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The Santoku is one of the most popular Japanese all-purpose knife shapes, designed to handle a broad range of everyday kitchen prep. Its relatively flat cutting edge works particularly well for chopping and push cutting, making it a great choice for vegetables, meat and fish.
At 170mm, this is a really useful all-round size, offering plenty of blade without feeling overly large or cumbersome.
The blade features a Nashiji finish, named after the textured skin of a Japanese pear. The subtle, matte texture gives the blade a simple, understated appearance that suits the practical nature of the knife.
The knife is finished with a Western-style walnut handle, combining the familiar feel of a traditional Western knife handle with the warmth and natural variation of walnut.
Tadafusa are based in Sanjo, Niigata, one of Japan’s most important centres for metalworking and knife production. Founded in 1948, they produce kitchen knives using a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern production techniques.
Their knives are particularly well known for being practical, approachable working tools, designed to offer excellent Japanese cutting performance without being overly delicate or fussy.
The cutting core is made from Aogami #2, also known as Blue #2, a traditional Japanese high-carbon steel. Blue #2 contains added tungsten and chromium, giving it excellent edge retention while retaining the sharpness and sharpening characteristics associated with Japanese carbon steels.
The carbon steel core is clad in stainless steel, leaving only a small amount of reactive steel exposed around the cutting edge. This gives you much of the performance and character of Blue #2 while making the knife considerably easier to care for than a fully reactive carbon steel blade.
The stainless cladding is low maintenance, but the exposed Blue #2 cutting edge is reactive and will naturally develop a patina with use. It can also rust if left wet or dirty.
Always hand wash and dry the knife immediately after use, particularly after cutting acidic ingredients. Never put a Japanese kitchen knife in the dishwasher and avoid cutting frozen foods, bones or other very hard ingredients.
As with all Japanese knives, slight variations in finish and appearance may occur from knife to knife.
You must be aged 18 or over to purchase this knife. Age verification is required when purchasing knives from Community Cutlery, and age and identity checks may also be required on delivery.
We ship Tuesday to Saturday using Royal Mail Tracked 24.
All knives ship via an age verified service in accordance with The Offensive Weapons Act 2019, which will mean the postie will need you to be in to receive the delivery & to check your ID if you look under 25.
The law also requires us to carry out a soft age check of the purchaser after checkout, this is done by an automated system that usually doesn't require your input, although we will need to contact you for proof of age if you fail, which can sometimes happen if you use a work address.
of Community Cutlery as a home for enthusiasts, for people who love the ritual of food preparation and who have realised the charm in doing it with quality tools, with items that are as pleasing on the eye as they are practical in the hand.
