Nashi Houcho
Usuba & Santoku
Nakiri: squared blade, vegetable knife.
Santoku: pointed blade, all-rounder for meat and veg
The best of both worlds: carbon wrapped in an outer layer of stainless steel. The stainless protects, but the cutting edge is the sharper carbon steel. The nashi (Japanese pear) design refers to the finish: in true Japanese spirit the rough marks of the hammer are left, to show the hand of the maker. Magnolia obovata handle with ferrule of Cercidiphyllum japonicum (darker wood.)
Care and cleaning: before using for the first time, wash with warm water and a small amount of washing up liquid (hand wash only). Dry thoroughly, protect with a fine coat of Camellia oil, and store individually (the blades are very thin, and can chip if handled badly.) Use wooden chopping boards, and take care not to cut through food into the board too hard. It all sounds a bit of a bore, but these knives are such a joy to use it is well worth the small effort.
Keep them sharp! A blunt Japanese knife is no better than any other blunt knife. Our trusty Swiss Istor sharpeners work well, but so do wet stones and most other techniques. Tadafusa, the maker, suggests sharpening every 2 weeks or so.
