Nakiyo Elite 3-Piece Santoku Set

This set brings you the versatile chef's knife and petty knife in addition to the santoku, a Japanese-style chef's knife that excels at chopping and dicing vegetables. Premium Japanese VG-10 Damascus steel, fine craftsmanship, and solid, European-style construction make this set rugged, handsome, and enjoyable to use.

What you get

195 mm (7.7") Chef's Knife: Also known as a gyūtō (牛刀), meaning "beef knife," the chef's knife is your go-to tool for larger tasks. Originally designed for processing red meat, it can also be used to chop vegetables near the heel.

180 mm (7.1") Santoku: Meaning "knife of three virtues," the santoku bōchō (三徳包丁) is a Japanese take on the chef's knife. While still an excellent all-purpose knife, the santoku's broader blade and more obtuse tip make it an ideal tool for chopping vegetables, no matter how tough.

120 mm (4.7") Petty Knife: This is the Japanese version of the European utility knife and is an excellent tool for any smaller tasks. It can be used for slicing and chopping meat, fish, and vegetables, as well as for carving poultry, paring fruits and vegetables, and cutting tough foods like cured meats.

Materials & Design

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 carbon fiber. Alternating layers of black and white carbon fiber 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.