Knife Aesthetic & Specifications
The from comes with stainless steel cladding and a Ginsan core or also known as Ginasako, Gin3, or Silver #3. This core material will perform like high-carbon steel, with the added benefit of being rust-resistant. While does not specify the Rockwell hardness my review sample came with a Rockwell of around 60 during my testing period. The knife comes with a Japanese Wa-handle that is made from walnut wood. The cladding has a nice visible Kasumi line.
Make sure to clean the knife before use since Sakai Ichimonji added some coating to protect it from rusting during shipment. The Shigure Santoku comes with an engraved company name on the right side and on the left side a stamped steel indication.
I also opted for a free complimentary hand-chiseled kanji which is a nice free service add-on from Sakai Ichimonji*.
*Engraving is dependent on the blade steel however, some blades have such hard steel that Sakai Ichimonji cannot engrave them.
The blade length from the neck toward the tip is around 180mm and comes with a cutting edge of 170mm.
The knife weight
With a weight of only 128 grams and combined with the excellent balance point it feels like you are not holding anything in your hand.
Gripping Style & Balance Point
The point of balance is above the heel which is also the best place to use a pinch grip for optimal control and balance distribution. By griping in that area the knife will neither be front nor handle heavy, giving you optimal control over the blade.
Knife Handle & Comfort
The octagonal Wa-handle on this Santoku will be comfortable for many hand sizes. From small to large, it will accommodate them all due to the added contours which provide a comfortable grip. The blade is also nicely sealed and placed in the middle.
Sharpness & Edge Retention
The Ginsan core material can take a sharp edge comparable to a high-carbon knife. The Rockwell hardness is around 60 which can last you around 6 months if used at home, and if you maintain the knife with regular honing sessions before you need to touch it up on a whetstone.
Blade Profile
The blade comes with a pretty flat heel area, a slight curve in the middle area, and a gentle curve at the front. With a flat heel, you will feel some stopping power if you push too hard at the heel area indicating that you put too much force and pressure. With a lighter grip and less downward force, you will get a good smooth gliding motion. Once you adjust your grip and power then you will have no trouble with a rocking motion. With a straighter heel and a pretty much flat middle, you don’t need much travel distance to get a clean cut. Therefore a push cut is ideal for this knife.
Distal spine taper, Choil, Fit and Finish
The knife thickness at the heel is 2.2mm, 2.0mm in the middle, and 1.0mm* at the front. And by looking at the choil you can see that this knife is extremely thin behind the edge, it is so thin that you need to be careful with the edge. But in return, you get a very smooth and sharp-cutting performance on this Santoku. The spine and the choil are also polished, so there are no sharp edges.
*1.0mm measured 1cm away from the tip.
Key Takeaway & Recommendation
The Shigure Wa-Santoku from Sakai Ichimonji is everything I expected from a well-made Japanese Santoku. It accommodates the push-cutting motion the best, you need less travel distance to get a clean cut. The weight is so light and the blade is so thin that it becomes an extension of your arm. It is a great knife to be used at home or at a professional kitchen. At home it will be great for pretty much all boneless tasks, so cutting fruit, veggies, meat, and fish will be no problem at all. In a professional kitchen, the Santoku is a nice add-on for the smaller task as it is so light that it won’t wear you out. All the things I love about this knife, come with a risk, while the knife is very thin and sharp, the blade behind the hairline edge* is very thin. Which means that you need to be careful. Especially for the first few uses until you have sharpened the knife a few times.
About Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide
Not only is the knife great, but the excellent service and attention in the care & packaging from Sakai Ichimonji also deserve some praise. The unboxing is a new experience, including complimentary gift wrapping and free hand-chiseled kanji service with your order*. Not only is the service excellent they also include a free sharpening ticket with each purchase*.
*Engraving is dependent on the blade steel however, some blades have such hard steel that Sakai Ichimonji cannot engrave them.
*Sharpening ticket is directly redeemable if you want the angle to be changed etc, keep in mind that for some requests there will be an added fee and extra processing time.
🛒SHOP:
Visit their store when you plan to visit Osaka, Japan at:
14-8 Nanbasennichimae, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0075, Japan
Note: I did a small Q&A with Sakai Ichimonji which you can read here (opens in a new tab).
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Hi. You’ve reviewed a ton of knives and I enjoy reading them. I appreciate that you give a variety of knives a shot. I’m looking for a santoku that won’t break the bank but will be a joy to use. What’s your most recommended affordable santoku?
It depends on your budget but also your hand size.
I would say:https://www.chefpanko.com/xinzuo-zhen-series-santoku-knife-review-chinese-vg10/
It is a Chinese Santoku-styled knife but for the price, it is a good affordable option. The octagonal handle design is one of the standard forms that will fit well for more hand sizes.
That being said Xinzuo is planning to implement a lot of improvements and add the feedback from me and exciting customers in the newer collection that they will introduce next year. One of the things is the handle size weight, and thickness of the knives. Making it sit more in line with traditional Japanese-made knives. (the downside is that they told me the prices are bound to go up due to the new manufacturing processes and R&D).
If you want an affordable Japanese-made Santoku, depending on where you are the Kai Seki series is an option to consider. They are mostly sold in Asia like a Donki (Don Quijote) store for around USD 25 (converted from Singapore, HKD, Yen, etc).
One of those is reviewed here: https://www.chefpanko.com/kai-seki-magoroku-santoku-review-imayo-series-165mm/ (Imayo Series)
This can be found at select Donki stores (I have another one that I will test shortly which is the Kai Suzaku Series which I bought at a Donki store for around USD 30).
Those are affordable and won’t break the bank, the Kai Susaku and Imayo series are very beginner-friendly as they won’t chip easily and are quite sturdy. The downside is that the edge needs more regular maintenance as it won’t hold the edge as long as the one reviewed here the Sakai Santoku.
It has been sold out for a long time, I wanted to buy one
They, unfortunately, don’t have an email notification set in place yet. Hopefully, Sakai Ichimonji does in the future.
The best way is probably to contact them directly through their contact form and ask if they have an indication of when this knife will get restocked.