Hatsukokoro x Masuda Blue 1 Kurozome Damascus

This is the Kurozome version of the Hatsukokoro x Masuda Blue 1 Damascus, from the same place: Masuda Kiridashi Factory in Sanjo, where second-generation blacksmith Takeshi Masuda forged Kiridashi for more than half a century before switching to knifemaking; his son Yoshihide brings mold-industry precision to the forge welding. The core is Blue 1 (Aogami #1) clad in soft iron Damascus, the same sanmai build as the Nashiji line.

The difference is the finish. Instead of the polished Nashiji, the Damascus cladding is etched and blackened (Kurozome), so the layers read dark and high-contrast rather than bright. The grind follows the Nashiji line: a wide bevel and a tall, choppy profile, with some thickness behind the edge that trades a little smoothness for strength in big prep jobs.

Care is the iron Damascus story, with one more thing to watch: the etched surface is more delicate than a polished one, and the cladding still needs wiping dry to keep rust away. If you want the Masuda blade with a darker, more dramatic look, this is the one; for the bright polished texture, go for the Nashiji.