Samura Kaiju Paring Knife 78 mm

The Samura Kaiju paring knife is a compact knife from the Kaiju series, with a 78 mm blade for close work on fruit and vegetables. Reach for it to peel, trim and cut small pieces where a larger knife feels clumsy. The hammered AUS-8 stainless steel blade sits in a Pakka wood handle.

Blade and steel

The blade is a single layer of AUS-8 stainless steel, hardened to 58–59 HRC. At this hardness the edge copes well with everyday prep, and when it dulls, it is straightforward to restore on a whetstone.

A hammered finish gives the blade the lunar pattern of the Kaiju series. The small craters in the surface help slices come away from the steel instead of clinging to it. The polished double-bevel edge is ground on both sides, with an original factory bevel angle of 15–17°.

Handle and balance

The handle is made of Pakka wood and follows a classic shape. The dense Pakka wood resists moisture as well as odours. At 63 g net and 184 mm overall, the knife is light and compact for small, controlled cuts.

Best uses

• Peeling and trimming fruit
• Trimming and cleaning vegetables
• Cutting small fruit and vegetables into slices or pieces
• Removing seeds, cores and blemishes

Care and sharpening

Before first use, rinse the knife with hot water and wipe it dry. Afterwards, wash it by hand with non-abrasive materials and wipe it dry; a dishwasher is not recommended, and the knife should not be left in the sink for a long time. Cut on wooden or plastic boards, never on glass, leave bones to a SAMURA cleaver and frozen food to a double-sided serrated saw knife, and store the knife in a brush block or knife holder where the blade does not touch metal items. Keep the edge in shape with a honing rod between sharpenings, and sharpen on a whetstone at the original factory bevel angle of 15–17°.

About the Kaiju series

The Kaiju series is named after the giant monsters of Japanese myth and combines hammered, lunar-pattern blades with Pakka wood handles, in two lines with and without a bolster. This paring knife belongs to the line without a bolster and, like all SAMURA knives, comes with a 2-year warranty.