Kagami-yo mirror finish

Do you like an audience?

Are you a professional working in public view? Or do you enjoy entertaining at home, where your guests can watch as you cut up a storm at the cutting board? Add flair! Go mirror finish. Go kagami-yo.  

Mirror-finish blades look the business. In our opinion they're among the most attractive of blades, but there's more to them than looks alone.

Hand-forged carbon steel Japanese knives react to their environment, developing a patina or oxidisation on the blade surface. A blade's tendency to develop colour or rust spots is in direct correlation with the surface finish. The more highly finished the surface, the slower the reaction and the better the rust resistance.

For this reason a mechanically finished (ie factory-fabricated) knife will generally offer better protection than a hand-forged, hand-finished blade. The hand-forged choice offers other benefits, of course.

A mirror finish can offer the best of both worlds and is the top-level finish for a non-blackened carbon steel blade. Mirror-finish stainless offers maximum rust resistance.