Box of 2 Kasumi knives Chef 20 cm and Office 12 cm Masterpiece MP1102

Set of Kasumi Chef 20 cm (MP11) and Office (MP02) 12 cm Japanese kitchen knives

Made in Seki, the cradle of Japanese cutlery

VG10 1% carbon steel + 32-layer damascus, hardness ~61°HRC

Ambidextrous V-sharpening for immediate sharpness

Ergonomic micarta handle

Chroma MP1102

7-year warranty

Lifetime steel warranty

Genuine collector's knives. Very limited quantities

Advice on care and use:

- wash your knives by hand after each use, not in the dishwasher

- do not leave your knives in water for long periods of time

- preferably use a wooden cutting board, avoiding glass and stainless steel at all costs

- don't cut very hard things, such as frozen foods or bones

- sharpen regularly, before the blade becomes dull, with a suitable whetstone

Kasumi is the forerunner of kitchen damascus and the popularizer of VG10 steel. The factory is based in Seki, Japan, where for generations the workshops have called on Japan's finest craftsmen. Kasumi is the oldest cutlery factory in the town of Seki, itself the capital of Japanese cutlery. Kasumi, through its products, is a heritage to be promoted and protected. The first thing you notice when you look at them is that the knives are full of Japanese design codes, combining past, present and future. The company has always worked at the top end of the cutlery market, and has always been a master of trends.

Often copied, never equalled, Kasumi has always been tried and tested, and has always responded in the best possible way, reaching a point where no-one has been able to keep up. The flagship of Kasumi's Japanese knives, the Kasumi Masterpiece range is made exclusively by Kasumi's master craftsmen with over thirty years' experience. As a tribute to these craftsmen, the range bears their name. Only these experienced craftsmen are called upon to work on this product, as the various processes and techniques used to create this range require particular expertise on many points.

Starting with the damascus of the VG10 steel that makes up the blade. This highly carburized 1% carbon steel is manufactured in a complex damascus pattern, also known as "cloudy". This damascus is difficult to obtain and more technical than horizontal damascus. Rare are the craftsmen who know how to achieve such a result, and their manufacturing secrets are jealously guarded. Kasumi also pushes the limits of blade edge quality by taking care to sharpen them differently. The blades are hand-sharpened on a flat circular band stone, which Kasumi is one of the few in Japan to use! The knives go through a double sharpening and polishing process, enabling cooks to sharpen their knives directly on a very fine #3000 stone without having to go through the regular #1000 grit stage. The result is a much sharper edge than anywhere else, thanks to this additional process. A blade so well crafted must be accompanied by a handle to match. Where Kasumi went for a cherry wood handle on Kasumi Damascus, here he has used micarta, a very noble wood, highly prized in luxury woodwork. It's also a wood that resists temperature variations and time more effectively.

All these elements make these Kasumi Masterpiece knives exceptional blades whose beauty equals their rarity. France is one of only five countries in the world where the range is distributed!