Sakai Takayuki is a name synonymous with blades of all kinds, and more recently with kitchen knives. The shop has been making blades for over 600 years, starting in Sakai during the 16th century, with the first blades produced to trim and cut tobacco. The company is now owned by Aoki Hamano Seisakusho, whose aim is to pass on traditional techniques while incorporating modern methods and materials, treating each knife as a crafted item rather than a simple tool.
This santoku combines many attributes of a gyuto and western chef knife with a blade geometry incorporating the sheep foot tip. A sheep foot design draws the spine, or backstrap, down toward the front of the blade, with very little clearance above the horizontal cutting plane when the blade rests naturally from heel to tip. This results in a knife that favors push cutting over the rocking motion typical of a gyuto. Santoku translates to three virtues, a fitting description for the three tasks the knife performs especially well: slicing, dicing, and mincing.
The blade is clad with a fine looking soft stainless steel Damascus layering finished with a tsuchime, or hammered, texture. It is coupled to a dyed pakka wood partial tang handle with a stainless bolster and three stainless rivets, giving the knife a familiar western feel. The complete package is of a high standard in both looks and performance, especially given the price.
What Customers Are Saying:With six reviews, this santoku draws consistently strong praise for its fit, finish, and out of box sharpness, with several buyers calling it one of the best looking Damascus and hammered finishes at this price point and one reviewer naming it among their favorite knives even after owning several pricier options. A couple of reviewers wished the handle looked a bit more finished relative to the blade itself, and two mention they would have preferred a hammered or engraved maker mark rather than the painted logo, fair cosmetic notes that did not take away from how well the knife performs. One overseas customer also praised how quickly the order arrived, just two weeks from the US to Australia.
Care Instructions:VG10 is a fully stainless steel, so hand wash and dry the blade after use rather than running it through a dishwasher. Avoid cutting through bones or frozen foods, and sharpen on quality water stones when the edge needs attention.
This santoku combines many attributes of a gyuto and western chef knife with a blade geometry incorporating the sheep foot tip. A sheep foot design draws the spine, or backstrap, down toward the front of the blade, with very little clearance above the horizontal cutting plane when the blade rests naturally from heel to tip. This results in a knife that favors push cutting over the rocking motion typical of a gyuto. Santoku translates to three virtues, a fitting description for the three tasks the knife performs especially well: slicing, dicing, and mincing.
The blade is clad with a fine looking soft stainless steel Damascus layering finished with a tsuchime, or hammered, texture. It is coupled to a dyed pakka wood partial tang handle with a stainless bolster and three stainless rivets, giving the knife a familiar western feel. The complete package is of a high standard in both looks and performance, especially given the price.
What Customers Are Saying:With six reviews, this santoku draws consistently strong praise for its fit, finish, and out of box sharpness, with several buyers calling it one of the best looking Damascus and hammered finishes at this price point and one reviewer naming it among their favorite knives even after owning several pricier options. A couple of reviewers wished the handle looked a bit more finished relative to the blade itself, and two mention they would have preferred a hammered or engraved maker mark rather than the painted logo, fair cosmetic notes that did not take away from how well the knife performs. One overseas customer also praised how quickly the order arrived, just two weeks from the US to Australia.
Care Instructions:VG10 is a fully stainless steel, so hand wash and dry the blade after use rather than running it through a dishwasher. Avoid cutting through bones or frozen foods, and sharpen on quality water stones when the edge needs attention.
- Brand: Sakai Takayuki
- Location: Sakai, Japan
- Construction: San Mai
- Edge Steel: VG10 Damascus, 33 Layers
- HRC: 60 (Special Tempered for Ease of Sharpening)
- Edge Grind: 50/50
- Handle: Dyed Pakka Wood, Partial Tang
- Bolster: Stainless Steel with Three Rivets
- Weight: 6.0 oz (172 g)
- Blade Length: 180 mm
- Total Length: 310 mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 2 mm
- Blade Height: 47 mm
Reviews
6 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval)
Goooddd
awesome knifePosted By: Eduardo - verified customer
39 people found this review helpful
i have to say that the stetics of this (all takayuki tsuchime damascus) it's kind disappointment (i mean about the handles) but they perform awesome, really sharp OOTB, this is one of my favorite knives and it's well balanced
39 people found this review helpful
i have to say that the stetics of this (all takayuki tsuchime damascus) it's kind disappointment (i mean about the handles) but they perform awesome, really sharp OOTB, this is one of my favorite knives and it's well balanced
Product ReviewPosted By: Kevin Wang - verified customer
24 people found this review helpful
Beautiful knife. Very solid and hefty feel in the hand, good balance. One of the better-looking damascus and hammered finishes around it's price point. Edge is razor sharp out of the box and still is after two weeks.Only complaint is the dark grey Takayuki brand logo. I would've liked a hammered-in japanese character insignia, or no logo at all. But otherwise it's a great knife and I believe the best price offered on the net!Thanks.
24 people found this review helpful
Beautiful knife. Very solid and hefty feel in the hand, good balance. One of the better-looking damascus and hammered finishes around it's price point. Edge is razor sharp out of the box and still is after two weeks.Only complaint is the dark grey Takayuki brand logo. I would've liked a hammered-in japanese character insignia, or no logo at all. But otherwise it's a great knife and I believe the best price offered on the net!Thanks.
Product ReviewPosted By: Simon - verified customer
27 people found this review helpful
Only one improvement I could suggest. I would have liked the makers insignia engraved rather than painted. Other than that its great, great balance, great edge, great finish. Service from CKTG brilliant, 2 weeks from order in the US to knife being in my kitchen in Australia.
27 people found this review helpful
Only one improvement I could suggest. I would have liked the makers insignia engraved rather than painted. Other than that its great, great balance, great edge, great finish. Service from CKTG brilliant, 2 weeks from order in the US to knife being in my kitchen in Australia.
Product Review
