You have no items in your shopping cart.
Best Sellers
-
Miyabi Koh 8-inch Chef’s Knife
Miyabi Koh is a durable workhorse line: FC61 fine carbide steel at 61 HRC, a simple octagonal Pakkawood handle and a satin blade. The 8-inch Koh chef’s knife is a strong choice for a working cook on a budget or anyone new to Japanese cutlery.Unlike the harder powdered steel lines, the Koh edge responds well to honing, so a few strokes on a rod keep it cutting between sharpenings. It is easier to care for and forgiving of a busy kitchen. The gyutoh profile rocks and push-cuts, and the tip is fine enough for shallots.For more length, see the Koh 9.5-inch; for a riveted Western handle in the same steel, the Miyabi Evolution 8-inch. Our guide to kitchen knife shapes explains the gyutoh. Learn MoreRegular Price: $164.95
Special Price $139.99
-
F. Dick 1905 AJAX 9-inch Butcher’s Chef’s Knife
The AJAX combines some of the heft of a cleaver with the shape of a chef’s knife, and it is made for heavy meat portioning and high-volume prep. It has a broad blade and a wide, sweeping belly that rocks through a brisket or a stack of cabbage.Weight is what sets it apart from a standard 8-inch chef’s knife. The thick spine and tall blade carry the cut through dense food with less effort from the wrist, and the height gives generous knuckle clearance. It is at home on a butcher’s block breaking down subprimals and in a kitchen chopping large volumes of vegetables.The weight also helps when cutting through winter squash.The AJAX has its own fitted 1905 Ajax sheath for carrying it safely. For lighter everyday work, the 1905 8-inch chef’s knife is quicker in the hand. A different take on the same idea is the Red Spirit AJAX 8-inch chef’s knife. Learn More$127.40 -
Miyabi Evolution 8-inch Chef’s Knife
Miyabi Evolution is a durable workhorse line with a triple-riveted, Western-style handle, which makes it an easy first step into Japanese cutlery for a cook used to German knives. The 8-inch Evolution chef’s knife has an FC61 blade at 61 HRC.Its edge is thinner and harder than a typical German knife, yet it responds well to honing, so it suits a working cook on a budget. The glass-fiber POM handle tolerates a wet, busy kitchen.For an octagonal Japanese handle in the same steel, compare the Miyabi Koh 8-inch. Our guide to kitchen knife shapes explains the gyutoh. Learn MoreRegular Price: $154.95
Special Price $139.99
-
Minonokuni Ume 8.3-inch (210mm) Yanagiba
A home cook who wants to try making sushi and sashimi should start with a 210mm yanagiba, and the Ume version is the forgiving way in. The length is easy to control on a home board and still slices a salmon or tuna fillet in one stroke.The yanagiba works by drawing, not pushing. Start the cut at the heel and pull the blade toward you through the fish, using its full length. The single bevel and hollow back let the slice come away cleanly, and the result has a smooth, bright face that a sawing cut cannot match.
Starting with UmeUme is the most forgiving of the three standard Minonokuni lines and the best for learning to sharpen a single bevel, which every yanagiba owner has to do. Its edge is less likely to chip than the harder steels in the Take 210mm yanagiba and Matsu 210mm yanagiba, which suit cooks with more experience.A longer stroke comes with the Ume 240mm yanagiba. Left-handed cooks should see the Ume 210mm left-handed yanagi. Our knife shapes guide covers the yanagiba. Learn More -
Shun Classic 8-inch Kiritsuke
The Shun Classic 8-inch Kiritsuke is the knife Japanese chefs call the master chef’s knife, and it handles every task a chef’s knife would. Its long, relatively flat edge is ideal for slicing and push cuts, so it julienne, dices, and brunoises vegetables with precision, and its angled tip reaches into fine detail work. It is an excellent choice for cleaning and portioning boneless proteins, particularly fish, and it slices cooked proteins cleanly. The edge carries a slight curve as well, so the kiritsuke still accommodates a rocking cut. Cooks who try it often find it becomes their first choice. It shares the construction and handle of the entire Shun Classic line.
FeaturesKiritsuke profile: The long, flatter edge keeps the blade in contact with the board for clean slicing and push cuts, while the angled tip allows controlled detail work.Slightly curved edge: A gentle curve lets the knife rock through herbs when needed, so it adapts to Western technique as well as Japanese.VG-MAX cutting core: Shun’s proprietary steel is strong, fine-grained, and resistant to wear and corrosion, and it holds a very keen edge through extended prep.Stainless Damascus cladding: Layered stainless steel supports the core, adds stain resistance, and helps food release from the blade.Hand-sharpened double-bevel edge: The fine, symmetrical edge serves left- and right-handed cooks equally well.D-shaped ebony PakkaWood handle: The handle is comfortable in either hand, durable enough for daily use, and does not harbor bacteria.Full composite tang: The composite construction keeps the knife light and balanced.Handcrafted in Seki City, Japan: Each Shun Classic knife requires at least 100 individual steps to complete in Seki City, one of Japan’s most important blade-making centers since the 13th century.Free lifetime sharpening: Shun offers free lifetime sharpening, so the knife can be professionally sharpened by the manufacturer whenever its edge needs restoring.
