Nakiyo Berlin 7" Santoku

The santoku bōchō (三徳包丁) is a Japanese chef’s knife that combines the best features of the gyuto, the Western-pattern chef’s knife, and the nakiri, the Japanese vegetable knife. Its name, which means “knife of three virtues,” can refer either to its ability to cut meat, fish, and vegetables, or to the three functions of slicing, chopping, and dicing. The broad blade and gently curving edge, much like the nakiri, allow it to chop and dice produce more easily and comfortably than the gyuto. The downward-curving tip, a compromise between the square end of the nakiri and the narrow tip of the gyuto, facilitates fine cutting without sacrificing any chopping power.

Nakiyo Berlin blades are forged from certified German-made 1.4116, a high-carbon, martensitic stainless steel, hardened to a Rockwell hardness of 58±1. Although this, like other German steels, will not retain an edge as long as many Japanese steels, it excels in toughness, making Berlin blades especially durable in harder use. 1.4116 is also renowned for its ease of sharpening.

Nakiyo Berlin handles are constructed in the traditional German style to give the knife a hefty feel and a center of gravity near the grip. Scales of solid ebony wood sandwich a full tang, forged with the blade as one piece, and are securely riveted in place. The handle is contoured for a firm, comfortable grip.

Wash your knife by hand with warm water, soap, and a soft sponge or dish towel. Avoid prolonged exposure to heat or moisture. Remember—there's no such thing as a dishwasher-safe knife!

To prevent edge chips, avoid impacts with hard surfaces. Don't chop bones, shells, or frozen food, and cut only on a wood or bamboo cutting board. Don't leave your knife where the edge might come in contact with something hard, such as in a sink or a drawer with other knives.

Store your knife so that the edge is protected from abrasion and impact. We recommend a magnetic stand, but you can also use a knife block with horizontal slots. If you must keep it in a drawer, use an edge protector. See our storage options here.

For best results, sharpen on a whetstone at an angle of 20-25° per side and finish at a grit of at least 1000. Pull-through and electric sharpeners should be avoided for high-quality knives.

Honing rods can be useful for maintaining German-style knives between sharpenings, but remember that honing is not a substitute for sharpening.

Alternatively, you can have your knives sharpened professionally. Seattle Cutlery offers a state-of-the-art, mail-in sharpening service for our own customers, but other services may be available to you locally.

All Nakiyo, Tojiro, Sabatier, and SeaCut products sold by Seattle Cutlery are covered by our lifetime warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. If you follow our care and maintenance advice and your knife ever fails during honest use, we will gladly repair or replace it. Our warranty does not cover regular wear and tear or damage due to misuse, but we may still be able to help in some cases.