The nakiri (Japan's dedicated vegetable knife) is where the Guren line's kurouchi tsuchime construction shows its practical side most directly. A flat-profiled vegetable knife puts the blade face in constant contact with produce during push cuts, and the hammered tsuchime (hammered) surface on the iron cladding is there to do real work - breaking up the suction between blade and food rather than simply adding visual texture. Itsuo Doi hammer-forges each Guren knife from Blue #2 (Aogami 2) carbon steel at 62-63 HRC, signs it with his personal seal, and finishes the handle in burnt urushi lacquered oak - a combination that makes the Guren line unmistakably his work.
The Guren Nakiri at 162mm blade length and 56mm height is a well-proportioned nakiri with genuine presence on the board. At 246g the knife is substantial - the iron cladding and convex grind contribute to a heft that makes it feel authoritative in hand rather than light and nimble like the petty. The convex grind geometry concentrates cutting pressure at the edge and helps the blade move through dense vegetables without the wedging that a flat-ground blade can produce. The kurouchi cladding develops a working patina over time that is both protective and visually interesting. The burnt urushi oak handle is a traditional combination that ages well and fits the overall character of the knife.
Care Instructions: Blue #2 is a reactive carbon steel. The iron cladding is also reactive and will develop its own patina over time. Wipe and dry the blade thoroughly after every use and avoid leaving acidic foods on the blade. Hand wash only - no dishwasher. Apply camellia oil before extended storage. Sharpen on quality water stones.
The Guren Nakiri at 162mm blade length and 56mm height is a well-proportioned nakiri with genuine presence on the board. At 246g the knife is substantial - the iron cladding and convex grind contribute to a heft that makes it feel authoritative in hand rather than light and nimble like the petty. The convex grind geometry concentrates cutting pressure at the edge and helps the blade move through dense vegetables without the wedging that a flat-ground blade can produce. The kurouchi cladding develops a working patina over time that is both protective and visually interesting. The burnt urushi oak handle is a traditional combination that ages well and fits the overall character of the knife.
Care Instructions: Blue #2 is a reactive carbon steel. The iron cladding is also reactive and will develop its own patina over time. Wipe and dry the blade thoroughly after every use and avoid leaving acidic foods on the blade. Hand wash only - no dishwasher. Apply camellia oil before extended storage. Sharpen on quality water stones.
- Brand: Sakai Takayuki
- Line: Homura Guren
- Blacksmith: Itsuo Doi
- Location: Sakai, Japan
- Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged
- Edge Steel: Blue #2 (Aogami 2)
- Cladding: Iron
- Finish: Kurouchi (Black Finish), Tsuchime (Hammered)
- HRC: 62-63
- Edge Grind: Even, 50/50, Convex
- Engraving: Doi Personal Seal
- Handle: Urushi Oak Octagonal, Burnt Finish
- Weight: 8.6 oz (246g)
- Blade Length: 162mm
- Total Length: 326mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 3mm
- Blade Height: 56mm
