FORGE Ash & Chrome, Aogami No. 2 chef's knife:
Dark and light, held in one blade.
The whole knife
The heel
The tip
Where dark meets light
The handleAsh & Chrome
A 225 mm chef's knife with a wide core of Aogami Blue Steel No. 2 at 63.5 HRC: a forged top, a mirror-polished bevel and a dark patinated core line. Octagonal wa handle in Pink Oak and Cocobolo. 201 g.
100-day returns for any reason; on a change of mind you pay the return postage. Returns policy · Terms
The nameAsh & Chrome
The name comes
from the blade.
An ash-dark area sits beside a lighter expanse of steel. Where they meet, the knife takes its character.
The top is left as it came from the power hammer, forged with rough dies, textured and dark. Below it, the steel is ground and polished until it turns to mirror.
- 01
Edge
A fine mirror line where the Aogami core is sharpened.
- 02
Core
A dark line. After fitting the handle, Jacob patinas the core and turns it black.
- 03
Bevel
Ground and polished to a smooth mirror.
- 04
Top
Left as it came from the power hammer: forged with rough dies, textured and dark.
“Having rough and mirror and dark and core, you end up with a lot of contrast. And contrasts are beautiful because it sets things in perspective.”
Chapter IIThe steel
Wrapped in
blue paper.
Aogami means “blue paper”. The steel was developed by Hitachi Metals, now Proterial, and in the beginning it was supplied to selected Japanese blacksmiths wrapped in blue anti-rust paper. The name stuck.
A high carbon content and carbide-forming elements make it very hard. Ash & Chrome has a wide core of Aogami No. 2 at 63.5 HRC, with a double bevel, and it can be sharpened to a mirror finish. More in our guide to Aogami steel.
Chapter IIIThe handle
Two hardwoods.
One handle.
Pink Oak and Cocobolo, two tones and two grains in a 135 mm handle, echoing the blade's contrast.
The handle is octagonal, in the Japanese wa style. Jacob sets the tang about halfway into the handle, into a core of red sandalwood. Red sandalwood is rich in resin and barely moves when the humidity changes, so once the tang is glued in, it stays put.
Ash & Chrome specifications
Hard steel.
Light hand.
The FORGE series
Where control slips,
the forge begins.
Blood & Fire
Born from a heat-treatment mistake: the copper burned, the brass melted, and every blade came out unique.
See Blood & Fire
Loss & Gain
A hammered texture that refused to take shape, ground far thinner than planned, then acid-etched until a new pattern appeared.
See Loss & GainMore from RICEKNIFEEX-ANIMO III
The set,
and its knives.
Chapter IVCare and sharpening
Keep the chrome.
Keep the edge.
Hand wash
Wash by hand and dry it straight away. Never the dishwasher.
Dry at once
Aogami No. 2 is a carbon steel. Left wet, it can discolour or spot with rust.
Cut on wood
Ideally end grain. Glass, stone and steel boards dull any edge fast.
Sharpen on stones
Jacob spent five years on the RICEKNIFE sharpening system and made a video for each set.
Beginner
For the first stones you ever own. Ten minutes a day, and within a few weeks you will be sharpening with confidence.
Chef
For the one who cooks most days and wants the edge back in under five minutes.
Professional
The full system Jacob uses in the workshop, to a razor's edge.
Questions about this Aogami chef's knife
Before you decide.
What is Aogami No. 2?
Aogami means “blue paper”. It is a high-carbon Japanese steel developed by Hitachi Metals, now Proterial. In the beginning it was supplied to selected blacksmiths wrapped in blue anti-rust paper, which gave it its name. Carbon and carbide-forming elements make it very hard. Ash & Chrome has a wide core of Aogami No. 2 at 63.5 HRC.
Why is there a black line along the blade?
That is the Aogami core. After fitting the handle, Jacob patinas the core and turns it black. From the edge up you see a fine mirror line, the dark core, a mirror-polished bevel and the forged top. That contrast gives the knife its name.
Will this Aogami chef's knife rust?
Aogami No. 2 is a carbon steel, not a stainless steel. If it is left wet, the exposed steel can discolour or spot with rust. Wash it by hand and dry it straight away. Never put it in the dishwasher.
Is steel at 63.5 HRC hard to sharpen?
It is hard steel, so use water stones or diamond stones rather than a pull-through sharpener. On the stones the edge takes a mirror finish. Jacob's sharpening videos, linked above, show every step.
Is it single or double bevel?
Double bevel, sharpened on both sides, so it works in either hand.
How is the handle fitted?
The handle is octagonal, in the Japanese wa style. The tang goes about halfway into the handle, into a core of red sandalwood. Red sandalwood is rich in resin and barely moves when the humidity changes, so once the tang is glued in, it stays put.
What woods are in the handle?
Pink Oak and Cocobolo: two hardwoods with different tones and grain, echoing the contrast on the blade. Natural wood means no two handles look exactly alike.
How does Ash & Chrome differ from EX-ANIMO III?
EX-ANIMO III knives have 73-layer Damascus blades with a VG10 core. Ash & Chrome has a core of the carbon steel Aogami No. 2, with a forged top, a mirror-polished bevel and a patinated core that shows as a dark line. Different steel, a different finish and different care.
Who designed it?
Jacob Bech and Shanru Lin, the founders of RICEKNIFE.
What if it is not right for me?
You can return it within 100 days for any reason; on a change of mind you pay the return postage. Read the returns policy. Questions before buying? Call or WhatsApp Jacob on +45 20 46 46 90.
€ 374,47 incl. tax
Availability: 1 in stock