The santoku is the everyday knife in most Japanese home kitchens, and this 170mm version from Miki Hamono is built around Aogami Super, one of the hardest carbon steels used in Japanese cutlery. The flat profile favors push cutting and vertical chops over a rocking motion, which suits the way most home cooks actually move through prep work.
The core is wrapped san mai style in a stainless steel cladding to protect the reactive edge and ease daily maintenance, finished with an even grind and hand-engraved details. The octagonal handle is made of sandalwood and black pakka wood, giving the knife a distinctive look. Miki City, east of Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture, has a centuries-old blacksmithing tradition rooted in work tools and agricultural blades as much as kitchen knives, which shows in how this santoku is built to perform rather than show off.
Care Instructions: Aogami Super is reactive and one of the hardest carbon steels around, so wipe and dry the blade immediately after each use rather than letting it sit. Avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade for long stretches, and apply a light coat of camellia oil for longer-term storage. Hand wash only, and a quality water stone followed by a strop will keep the edge at its sharpest between full sharpenings.Maker: Miki Hamono
Location: Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
Construction: San Mai
Edge Steel: Aogami Super (AS) Carbon Steel
Cladding: Stainless Steel
Engraving: Hand Engraved
Edge Grind: Even
Handle: Octagonal Sandalwood
Ferrule: Black Pakka Wood
Weight: 4.5 oz (128 g)
Blade Length: 170 mm
Total Length: 310 mm
Spine Thickness at Heel: 2 mm
Blade Height: 45 mm
The core is wrapped san mai style in a stainless steel cladding to protect the reactive edge and ease daily maintenance, finished with an even grind and hand-engraved details. The octagonal handle is made of sandalwood and black pakka wood, giving the knife a distinctive look. Miki City, east of Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture, has a centuries-old blacksmithing tradition rooted in work tools and agricultural blades as much as kitchen knives, which shows in how this santoku is built to perform rather than show off.
Care Instructions: Aogami Super is reactive and one of the hardest carbon steels around, so wipe and dry the blade immediately after each use rather than letting it sit. Avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade for long stretches, and apply a light coat of camellia oil for longer-term storage. Hand wash only, and a quality water stone followed by a strop will keep the edge at its sharpest between full sharpenings.
