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 45 layer has been one of the most popular knives in the Sakai Takayuki range, it has a very classic Japanese look and is very light in the hand due to the Wa handle it has a AUS - 10 steel core with 45 layers of hammered damascus steel layered over the top on both sides. Like all Sakai Takayuki knives this is absolute value for money and would be a work horse in any chef’s knife case.

Weight: 124g

Handle Material: Octagonal magnolia handle, water buffalo horn ferrule

Handle Length: 136mm (5.3")

Blade Length: 185mm (7.2")

Blade Depth: 45mm

Thickness at spine: 1.6mm

Thickness at tip: 0.3mm

Cutting Edge: Double 50/50

Blade Material: VG10 core with 45 layer steel damascus cladding and Hammered (tsuchime) finish

Hardness (Rockwell scale): 60 - 61