ENOKING Japanese Santoku Knife 7 Inch, High Carbon Steel Hand Forged Japanese Knife, 5 Layers 9CR18MOV Kitchen Chef Knife, Chopping Knife with Octagonal Rosewood Handle

This is my first Nakiri knife and actually the first time I have actually used a Nakiri knife. I am a prep cook and do a lot of fruit and veg dicing and slicing. I have typically used the employer provided knives which the typical french chef's knife shape, maintained by a cutlery vendor. At home my partner (and my head chef boss) and I have a range of knives. Bolstered, Fully and not at all. With all the popular shapes but a Nakiri. I'll break this review 0.25 to 5 stars in each of theses sections, Packaging, Appearance, Build Quality, Usage, Ease of care and Value. Packaging - 5 stars Packaging was well done, solid and firm. Tightly shrinkwrapped. Inside a outbox, was the wood presentation box suspended in foam supports. No shipping damage. Appearance - 4.5 Overall the knife itself is quite handsome. The handle, particular is very well crafted as seen in the pictures. The "hammered" blade and layered steel looks striking. For a knife at this price point. The presentation box is lovely but does have a drab foam inside. Functional...for long term storage but I doubt this knife will spend much time the box. The blade sheath is very nice and fits snugly protecting the ege. This knife will be safe and comfortable in your knife wrap. Build Quality - 4.5 Stars Make no mistake this knife is a automated production knife. The production method mimics hand forging but I highly doubt little of the blade is formed by hand. The "Hammered" dents on the blade appear to be more a stamped pattern than actual hammer marks. But that is not to say it was not formed by hand with a die. I was able to find identical rows of dents in the knife and the Amazon listing pictures. The listing does state it uses hand made processes with modern technology. Hand made hammered damascus Nakiri's can cost well over $300 US. This is not a hand made knife. But it is a high quality modern production knife. I took some off for the actual shape of the hammered dents. The edges are a too pronounced and will trap moisture. If they were more smoothed it would be more functional. If one has the equipment, you could finish grind the dents and acid etch the blade again and polish. Usage 4.75 stars The first thing you notice when holding the knife is it's weight. This is not a light knife, but despite the heft it is well balanced and comfortable to hold. This type of hidden tang unbolstered construction is meant for pinch grip. The grip is comfortable with no hotspots on the blade spine and back edge. The curve at the back is well formed for your finger when using the pinch gripe making the heavy blade easy to control. I chopped and sliced some peppers on to get a feel for the performance of the blade in action. The factory hone is very sharp. So sharp while chopping I used the back of my pairing knife to slide any peppers attached to the blade rather than my hands. The blade cut through the surface of the surface and meat of the peppers effortlessly. The knife is fast and accurate. It was surprisingly agile and easy to take thin slices quickly with a slight raise of the forearm and gentle down and forward rocking stroke. Adjusting width of the next cut was intuitive and quick. The octagonal handle provide flat surfaces that provide grip stability and prevent the knife from turning in your hand. The knife should be handle with the utmost care and used on appropriate wood cutting board. I prefer wood over plastic. This is a professional level knife with specific purpose of fine slicing and popular for preparation of vegetables and fruit, for that task this shape is unmatched. This affordable knife is an excellent tool for that purpose. Ease of Care - 4 This is a fine instrument. As a result it does require more care. It should not be put in a dishwasher. It requires careful cleaning, drying and oiling with a fine mineral oil after each use and returned to the provided sheath. Acids from fruit and veg could corrode the outer layer of steel. I have not tested honing the knife. I use fine whetstones to return a blade to factory sharpness and repair damaged and dull edges. I do not use a steel or ceramic rods on my knives as I feel it simply damages the knife more than they sharpen. I have other blades with similar core edge steel and they are quick to return the edge with my sharpening stone kit. I touch up my home knives every few months. Most are kept on a magnetic holder on the wall. Value - 4.5 stars This knife is an exceptional value. Without the box it sells for $29. I purchased it in the wooden presentation box for $42. The attention to detail of construction and the five layer blade makes puts it above other similar knives in terms of value. For a first Nakiri knife, I can't imagine developing bad habits in using this knife for it's intended purpose. Experienced cooks and chefs will appreicate it's accuracy. The 9CR18MOV steel used is a Chinese made 440B stainless steel and popular for use on kitchen knives. 440B is deemed safe for food use but is not listed as NSF or FDA certified (from my research) The handle material plays into individual knife NSF certification. This knife does not carry a NSF stamp. (wooden handle and hammed texture preclude NSF certification) Check you local Health Code regulation for rules concerning chef knife construction. Total Score 27.25 of 30 stars averaging 4.54 stars - rounded up for Amazon to: 5 stars. 11/2025 - Update With Photo: After almost a year of using these knives in a professional kitchen doing prep, trimming brussell sprouts, chopping cilantro, breaking down and dicing pineapple, jicima, cucumber, onions (50 pounds at at time), julienne 35 pounds of red onions slicing jalapeno for tacos, and much more...the knives are have performed well. I have sharpened them three times. My concerns of the "unfinished" edges has not caused any issues. In fact it forces me to use proper technique and after I year, I no longer have any issues with fatigue during long tasks. The octagonal shaped handles provide positive and precise grip that facilitates developing speed. Ingenious actually. Using your finger tips to lock on the flat shapes keeps the blade steady for clean fast cuts. Rolling the blade does not happen. No concerns about maintenance. No rust. I wash and sanitize the knives after each task in the kitchen by hand and use food grade mineral oil on the handles and blades in frequently. The knives sit in my canvass rollup with blades the guards on and more often then not the rollup stays in my car, even in cold or hot weather. I will keep using them. They just work quite well.

