsuke Knives

The kiritsuke is the most striking knife in the Japanese kitchen, instantly recognisable by its angled, sword-like "reverse tanto" tip, and it carries more history than almost any other shape. Traditionally, the kiritsuke was the knife of the head chef alone, a symbol of skill and authority reserved for the most senior person in a Japanese kitchen. That heritage is part of its appeal, but it is worth understanding what a modern kiritsuke actually is before you buy, because the name covers two quite different knives. Our range spans makers including KOTAI, KAI, MAC and Tamahagane, in a variety of sizes.

Most kiritsuke sold today, and all of the everyday kiritsuke in our range, are the modern double-bevel version, sometimes called a kiritsuke-gyuto or K-tip. This takes the iconic angled tip and flatter profile of the traditional knife and applies it to a practical, double-bevelled all-rounder, ground on both sides like a Western knife so it is far easier to use and to sharpen. The result is a versatile chef's knife with real presence: the flat edge excels at push cutting and clean chopping, the angular K-tip gives precision for detailed work and scoring, and the whole knife handles vegetables, meat and fish with confidence.