Kiritsuke

切付け

General Purpose Specialized

The Kiritsuke (切付け) is a traditional Japanese single-bevel knife, historically regarded as the mark of the head chef — in many kitchens only the itamae was permitted to wield one. Its long, flat blade ends in a distinctive angled "kiritsuke" tip, and it is ground as a single bevel with a concave back (urasuki) for an exceptionally keen, clean-cutting edge. The design unites the work of two specialist knives: the flat edge handles vegetables like an usuba, while the length and pointed tip slice fish and proteins like a yanagiba. It is a versatile knife for an accomplished hand — the single bevel rewards good technique with precision few double-bevel knives can match, but asks for skill in return.

A note on naming: this traditional Kiritsuke is single-bevelled and is a genuinely different knife from the double-bevel K-tip (or "Kiritsuke") Gyuto, which is simply a gyuto with a kiritsuke-style tip. Many retailers list the two interchangeably; at Knives and Stones we keep them distinct so you know exactly what you're buying.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best kiritsuke for experienced home cooks?

Settle which knife you mean first. A traditional kiritsuke is single-bevel, ground on one side only. It takes real practice to use well, is set up for right-handed users by default, and needs single-bevel sharpening technique to maintain. A K-tip gyuto shares the angled tip but is double-bevel, ambidextrous, and sharpened exactly the way you would sharpen a normal gyuto.

If you want the single-bevel discipline, choose on length and steel, and read the construction on the product page — each one tells you which you are looking at. Our traditional kiritsuke shelf is small: on 7 September 2026 none of the three we list is in stock, so the range changes.

When not to buy this: for the silhouette without the learning curve, take a K-tip gyuto — Hatsukokoro Hayabusa SG2 Migaki K-tip Gyuto 210mm, A$330 today.

Is a K-tip Gyuto the same as a traditional Kiritsuke?

Not quite - and it is the single most common point of confusion when people shop for a kiritsuke. The two knives share the same striking angled, reverse-tanto tip, but underneath that tip they are very different tools.

A K-tip gyuto is a double-bevel knife: it is ground on both sides like any Western-style chef's knife, so it is ambidextrous, forgiving to use, and sharpened exactly the way you would sharpen a normal gyuto. You get the dramatic kiritsuke look with the everyday usability of an all-purpose chef's knife.

A traditional kiritsuke - including the kiritsuke-yanagiba (slicer) and kiritsuke-gyuto shapes - is a single-bevel knife, ground on one side only. It is historically a master chef's knife: it takes real practice to use well, is set up for right-handed users by default, and needs single-bevel sharpening technique to maintain.

So if you want the kiritsuke silhouette with no learning curve, choose a K-tip gyuto. If you specifically want the traditional single-bevel discipline - and the precision it allows on fish and vegetables - choose a true kiritsuke. At Knives and Stones we stock both, and each product page tells you which construction you are looking at.

Reviewed by James Zhang · Last updated 29 May 2026