Nakiyo Elite 10" Bread Knife

The bread knife, as its name suggests, is specialized for slicing through bread without crushing it. Developed in Germany and the United States in the late 19^th century, the introduction of Japanese design and materials to this pattern makes for an unparalleled cutting experience.

Function

Bread presents a unique challenge to the home or professional chef due to its hard exterior and soft, crushable interior. The bread knife’s serrated edge can saw through the crust without exerting pressure on the bread, giving a clean, non-destructive cut. The serrated edge also makes it useful for other foods with hard exteriors and soft cores.

Form

Damascus steel was first developed in India over 2,000 years ago and quickly established a reputation not only for its beauty, but also as one of the greatest metallurgical innovations in history. Swords forged in Persia and sold in the Syrian city of Damascus inspired legends of their ability to slice through a gun barrel or part a hair falling across the blade. Although the ancient technique was lost to history around 1900, modern metallurgists have succeeded in reproducing the effect with state-of-the-art alloys to bring performance to the next level.

Nakiyo Damascus Elite blades are forged from 67-layer Damascus steel, which is made by repeatedly folding and forge welding two stainless steels with different carbon contents. The resulting material bears the elegant, wavelike pattern produced by its many fine layers—a testament to its strength, flexibility, and durability. This Damascus envelops a core of harder VG-10 cobalt alloy steel, a high-carbon stainless steel developed in Japan. Hardened to a Rockwell hardness of 60±2, it accommodates a long-lasting, razor-sharp edge.

The handle is made from ultra-durable micarta, a synthetic material composed of epoxy-infused linen. Alternating layers of black and white fabric give the handle an eye-catching look reminiscent of wood grain, which is accented by a ferrule and endcap of stainless steel. Unlike traditional Japanese knives, which have lightweight handles, the dense handle material and full tang lend the Damascus Elite series a heft akin to that of German knives.