OUL’s Western handled Aogami 2 Tsuchime series is all about subtlety. The blade has a light, highly polished tsuchime (hammer finish) that transitions into a thin, convex taper. The stainless steel san mai lamination helps protect the Aogami 2 core, preventing corrosion on most of the blade. Not only will the knife perform well over long periods, each blade will develop unique character with three different finishes. Each tsuchime finish will be slightly different and stand out next to the highly polished convex taper, and the Aogami 2 core will develop a patina contrasting against the tsuchime and high polish. Aogami 2 is an excellent carbon steel for high food production. The edge performs well with a higher polish and cuts cleanly, but isn’t impossible for the novice sharpener to maintain on their own. The Aogami 2 series is not only easy on the eyes, it’s designed for work.

The Aogami 2 Tsuchime santoku is a bit different than your average santoku in the block. Many santokus have a 165mm blade by default. The 180mm cutting edge can be the perfect fit for medium to large sized cutting boards. An extra 15mm may not sound like much, but when it comes to larger jobs, the 180mm can help get more food prepped faster. As mentioned above, this series has a flat ground hammer finish, and transitions into a full convex taper to the cutting edge. The varying finishes and multiple angles on the blade help decrease food sticking, and the convex grind lets the blade slide through food. The Western handle style fills out the palm a bit more compared to the Wa style and shifts the balance point further back towards the handle. If you like Western handled santokus, you’ll like the 180mm Aogami 2 Tsuchime.

Fukui Hamono, located in Sakai, Japan comes from over 600 years of knife and sword making tradition. OUL, one of Fukui Hamono’s culinary brands stands out from the competition. The Kanji on OUL’s blades translates to “Master’s Style”. After handling, sharpening and using OUL’s knives, I can say the name is befitting of their products. Each knife is made of quality materials, has an excellent heat treatment and a fit and finish of higher quality compared to many other makers.

Blade steel: Aogami 2/Blue 2

Handle: Pakka wood

Cutting edge length: 180mm

Spine thickness: 2mm

Blade height: 46mm

Handle length: 4.75”

Overall length: 12”

Carbon steel can rust if neglected. To avoid corrosion and rust, be sure to wash and dry your knife immediately after use. Leaving moisture or acidic material on the blade will cause corrosion. Every carbon steel knife will develop a blue grey patina, yellow or orange is rust.