Beautifully crafted, perfectly balanced, sharp blade. I bought one for myself. I am ordering more to give to as Christmas presents to the chefs in my life.

I recently acquired the **Nakiri Knife** for my professional kitchen, and I couldn't be more satisfied with its performance. This exceptional blade, priced at a reasonable $36, has proven to be a valuable asset in my culinary endeavors. From the very first use, I was impressed by the knife's precision and quality. Its razor-sharp edge effortlessly sliced through vegetables and herbs with unmatched precision. The Nakiri knife's design is a testament to its Japanese craftsmanship, featuring a straight blade profile and a thin, sharp edge, which makes it perfect for the precision cuts required in my professional kitchen. One of the standout features of this knife is its exceptional balance and comfort. It feels natural in my hand, allowing for extended use without causing discomfort or strain. This balance enhances my control over the knife, ensuring that every cut is accurate and uniform. The blade of this Nakiri knife is crafted from high-quality stainless steel, which has proven to be incredibly resilient and easy to maintain. It retains its sharpness for an extended period, reducing the need for frequent sharpening. In a fast-paced professional kitchen, this durability is essential for maintaining efficiency. I appreciate the attention to detail in the design of the handle. It's comfortable to grip, even in high-stress situations, and its ergonomic shape minimizes the risk of hand fatigue. In a professional kitchen, time is of the essence, and this Nakiri knife has consistently delivered efficiency and accuracy. It's become my go-to tool for a wide range of cutting tasks, from delicate herb work to precise vegetable dicing. Considering its remarkable performance, balance, and durability, the Nakiri Knife priced at $36 (when purchased on prime day) is an incredible value for any professional chef or avid home cook. I highly recommend it for its exceptional quality and ability to streamline your culinary endeavors. It has truly become an indispensable tool in my kitchen.

The blade is carbon steel and will rust, because there is no nickel in the alloy, but harder carbon steel is great. Just wash and dry after use to minimize rusting. Other than that holds an edge well. Nice large handle balances the knife and it does what my good expensive knives do. The only thing I would change is the angle of the cutting edge. Making it traditional Japanese angled on one side and almost parallel to the knife on the other would be better, and what I am used to. One day Americans will come to value Chinese made goods as high quality. In the past, Japanese made goods were devalued too, then a decade later sought after as high quality. I think this will happen to products made in China too.

Been enjoying this knife for almost a year and love it. Just make sure to wash and dry immediately.

My son uses this knife in a professional kitchen. He has been using it for about a year and it is the blade most used by him. The knife is not Japanese. It does, however, holds an edge well, is nicely balanced, and is comfortable to hold. The blade has developed some micro nicks over time but they have not impeded the functionality of the knife, and could be easily be removed with some directed sharpening. It's a good purchase if bought on sale!

I was instantly impressed as soon as I got this out of the box. It’s so sharp it practically slices through vegetables by gravity alone. Very little hand pressure and it slices straight down through a raw potato. Very comfortable and easy to control. It doesn’t slice off in some unwanted direction, it slices how you guide it. I’ve bought a bunch of kitchen prep knives recently and this one is the best when it comes to razor sharpness, comfort, control and style. I’d expect this to be a lot more expensive but I’m glad it is budget friendly yet very professional in its quality.

BLUF: Sturdy, okay handling, holds an edge poorly. Looks better than the price, but still a cheap knife. Probably a Chinese brand made for US markets (this brand had only 2 listed products on Amazon.jp and the ad pictures were all in English, so definitely not a Japanese market brand). Don't kid yourself, you bought this knife for the same reason I did: you needed a kitchen knife. This is certainly a kitchen knife. Is it a good one? No, but you probably knew that when you looked at the price. With that in mind, it's surprisingly sturdy and doesn't look like a cheap knife. The handle more comfortable than it looks, but also not the most ergonomic/comfortable grip to use for long periods of time. For the price this is all fine, but you'll need to sharpen it a lot. Like most cheap kitchen knives, this blade holds an edge for about a week or two with regular use before you need to sharpen it. As a functioning sociopath, I actually enjoy knife maintenance, but this may be tedious for people who expect a better quality product (which in that case, buy a better knife). Other than the look and durability (so far), it's an average knife for the price.