ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SANTOKU 

Deciding on a new knife is not an easy task, with so many options to choose from, how on earth do you know what knife is "the one". We spend most of our time searching for the best Japanese knives available so you can rest assured that once you have found a knife that meets your criteria, it will exceed  your expectations. 

BENEFITS AND VERSATILITY OF THE SANTOKU

The word "Santoku" translates to "three virtues" and refers to either slicing, dicing and chopping or meat, fish and vegetables depending on who you ask. Basically the name implies the extreme versatility of the shape which is what has made it the most popular shape amongst Japanese home cooks while gaining popularity around the world. 

COMMON USES OF THE SANTOKU 

The Santoku is the shape we recommend to most home cooks, just looking to get a great, all purpose knife that they can use for "normal" kitchen tasks. They are typically in the 165 mm to 180 mm (6.5 inch to 8 inch) length range and generally have a gentle curve that sweeps up toward the tip. This means the Santoku can be used with any cutting style whether you prefer to use an up and down chopping motion or a rocking motion.  The Santoku is great for chopping carrots, peppers, onions, slicing smaller pieces of meat and for more intricate tip work. 

ALTERNATIVES TO THE SANTOKU 

Again, the Santoku is what we generally recommend to first time Japanese knife buyers looking for an all purpose blade that is good at many tasks. If you're looking for something even more versatile and you think you can handle something larger, consider a Gyuto. If you are looking for something similar to a Santoku, but none of the options we have in stock are speaking to you, you could consider a Bunka. 

TIPS FOR CHOOSING YOUR FIRST SANTOKU 

While it can be tempting to purchase a Santoku based purely on aesthetics (I should know, I've done it once or twice), We would highly recommend considering a few factors before making a decision. Japanese knives are made from a variety of steel types which can impact their maintenance requirements. Knives made from carbon steel can and will rust if not properly maintained, while knives made from stainless steel will remain rust free. All of our knives have their steel type and care instructions listed on the product page so you can make a better informed decision. You can also check out our Knife Maintenance blog post here.