Kiritsuke Knife: The Japanese Hybrid Slicer Explained

The kiritsuke (切付) is a long Japanese blade with a flat edge and a sharply angled tip. In its traditional form it is a single-bevel knife that blends the yanagiba fish slicer and the usuba vegetable knife, and in some Japanese kitchens it has been associated with the head chef. Today the name is also used for double-bevel knives with the same angled tip, which are really gyuto with a k-tip. Knowing which one you are looking at is the most important part of buying one.

Blade shape and geometry

The traditional kiritsuke is long, usually 240 to 300mm, with a nearly flat edge and a spine that drops straight down to a point near the front. The back of the blade is hollow-ground (urasuki) like other single-bevel knives, and the front face carries one wide bevel. It is heavier and thicker at the spine than a gyuto.

The double-bevel version, often called a kiritsuke gyuto or k-tip gyuto, keeps the silhouette but uses a standard gyuto grind with bevels on both sides and a slightly flatter profile. It behaves like a gyuto with a finer tip.

What it is for, and what it is bad at

A single-bevel kiritsuke can pull long, clean slices of raw fish like a yanagiba and make precise vegetable cuts like an usuba. It is a knife for cooks trained in Japanese technique who want one blade to cover both jobs.

It is bad at nearly everything a home cook expects from a chef’s knife. The flat edge will not rock, the single bevel steers cuts sideways in dense food unless you know how to correct for it, and the long tip is fragile. It is not for bones or frozen food. The double-bevel version is far more forgiving but still less comfortable to rock than a curved gyuto.

Common lengths and which to choose

Home cooks who want the look should choose a 210 to 240mm double-bevel k-tip. Professionals buying single-bevel usually pick 270mm.

Bevel and handedness

The traditional kiritsuke is single-bevel and made for one hand. Standard stock is right-handed. Left-handed versions exist but are made to order, cost more, and take longer. The double-bevel k-tip version works for either hand. See our single bevel vs double bevel guide for how the two grinds behave.

Steel recommendations

Traditional kiritsuke come mostly from Sakai in Shirogami #2 or Aogami #2, which sharpen to a very fine edge on stones. Ginsan is the stainless choice for single-bevel knives, since it sharpens almost like carbon. Double-bevel k-tip knives are common in SG2/R2, VG-10, and Aogami Super.

Single-bevel kiritsuke usually start around $150 to $250 and go well past $600 for handmade Sakai blades. Prices move with the yen.

Who should buy one, and who should skip it

Buy a traditional kiritsuke if you already use single-bevel knives, sharpen on stones, and cook Japanese food seriously. Buy a double-bevel k-tip if you like the angled tip and want a gyuto with a distinct look.

Skip the single-bevel version if this is your first Japanese knife or if you cook mostly Western food. A gyuto does the same daily work with far less effort.

Compare with

• Yanagiba: the dedicated single-bevel fish slicer.
• Bunka: the same angled tip on a short, easy home knife.
• Guide: Single bevel vs double bevel Japanese knives

If you want a kiritsuke, send us a request with your length and handedness and we will quote one with duties included.