Santoku knife made of SLD steel with NAGURI processing will be available from 6 October. Everything from the blade, handle and outer box are made in Sanjo, giving it luxury appearance.

Yamatani Industry Co.,Ltd(HQ: Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture; CEO: Takenori Yamatani; EC site: Muranokajiya), Tadafusa Corporation (address: 27-16 Higashi-Honjoji, Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture), which is engaged in integrated handmade production of kitchen knife for home and commercial use, and Kaneko Sogyo Corporation (address: 65 Omen, Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture), which is involved in various wooden products, mainly the manufacture of wooden hammers.

Three companies with companies in Sanjo, a kitchen knife production area that continues to carry on the tradition, have joined forces to release the Naguri kitchen knife.

This is a high-profile product that was introduced to buyers in London at the Tsubame-Sanjo trade show on 21 September, where it received an immediate order.

■NAGURI-processed handle

NAGURI is a traditional Japanese technique with a long history, used in Japanese architecture since ancient times, which leaves uneven shaving marks on the surface of wood

The unique uneven surface fits the hand and is not only visually appealing but also practical.

The wood is made of wenge, which is highly durable. The beautiful grain and black-purple-brown colour create a luxurious handle.

■ Wooden patterns are processed by Kaneko Sogyo Co.

The company continues to produce a variety of wooden products, with the main focus on the manufacture of wooden hammers.

The company mainly manufactures knife, sickle, hatchet and other cutlery handles, wooden hammers and ritual items, with integrated production from materials to assembly.

■SLD steel blade

SLD steel is hard, tenacious and abrasion resistant, so it keeps its sharpness even after long periods of use.

For this reason, it is mainly used for high-end knife.

It is popular as household knife that cut well and are rust-resistant.

A special alloy steel containing chrome equivalent to stainless steel and many carbons, molybdenum and vanadium.

Unlike carbon steel, this material is extremely rust-resistant.

(It is not totally rust-free and needs to be cared for.)

It is a relatively easy-to-sharpen type of steel and can be used for many years if well cared for.

The Muranokajiya’s mark casually engraved on the blade is also a point of interest.

■ Pearskin finish on blade surface

The surface of the SLD steel has a pear finish.

It has the advantage that fine foodstuffs are less likely to stick to it. It also creates a luxurious appearance.

■The blades were produced by Tadafusa Ltd.

Since its foundation, the company has been committed to wholehearted handcrafting and produces knife for home and professional use, as well as buckwheat knife, fishing and harvesting blades.

The company continues to produce knife with an appearance that fits in well with today’s lifestyle, while retaining the skills of long-established craftsmanship, and products that can be enjoyed in line with modern lifestyles, regardless of whether they are Japanese or Western.

■ Recommended for gift-giving.

From the design of the outer box to the manufacturing is also carried out in Sanjo.

The matt-textured outer box is wrapped in a band with a printed uneven pattern of famous chestnuts. The knife is also an ideal gift.

■About NAGURI knife

We were able to cooperate with Kaneko Sogyo and Tadafusa, which boast high technology in their respective fields, through our joint participation at Ambiente, one of the world’s largest trade fairs held in Germany.

We want to introduce to the world knife that have been created with great care in Sanjo, both in the blade, handle and outer box! The production of the Meikuri kitchen knife was realised with this aspiration in mind.

In addition to santoku knife, the line-up will be expanded to include petty knife and beef knife in the future.

■NAGURI Santoku knife

・Product details

Blade: SLD steel Pearskin finish
Handle: wenge, Naguri machining

Overall length: approx. 310 mm
Blade length: approx. 165 mm
Weight: approx. 158 g

・Price
20,000 yen (excluding tax)

・Date of launch

6 October 2023.