VG-10 46 Layers Hammered Damascus Nakiri Japanese Vegetable Knife (6.5'' (165mm) Rosewood Handle)

About this item

Forged and hammered with 46 layers of steel in the Damascus tradition with a VG-10 Core, the VG-10 Hammered Damascus Series has been a perennial seller, combining performance, beauty, and extraordinary value.
One of the most popular knives that a cook can have today is a Japanese Vegetable knife known as a Nakiri knife. The Nakiri is a Japanese double edged knife with a flat cutting edge. The flatness allows for the whole length of the knife to come in contact with the cutting board with each stroke. This is particularly helpful when chopping vegetables since it eliminates those imperfect cuts in which ingredients are hanging by a string.
Reminiscent of a small cleaver, this knife is cherished for its ability to chop through root vegetables to thinly slicing delicate tomatoes. From prepping greens for a salad to chopping vegetables for a main dish, the simplest of tasks are elevated with a handcrafted knife that is as beautiful as it is functional.
Proudly made in Japan. This knife is complimented with a traditional Japanese Wa-style handcrafted Octagonal Handle that is lightweight and ergonomically welds to the hand for seamless use. A protective wooden sheath called a Saya is included, which protects the knife and adds to its appearance when not in use. The hammered texture of the blade eliminates friction and keeps food from sticking to the blade.
Traditional Japanese knife making values a sharp edge, which requires attention and care. Sharpening and honing should be done with only water whetstones. Hand wash and dry only, and do so immediately if working with acidic ingredients. Do not use on objects such as bones, nutshells, and frozen foods.

• Taobarb

  I have only been using European style knives for years, and have been unhappy with the weight and rapid dulling and rolling of my blade edges in relatively short order as well as wrist fatigue. I’ve been a Japanese sword practitioner for over 20 years now, so it only made sense to switch to Japanese forged Damascus blades.A nakiri is a blade style with which I was unfamiliar, but as I am cutting vegetables and fruits as much if not more than proteins, inn no thought I’d try this. The Yoshihiro blade is not inexpensive but also not one which would break the bank if you’re looking for a well made, well balanced blade. I have found this knife to be one of my go-to knifes as it’s incredibly light, easy to manipulate safely, is nicely balanced and cuts reliably paper thin slices of any vegetable really effortlessly. The hammered surface is less likely to stick to the thin slices I cut. I love the more traditional tsuka and it fits perfectly in my hand. I do also appreciate the saya which comes with it so I can choose to store it safely sheathed this way or in a block. I think it’s a great knife for those who know how to manage and correctly slice with a nakiri. So far so good, and time will tell if the edge rolls, but I suspect I’ll continue to be extremely happy with this knife. Thank you!

• Julie Sherman

  This knife is super sharp and slices vegetables like it's sliding through butter. I used my previous Wusthof chef's knife for everything, so I have to remember to use this one differently. Meaning, to use this one for slicing vegetables and not chopping larger and harder vegetables like big broccoli stems and huge carrots. I have to slow down when doing that. The thin and very sharp blade sometimes sticks for a fraction of a second in the cutting board when I chop those larger vegetables. It does require a lot of care that I'm not use to. Wash it in warm water right after I use it, not letting the handle get wet if I can help it. Completely dry it right away. I also hope the manufacturer will sharpen it if I send it to them. Otherwise I will need to find a cutler because I don't want to fuss with whet stones and all that stuff. I'm happy overall with this attractive and sharp knife.

• Lou

  Just an amazing knife. Looks and cuts amazing. Still sharp after many uses. Looking forward to purchasing more from yoshihiro as this was my first from them.

• JAMES

  The craftsmanship in this knife is truly amazing. The 46 layer, hand hammered Damascus is beautiful and the rosewood handle is solidly attached and the octagonal shape has great hand feel, providing a solid grip during cutting, while also being beautiful. The knife is incredibly light and razor sharp out of the box. It is well balanced and comes with a Saya sheath and holding pin.Like with every Japanese, handcrafted product I have ever dealt with, every detail is executed with care and great attention to detail even down to the external packaging. The desire being to provide the best experience possible.This is my first knife from Yoshihiro Cutlery but it will definitely not be my last. Can’t recommend this highly enough as a professional Chef level product that will be a permanent addition to your fine cutlery.You will not be disappointed.

• Edith Patterson

  Very sharp, in more ways than one.

• Roy Batty

  This knive is both very functional and beautiful. If you like to cook, then this is a great addition to your kitchen. This Usuba knive will make short work of your chopping and be fun to use. The craftsmanship and quality of this knive is excellent. You will be very happy if you purchase this knive.

• M. Black

  I bought this knife in January of 2015, so it's been almost 6 years that I've owned and used it.I sharpened it once on a whet stone when I first received it and I've not had to sharpen it since. I do run it across the strop from time to time, but other than that, I've not done anything to the blade and it's still as sharp as it was on day one.It does not see daily use, however, as my MAC santoku is the workhorse of the kitchen, but whenever I'm processing any quantity of vegetables, the Yoshihiro comes out.I would absolutely buy this knife again without hesitation if something were to ever happen to it.In fact, the reason why I'm updating this review is because I'm in the market for another kitchen knife and have decided to buy another Yoshihiro.... just not sure which one yet. ;-)--- original review ---absolutely incredible knife. not as sharp as it can be right out of the box, but with a 1000/6000 whet stone and a strop, it's the sharpest piece of steel I've ever handled. Global's, MAC's, and Shun's can't touch it.

