Nakiyo Sumi 2-Piece Starter Set

216 mm (8.5") Chef's Knife

Gyūtō (牛刀), meaning "beef knife," is the Japanese term for a French-pattern chef’s knife. Also known as the yo-boucho (洋包丁), “Western chef’s knife,” the gyuto was developed in Japan after the Meiji Restoration of 1868. This blade shape was originally designed to process large cuts of beef but is now the most popular general-purpose knife in the Western kitchen. In addition to slicing meat, the gyuto is also particularly suited for chopping produce near the heel and for making finer cuts with the narrow tip.

102 mm (4.0") Paring Knife

The paring knife is best suited for paring fruits and produce due to its short, agile blade. The knife’s small size and narrow point also make it useful for other fine tasks such as mincing herbs, deveining shrimp, coring fruits, and precisely removing spots.

Nakiyo Sumi 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 10Cr15CoMoV stainless steel, functionally equivalent to VG-10. Hardened to a Rockwell hardness of 60±2, it accommodates a long-lasting, razor-sharp edge.

Nakiyo Sumi handles are made from rich ebony wood, finely polished and subtly contrasted with a ferrule of black water buffalo horn. An innovative "rounded shield" shape offers a solid grip without uncomfortable edges. The traditional wa handle style keeps the knife light and maintains the delicate balance characteristic of the finest cutlery.

Wash your knives 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 knives where the edges might come in contact with something hard, such as in a sink or a drawer with other knives.

Store your knives so that the edges are 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 them in a drawer, use edge protectors. See our storage options here.

Sharpen on a whetstone at an angle of 15° per side and finish at a grit of at least 1000, but preferably 3000 or higher. Pull-through and electric sharpeners should be avoided for Japanese knives.

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.

Honing steels are not necessary to maintain Japanese knives. You can optionally touch up the edge with a high-grit sharpening stone or a ceramic sharpening rod.

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.