Tasks It Handles WellJulienne, dice, and brunoise cutsCleaning and portioning fishTrimming and portioning boneless meatsSlicing cooked roasts and proteinsSlicing vegetables and fruit with push cuts
Choosing Between the Kiritsuke and Its AlternativesThe Shun Classic 8-inch Chef’s Knife shares this knife’s length but has a more pronounced curved belly and a pointed tip, which favor a rocking cut. For a longer, narrower blade with a kiritsuke-style tip, the Shun Classic 9-inch Master Prep Knife brings the control of a utility knife to trimming and portioning. Cooks whose prep is mostly vegetables may prefer the fully straight edge of the Shun Classic 6.5-inch Nakiri. Learn More$199.95 -
F. Dick Red Spirit Hektor 10-inch Granton Edge Scimitar
Named Hektor, this 10-inch Red Spirit scimitar trims fat and sinew, breaks down large cuts and portions steaks, and it slices roasts at the table as well. A granton edge along the blade keeps slices from clinging.Scimitars are a butcher’s tool, and many are made of soft steel that is quick to hone but dulls quickly. The Red Spirit steel should hold its edge longer between honings, which makes it a dependable blade for a long session at the board. The long, upswept curve rolls through a steak in one stroke and leaves a smooth cut face.At a cookout, it doubles as a slicer for tri-tip and smoked turkey breast.For plant and counter work, the ErgoGrip 10-inch scimitar is built around a butcher’s handle. The Hektor is also part of the Red Spirit Pit Master BBQ set, and the F. Dick Scimitar Knife Sheath protects the edge. Our knife shapes guide covers scimitars. Learn More$94.90 -
Miyabi Artisan SG2 8-inch Chef’s Knife
If you want the performance of Miyabi’s powdered steel but care less about the look of Birchwood or Black, the Artisan line is the option to consider. The 8-inch Artisan chef’s knife has an SG2 core at 63 HRC, the same class of steel as Birchwood, with a hand-hammered tsuchime finish and a cocobolo Pakkawood handle.The hammered dimples break the suction between blade and food, so potato and cucumber slices fall away rather than clinging. The gyutoh profile push-cuts and rocks, and the SG2 edge holds for a long time without regular honing.For more length, see the Artisan 9.5-inch. To compare finishes, look at the Birchwood 8-inch chef’s knife. Our guide to kitchen knife shapes explains the gyutoh. Learn MoreRegular Price: $234.95
Special Price $199.99
-
Minonokuni Matsu 8.3-inch (210mm) Yanagiba
The 210mm yanagiba is the length for a home kitchen or a small sushi station, where a longer slicer would overhang the board. It is long enough to cut a block of tuna or salmon for sashimi in a single pull, which leaves a clean, glossy face on each slice.Matsu is the top of the three standard Minonokuni lines, forged from blue steel. That steel holds a fine edge longer than white steel, and it is also harder and less forgiving of a twist or a knock against a plate. A sushi cook who already sharpens single-bevel knives will get the most from it.
How It CutsStart the slice at the heel and draw the knife toward you, letting the full length pass through the fish. A sawing motion tears the flesh, and pressing down crushes it. The flat back keeps each slice from sticking to the blade, and the single bevel steers the cut slightly away from the fish so the slice falls cleanly.
Other Lengths and LinesFor a longer stroke on larger blocks, see the Matsu 240mm yanagiba, the standard length at a sushi counter. Left-handed cooks need the Matsu 210mm left-handed yanagiba. To learn the technique on softer steel first, the Take 210mm yanagiba is the sensible step. Our knife shapes guide compares the yanagiba with the sujihiki and other slicers. Learn More$295.00 -
Shun Kanso 8-inch Chef's Knife
Kanso takes its name from the Japanese design principle of simplicity, and the 8-inch chef’s knife is the series’ all-purpose blade. Shun shapes it for push cuts through vegetables, and the blade can also be rocked gently through fresh herbs.Kanso blades are made from a single steel, AUS10A, a high-carbon stainless refined with vanadium for a fine grain and a keen, durable edge. Shun notes that this mono-construction is easier to maintain than a layered blade. The rustic Heritage finish hides the scratches of daily use, which makes it functionally superior for cooks who dislike the upkeep of polished or Damascus finishes, and the contoured Tagayasan handle, a dense, dark wood, gives a secure grip. For a cook buying a first Japanese knife, it delivers Shun’s edge and craftsmanship in a plain, practical form, and it also suits professionals who want a hard-working blade.
Kanso AlternativesIf you want a showpiece knife for a magnetic rack, the Shun Classic 8-inch Chef’s Knife or Shun Premier 8-inch Chef’s Knife may suit you better; the Kanso is built for the cutting board. For a flatter profile, see the 7-inch Hollow Ground Santoku. The Kanso 3-Piece Starter Set includes this knife. Learn More$144.95 -
F. Dick ErgoGrip 8.25-inch Breaking Knife
Breaking primal cuts into subprimals on hogs, lamb and deer calls for a blade long enough for a flowing pull and short enough to steer, and this 8.25-inch ErgoGrip breaking knife sits in that range. Hunters use the same length for dressing out deer and elk.A breaking knife is narrow and curves upward to a point. That shape lets the edge glide through meat in long strokes while the hand stays in a comfortable position, which spares the wrist over a shift. It also cleans up tendons and fatty tissue so the cut is ready for portioning.The 8.25-inch blade gives the cutter close control at the tip when separating a ham or shoulder into its muscles, while still reaching through the piece in one stroke.For beef sides and larger primals, the 10-inch ErgoGrip breaking knife adds reach. The 8.25-inch granton edge version has hollows along the blade that reduce sticking, and the ExpertGrip 2K 8.25-inch breaking knife puts this blade on a soft-shell handle. Learn More$27.95
