Fujimoto Nashiji Santoku 165mm

These were the first Fujimoto blades we carried; to this day, they remain a staff and customer favourite. Here’s why: some Japanese blades are made with carbon steel, which gets crazy sharp but can rust, while others are made from stainless steel, which is easy to care for but doesn’t quite have the same magic. These are the best of both worlds, made with a super hard carbon steel core, protected by an outer layer of stainless steel, so only the edge requires maintenance! It’s a genius way of making a knife, and the ‘nashiji’ finish, inspired by the look and feel of Asian pear skin, takes it over the top.

Fujimoto blades are crafted by a team of expert craftspeople, and each step is hand-done by a specialist in their field to create a consistent, affordable, high-performance knife. Fujimoto knives sport a classic Japanese handle, called a ‘wa handle,’ that puts most of the knife’s weight in the blade.

About the shape - Santoku means 'Three Virtues' or 'To solve Three Problems'. The three virtues are meat, fish and vegetables, or slicing, dicing and mincing depending on your interpretation. This means that the Santoku is an all-around knife, suitable for the amateur home cook and the professional chef alike. The height means good clearance for big hands, while the relatively short blade can be wielded by anyone.