Sha Ra Ku Mono Utility Knife, 140 mm (5.5")

The utility knife is a medium-sized, multipurpose blade that offers the versatility of a chef’s knife in a smaller package. 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.

Sha Ra Ku Mono blades are forged from molybdenum-vanadium alloy stainless steel, which finely balances edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance. This alloy is softer than the VG-10 steel used in other Tojiro knives but harder than European knife steels and is comparatively easy to sharpen.

The handle is made from hollow 18/8 stainless steel, crafted with the blade as a single piece. Much like a traditional wooden wa handle, its light weight keeps the knife's balance farther forward than on European knives. The ergonomic shape allows it to be gripped either by the handle or with a more versatile pinch 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.

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.