Tojiro Shippu Nakiri

The nakiri bōchō (菜切り包丁), “knife for cutting greens,” is a traditional Japanese vegetable knife best used for up-and-down chopping. Unlike the santoku and gyuto (chef’s knife), which have narrow tips intended for cutting meat, the nakiri has a square tip and broad blade that maximize chopping power along the full length of the knife. The straighter edge ensures full contact with the cutting board, helping to cut through tough vegetable skins that a rounded edge can miss, while the rounded corner facilitates rock-chopping. Like other Japanese knives, the nakiri has a thinner blade and more acute edge than European knives, so it can effortlessly make straight cuts and doesn’t break stiff vegetable slices.

Tojiro Shippu and Shippu Black blades are forged from 63-layer (all larger knives) or 37-layer (paring, peeling, and petty knives) 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 HRC 62, it accommodates a long-lasting, razor-sharp edge.

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.

The handle is crafted from lightweight chestnut wood, which provides a secure grip without upsetting the knife’s balance. The wood is fire-blackened, enhancing its durability and water resistance, and secured with a ferrule (collar) of polypropylene resin. Its D-shaped shinogi profile maximizes comfort and ease of control.

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.

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.