Collection: Kiritsuke Knife

The kiritsuke is the knife a Japanese head chef traditionally carried, and it still reads that way on the board: a long, straight edge running to a dramatic angled "K-tip". It is a slicer and a chopper in one — the flat section handles vegetables like a nakiri, the length handles fish and boneless meat like a gyuto, and the reverse-tanto tip does fine detail work.

It is not the easiest first knife. The flat profile rewards a straight push cut rather than a rock, and the pointed tip needs respect. If you want one all-rounder to learn on, a santoku or a gyuto is the kinder choice. Buy a kiritsuke because you want the reach and the shape, not because you want the easiest option.

What we stock

• Kiritsuke Damascus with Ebony Handle — £79.99.
• Minato Kiritsuke — £79.99.
• Haruta 8" VG10 Damascus Kiritsuke — £89.99, with a wooden scabbard included.

All three are double-bevelled, ground on both sides, so they suit left- and right-handed cooks equally. The single-bevel kiritsuke used in professional Japanese kitchens is a different and far more demanding tool, and we do not stock one.

More on the shape in our kiritsuke spotlight, and a head-to-head in kiritsuke vs chef knife vs santoku.