Samura Kaiju Santoku Knife 180 mm

The Samura Kaiju santoku knife is a Japanese-style all-purpose knife with a 180 mm blade. It is made for everyday prep of vegetables, fruit, meat and fish, and it cuts bread too. Its hammered AUS-8 stainless steel blade is paired with a Pakka wood handle.

Blade and steel

The blade is made from a single layer of AUS-8 stainless steel, hardened to 58–59 HRC. For home cooking this is a sensible balance: the edge copes well with regular use, and when it needs attention, it is straightforward to restore on a whetstone.

A hammered finish gives the blade the lunar pattern of the Kaiju series, and its small dimples help slices of vegetables and fruit come away from the blade as you cut. The polished double-bevel edge has an original factory bevel angle of 15–17°. As it is ground on both sides, you can keep it in shape with a honing rod and a whetstone.

Handle and balance

The handle is made of dense Pakka wood and has a classic shape. It resists moisture as well as odours. The knife weighs 163 g and measures 310 mm overall.

Best uses

• Slicing, dicing and chopping vegetables
• Slicing boneless meat
• Cutting and portioning fish
• Slicing fruit
• Cutting bread

Care and sharpening

Rinse the knife with hot water before first use, then 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 long. Cut on wooden or plastic boards, never on glass, and leave meat with bones to a SAMURA cleaver and frozen food to a double-sided saw knife with a serrated blade. Use a honing rod between sharpenings and resharpen on a whetstone at the original factory bevel angle of 15–17°. Store the knife in a brush block or knife holder where the blade does not touch metal items.

About the Kaiju series

The Kaiju series takes its name from the giant monsters of Japanese myth and pairs hammered, lunar-pattern blades with Pakka wood handles, in two lines with and without a bolster. This knife belongs to the standard line without a bolster and, like all SAMURA knives, comes with a 2-year warranty.