The application of Japanese lacquer has long been a way to make low-cost "ho" wood handles more attractive while keeping the price down. We recently imported some Japanese Shirogami steel kitchen knives with attractive purple lacquer handles. Octagonal in shape, the lacquer creates a unique texture on the handle. These knives are made at the Hokiyama factory in Tosa and are marked with the factory's Tsunehisa house brand stamp.

We recently received the nakiri, santoku and 210mm gyuto. The blades of these knives is Shirogami #1 (aka white steel #1) and is considered one of the purest Japanese knife steels. White steel is usually extremely easy to hone with leather or fine-grit stones.

Also recently posted were some unique American-made knives from Henry Hyde and Jovian Forge.