Samura Kaiju Santoku Knife 180 mm, with Bolster

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

Blade and steel

A single layer of AUS-8 stainless steel forms the blade, hardened to 58–59 HRC. At this hardness the edge copes well with daily slicing and chopping, and when it dulls it is not difficult to bring back on a whetstone.

The hammered finish carries the lunar pattern of the Kaiju series, and its small dimples help slices come away from the blade. The double-bevel edge is polished and ground on both sides at an original factory bevel angle of 15–17°, so a honing rod and a whetstone are all you need to maintain it.

Handle and balance

The handle is made of Pakka wood in a classic shape. Pakka wood is dense and resists moisture as well as odours. A bolster sits between the blade and the handle. 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

Before first use, rinse the knife with hot water and wipe it dry. Wash it by hand with non-abrasive materials, wipe it dry and do not leave it in the sink for long; a dishwasher is not recommended. Use wooden or plastic boards rather than glass, and leave bones to a SAMURA cleaver and frozen food to a double-sided serrated saw knife. Keep the knife in a brush block or knife holder where the blade does not touch metal items, use a honing rod between sharpenings and resharpen on a whetstone at the original factory bevel angle of 15–17°.

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 bolster line and, like all SAMURA knives, comes with a 2-year warranty.