Nashiji Santoku 165 Tadafusa

Production: Japan, Sanjo
Brand: Tadafusa
Model: Nashiji Santoku 165 S-28
Total length: 305 mm
Blade length: 165 mm
Blade height: 48 mm
Blade type: double-edged
Blade finish: Nashiji - Pear skin  
Steel: Aogami Blue Steel #2 + stainless steel
Hardness: 62-63 HRC

Founder of Tadafusa - Torasaburo Sone - established his company in 1948. Tadafusa is based in the city of Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture and combines production based on long-standing tradition with contemporary aesthetics and the demands of today. It regularly collaborates with contemporary industrial designers and holds several Good-Design Awards. Tadafusa focuses on traditional handmade production with an emphasis on affordability, which is why their knives are among the more budget-friendly handmade pieces from Japan. The specific material processing may result in slight imperfections, which are a natural hallmark of the brand and give the knives a distinctive character. Similar to the Kaji-Bei brand, whose style appears almost rustic with visible traces of handwork (scratches, grinder marks, or pronounced wood grain), we have also grown fond of Tadafusa's sharpness, agility, and unique appearance.

JP Tadafusa co., Ltd., 27-16 Higashihonjoji, Sanjo-city, Niigata, 955-0823, +81-256-32-218, info@tadafusa.com CZ Tokyo Tools s.r.o., Slovinská 652/19, Praha 10, 10100, CZ, 773707811, info@tokyotools.cz

The knife has a blade made of Aogami Blue Steel #2 with a Nashiji finish and stainless cladding. Aogami Blue #2 is traditional Japanese carbon steel alloyed with tungsten and chromium, known for excellent edge retention. It combines hardness with good toughness and relatively easy sharpening.
Nashiji means „pear skin pattern“ in Japanese. It has a fine texture that results from polishing the black scales left from forging, while maintaining the resultant rough texture. The finish mimics the skin of an Asian pear and has a very rustic appearance. As with the hammer finish Tsuchime, Nashiji also slightly increases grip stickiness, causing the blade to slip less in hand. It moderately reduces food adhesion to the blade as it creates many miniature air pockets between the blade and the food.
The oval handle is made of carbonized chestnut wood with a plastic ring. Antibacterial carbonized wood is wood that has been smoked in a kiln, bringing it a step closer to charcoal. This wood has almost no moisture or nutrients, which prevents bacteria from establishing and multiplying. 

Note: Supplied in original packaging.

If you want to keep your Japanese knives in perfect condition, here are a few must-haves: Wash knives by hand. Wipe with a dry cloth. Regularly apply oil on the blade and handle. Avoid the dishwasher, which can damage the edge. Steel with a higher carbon content offers greater sharpness, easier sharpening, but requires more care than stainless steel. It is necessary to continually oil the knife, preferably even before first use. Keep the carbon steel blade clean and dry after use. After cleaning, apply a thin layer of oil - preferably linseed or camellia oil. The blade of this knife is clad in stainless steel, so its corrosion resistance is significantly higher. Pay special attention to the exposed sharpest part of the blade, which should be kept clean and dry after each use. Regularly sharpen knives on a whetstone, but keep in mind that Japanese knives have a different angle of the edge, requiring specialized and finer whetstones. Use quality wooden cutting boards. Store knives in a dry place to prevent steel oxidation. Do not use for cutting or chopping frozen products or bones. The blade may chip or break.