Muneishi Nakiri Ao Iron 180mm (7.1″)

Muneishi Nakiri is an absolute winner if you want to step up your vegetable prep. It offers excellent value for money and has a durable core steel that holds a great edge. The black kurouchi finish adds to its timeless beauty. This knife is entirely forged by hand and boasts impressive levels of sharpness right out of the box.
The Nakiri has a flat, wide blade that is intended for preparing vegetables and is a staple in most Japanese kitchens. It is an affordable and durable tool for all vegetable lovers, suitable either for budding or professional chefs.

The centerpiece of this knife is Hitachi’s Blue Steel (Aogami), which is the very top quality of traditional Japanese steels. The Kuro-uchi (black) patina on the upper part of the knife gives it a unique and rustic appearance. This knife was heat-treated to around 63 HRC. It is a very hard steel, meaning that it will retain a super-fine sharpness for a long time. In addition, due to the high carbon content, the knife is very easy to sharpen. 

Kuro-uchi finish, the unprocessed (black) part on the top side of the blade has already developed a dark patina, which protects the blade and gives it a traditional Japanese look. The knife bears visible impressions of the hand-forging process (round hammer dents on the blade), which gives it a beautiful finish and also prevents food from sticking to the blade.

The handle (traditional Japanese Wa) is oval and smooth, with no discernible transition between the cherry and pakka wood. It’s suitable for both left- and right-handed users.

About Muneishi: 
Muneishi smithy was founded in 1955. Hirotaka Muneishi, the second-generation knife smith, is renowned for manufacturing forestry knives such as axes and machetes for the local woodsmen. Kosuke Muneishi, the third-generation blacksmith and now the head of the company, has since branched out to making kitchen knives. He mostly uses Aogami Super steel and performs all the steps himself: tempering, forging, hammering and sharpening knives. His knives have very nice grinds, good profile, and are very affordable.