• Wes Philly

  This is a nice knife of high quality. I didn't find a balance issue that the handle was too light as some other reviewers feel, though they are correct that the handle is light. Love the traditional octagonal shape of the handle, which is attractive and feels good in the hand. The knife cuts well and the blade is also aesthetically pleasing. It is a bit large for my purposes, but that is not the maker's fault, just my own preference. My previous Japanese-style knife, a Wusthof, was smaller and easier for me to use, but I cut myself a lot with it. And when I went to crush a clove of garlic, it cracked into pieces (that was a foolish mistake, since it was such a paper-thin blade). So far, perhaps because of the large size, I have not cut myself with this one yet. I cannot attest to how long the blade will stay sharp without sharpening, since I haven't used it extensively yet, but I am wondering whether I should eventually sharpen it myself or send it to the manufacturer for sharpening, as another reviewer said that you could. I will probably opt for the latter, if that is indeed available.The wooden case is nice, though it makes using it each time a bit of a special occasion. The knife requires some small maintenance care, since you are cautioned that if you leave moisture on it, it can rust. I did buy the oil that goes with it, cloth, and rust eraser, just in case. You can put a drop of oil on the blade each time if you are the type of person who loves to maintain things lovingly, but I am only doing that occasionally and just trying most times to be careful to wipe the blade with a cloth somewhat carefully before sheathing. Overall, I like this attractive, well-made knife, and enjoy using it to cut radishes and turnips in thin slices to pickle in Japanese vinegar.

• Adam Wood

  All in all, I highly recommend this knife. It's perfectly functional, being sharp right out of the box, and it has a lot of aesthetic charm to it. In comparison to my Shun Premier knifes, this one is more "rustic." The blade is less polished and refined looking (IMO) than those on the Shuns, but it has a rustic beauty that I happen to really like. The handles on the Shuns are treated, finished, and perfectly smooth right out of the box. The wooden handle on this one, in comparison, is completely untreated and wasn't sanded very well out of the box. Outside of color variations in the bolster (which are clearly stated in the description to happen), my knife looks exactly like the images here - so the description is spot on.I'll start with the blade. The steel has a good sturdy feel to it, and the fit and finish are consistent along the whole length. The edge was sharp right out of the box - which should always be the case, but hasn't been on every brand that I've bought. The layered steel on the bevel is very attractive and polished, and the hammered upper area is an excellent look.The shape of the blade is what got my attention and inspired me to buy it, as I'd never used a knife like this before. My Shuns come to a very fine thin tip, and I find myself worried that I'm going to bend the tip (which certainly could be unreasonable, but I am nervous about it) when I'm cutting through something and the tip hits the cutting board with a lot of force. The lack of a sharp tip at the end makes it easier for me to cut with simply because I'm not worried about damaging the tip, and I can fly right through cutting veggies. Shun makes this same type of knife, and I might like it just as well.Now for some notes on the handle. The wood is completely unfinished, as least as far as I could tell. That surprised me, so I was disappointed. It might be traditional, so I might have had the wrong expectations - but I wanted to note it in case you were also thinking that it would be treated in some way. Although the shape was spot on, the surface roughness was sub-par, IMO. Honestly, I would have gotten a "B" at best in eighth-grade shop class if I had left it like that. Due to the outer finish, I felt compelled to lightly sand it down. After sanding, which took very little time, it looked and felt much nicer. Being untreated, though, it just soaked up water when I washed it. I applied mineral oil three times, and it soaked it up quickly each time. The mineral oil improved things, but it still looked too unfinished to me so I ordered some Howard Butcher Block Conditioner because it contains waxes that coat the surface. After using it, the handle is starting to really look and feel nice to me. I wish that it had been treated with something before it arrived, considering the cost of this knife. Since that might be traditional, I didn't deduct a star - but I did deduct a star because it required sanding.I agree with Rubbertoe that the handle feels light compared to my other knives. That said, I find cutting vegetables with this knife to be very easy and...I've got to say...enjoyable. I've learned to grip it higher up on the handle, which puts it into balance for me.I wanted to make sure that you knew about the handle being unfinished, but I do recommend this knife. The handle can be treated once you get it, and the overall feel and look of the knife is great.

• Ken

  This knife has performed well at work for three weeks of almost daily use, it takes and holds its edge as well as my more expensive knives, I like the handle comfort, knife is nice and light and the blade is properly thin, however the top edges of the blade are kind of sharp and I’m going to have to ask our knife sharpener guy round it off a bit, when using a pinch grip it becomes uncomfortable pretty quickly. (All knives are kinda like that, these are more)I have the santoku also, Both can hang at the professional level.I’m liking the Quality/value for the money.