Tamahagane “TSUBAME” Nakiri 160mm (6.3″)

Meet nakiri: a veggie lover’s best friend. With its straight, flat edge, this Japanese knife is designed for clean, even cuts through vegetables and herbs, making it ideal for creating paper-thin slices and even julienne. Nakiri’s wide rectangular design makes it possible to cut even stacked veggies with control and helps prevent the blade from rocking. If you’re serious about your veggies, this knife is a must-have in your kitchen arsenal!

With its timeless design and lasting durability, Tamahagane “TSUBAME” Nakiri delivers outstanding value at a reasonable price.

BLADE SHAPE:
Nakiri aka Nakiri Bocho is a traditional Japanese knife with a square, thin blade and a deep, flat belly, designed for one specific task – cutting vegetables. Since the entire flat edge of the knife touches the cutting board at once (in one clean, vertical movement), there is no need for a horizontal pull or push. This also means that you won’t be turning the vegetable into an “accordion” of pieces still clinging together by a thread. A nuisance, to say the least. Because its straight blade is evenly ground on both sides, slices fall away easily and don’t stick together. Due to its distinctive flat profile and squared-off nose, a nakiri knife is easy to spot.

When translated, the name literally means “vegetable chopper”. Na means “vegetable” and kiri means “chopper”. As its name suggests, it works perfectly for chopping, slicing and dicing greens.

STEEL:
This series from Tamahagane is made from VG-5 stainless steel. It is another high-grade steel from Takefu Steel Ltd., designed with high-quality cutting tools in mind. After hardening, it reaches a hardness of about 60 HRC, which guarantees good sharpness. VG-5 is characterized by high resistance to corrosion, as well as wear and cracking, making it a great choice for pro chefs working in a commercial kitchen. VG-5 steel belongs to the V-Gold group of steel, which means that it is extremely hard and corrosion-resistant and gives the blade a sharpness that is second to none. It is durable, as well as easy to sharpen and care for.

VG-5 composition: Carbon: 0,7-0,8 %, Chromium: 13-15 %, Molybdenum: 0,2-0,4 %, Vanadium: 0,1-0,2 %, Nickel: <0,25%, Copper: <0,25%

GEOMETRY:
The beveled edge is sharpened by hand at a 14-15˚ angle and features an incredible mirror polish finish with perfect balance between sharpness and strength, thus the blade is also suitable for work in a professional environment.

LAMINATION:
The core is enveloped by two outer layers of SUS410 stainless steel hardened to between 28-32 HRC that enhance flexibility and protect the core from external elements.

At the start, the three layers are 20mm thick and are compressed to just 2mm during the forging process. This makes the knives from the Tamahagane line unbelievably thin and consequently very sharp. They retain edge for a very long time and are simple to resharpen after becoming dull.

BLADE FINISH:
The outer layers have a matte finish and feature subtle hammer imprints that give the knife its distinctive look. The fine line between the jigane (softer steel) and hagane (hard steel) layers resembles a barely noticeable growth ring that divides the knife in two parts and adds to the elegant look of the knife. 

HANDLE:
The handle is made out of pakka wood laminate in light brown color. It is quite large in comparison to handles on other Japanese knives and thus enables a firm grip. It is suitable for both right- and left-handed users. We especially recommend this type of handle to chefs with larger hands who usually struggle to find a suitable and comfortable Japanese knife.

BLACKSMITH:
Tamahagane knives are made in the Tsubame-Sanjo region of Niigata prefecture in the North of Japan. The region is known for steel products that are made using traditional skills and knowledge blended with modern methods and technology. The smithy uses the name Tamahagane for this exceptional line of knives which boasts long-lasting sharpness and is an intricate blend of tradition, centuries worth of experience and the advancement of modern metallurgy.

Tamahagane knives can be compared to high-end sport cars that are designed to strike that perfect balance between the front and back end with an even distribution of weight – in this case, between the blade and the handle. This 50:50 ratio was always at the forefront of the creative process. This is evident as soon as we hold the knife in our hands. The weight of the handle is perfectly balanced by the weight of the blade. This well-balanced weight of the knife together with the superior sharpness make for tireless work even after long hours behind a professional kitchen counter.

Tamahagane knives are therefore extremely durable, retain an edge for a very long time, and are easy to sharpen. They also combine timeless, simple design with ultimate sharpness. They have an elegant look without sacrificing high quality and efficiency. They are perfect for home-cooking enthusiasts and professional chefs who look for perfect balance and durability in their faithful kitchen assistant.