A knife that asks nothing of you — except that you use it well.

The santoku is Japan's everyday knife. Not for ceremony. Not for display. It lives by the cutting board, used morning after morning, meal after meal. This is the knife that Japanese home cooks reach for without thinking — because it simply works.

Masutani's No.12 is built around VG-10 — a high-carbon stainless steel prized by craftsmen for holding a fine edge longer than most. Seventeen layers of Damascus steel are pressed, ground, and finished by hand, each knife emerging with a pattern that belongs only to it. No two look the same. That is not a flaw. That is the point.

The bolster — the collar where blade meets handle — is a mark of craft. It protects the joint, keeps moisture out, and gives the knife a quiet sense of permanence. The laminated wood handle sits in the hand without demanding attention. It is a tool that disappears into the work.

Double-bevelled. 170mm blade. Light enough for vegetables, capable enough for fish and meat. A knife for people who cook every day and want something that keeps pace with them.

Specifications

Care

Wipe clean and dry after each use. Do not leave wet. Stainless steel resists rust — but only when you work with it. Sharpen on a whetstone when the edge begins to drift. A knife maintained is a knife that lasts a lifetime.