Masahiro Bessen Takohiki

Masahiro Takohiki is a knife whose long blade is used when cutting very thin slices or filleting fish. In Asian cuisine, the Takohiki knife, as well as the Yanagiba it is most often used for preparing sushi or sashimi. The Takohiki knife originating from the Tokyo area is slightly different from the Yanagi from the Osaka area. What is visible at first glance is that, unlike Yanagiba, has a rectangular end. This type of solution is useful, for example, for lifting ready slices from a cutting board. Characteristically for traditional Japanese knives, it is sharpened on one side, enabling precise, fully controlled cutting of products that easily separate from the knife, revealing a beautiful and shiny cutting surface - an important and appreciated detail in Japanese cuisine.

The most important features of the Takohiki knife are:

• length - the long blade is used to cut only in one direction ("toward itself") to avoid zigzag cutting marks and leave a perfect cross-section,
• thickness - it has a very thin blade to enable cutting with low force so as not to crush, shatter or tear the cut products,
• hardness and durability - the knives are made of very hard and durable steel, allowing for perfect sharpening,
• the design of the knife is intended to facilitate the separation of cut slices from the plane of the knife.

The knives from this series were made in the spirit of Japanese tradition and style, which has its roots hundreds of years ago, when craftsmen forged the most exquisite samurai swords. The blades of the knives from the Bessen series are made of steel with a high (1.1%) carbon content, hardened to 61-63 HRC. Single-sided sharpened by craftsmen with over 30 years of experience, they are characterized by incredible sharpness.

The handle is made with attention to detail typical of Japan, from light magnolia wood reinforced with a plastic ring.