The Kogetsu line of knives is made by a smith working in tandem with his son under a workshop called Hamono. Committed to the path of blademaking in his early 20’s, his philosophy revolves around the pursuit of functional perfection in every knife coming out of his forge. Each knife is individually forged by hand and finished with a rustic look, giving each blade its individual characteristics. The convex (aka. Hamaguri) grind seen on the edge is individually done by the maker. Every time we get these, it’s like Christmas.

Made from SK4 steel, these knives are easy to sharpen and retain their edge very well thanks to its hand-forging quality. SK4 steel is commonly used as a tool steel and is not often forged by hand for kitchen knives, but boasts excellent hardening properties and can take on a very fine edge with sharpening. With Kogetsu, what you get is more than what you pay for.

Maru means rounded, referring to the streamlined profile of the blade and its absence of a choil. Also known as a Hankotsu, it was traditionally used with a reverse grip by butchers carving hanging carasses. However, it can excel equally well with carving tasks in the home kitchen and boast a superb in-hand feel. For those looking for a knife to portion meat off the breasts of whole chickens or larger cuts of pork and lamb, this is an excellent knife for the job.

Brand: Kogetsu 光月
Blacksmith: Goko Hamono 五香刃物製作所
Producing Area: Chiba/ Japan
Profile: Honesuki Maru
Size: 150mm
Steel Type: Carbon Steel
Steel: Mono SK High Carbon
Handle: Pakka Western
Total Length: 276mm
Edge Length: 152mm
Handle to Tip Length: 158mm
Blade Height: 33mm
Thickness: 2.3mm
Handle Length: 114mm
Weight: 204g
Hand Orientation: Right Handed