The Santoku is a versatile, all-purpose knife that excels in precision cutting, making it a staple in both professional and home kitchens. The name “Santoku” translates to “three virtues,” referring to its ability to handle slicing, dicing, and chopping with ease. With its shorter, wider blade and a flat cutting edge, the Santoku is designed for a more up-and-down chopping motion, making it an excellent alternative to the Gyuto, especially for those who prefer a more compact knife.

Unlike a Gyuto, which has a pronounced curve for rocking cuts, the Santoku features a straighter edge, allowing for clean, precise cuts with minimal horizontal movement. The sheep’s foot tip provides extra control for delicate slicing, while the wide blade makes it easy to scoop up chopped ingredients. Many Santoku knives also feature a granton edge (hollow grooves), which helps reduce food from sticking to the blade, improving efficiency.

With its balanced weight, sharp edge, and ergonomic design, the Santoku is an ideal choice for those who want a lightweight, efficient, and easy-to-handle knife for everyday kitchen tasks. Whether you’re chopping vegetables, slicing meat, or mincing herbs, the Santoku delivers precision and versatility in every cut.

The Shun Classic Series unites centuries-old Japanese Samurai blacksmithing with today's modern and technically-sophisticated manufacturing processes. The result is an exceedingly high-quality range of Damascus knives, engineered with attention to the most minute details and designed to always retain its sharpness. The knives are therefore ideally suited for professional use.

The Shun Classic blades are gorgeous to look at due to the distinctive semigloss pattern exhibited by the Damascus steel composite comprising 32 layers. This combination with the elegant, tapering handle made of black pakkawood, results in an overall aesthetic design that puts quality and functionality at its core.

Weight: 201g

Handle Material: Wa (Japanese) Handle, black pakka wood and steel end

Handle Length: 125mm (4.9")

Blade Length: mm (")

Blade Depth: mm

Thickness at spine: mm

Thickness at tip: mm

Cutting Edge: Double 50/50

Blade Material: VG-Max core steel with 32 Damascus layers

Hardness (Rockwell scale): 61 - 62