Tohji Sakimaru-Gyuto Shirogami #1 220mm (8.7")
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✔︎ No import fees & duties - worldwide |
- Description
- Specifications
- Knife Care
- Shipping
Tohji Sakimaru-Gyuto bridges the gap between minimalistic and traditional—featuring a juxtaposition of a sleek migaki look and a traditional Japanese magnolia wood handle. The blade is sporting a unique hand-chiseled kanji and a beautiful whetstone kasumi finish. If the devil is in the details, this knife might have come straight from hell, with every inch of it being infused with the spirit of Japanese attention to detail and devotion to tradition. This is a knife for all of you who live by the moto “Less is more”.
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Knife obsession is a very real thing. It's a good kind of obsession. The kind that results in ideas popping up when you’re brewing your first morning coffee and that motivates you to keep discovering, to keep widening your horizons. It was one of these idle moments when an idea popped into Luka’s* head. Single bevel knives. The specificity of their tasks is what scares a lot of users from using single bevel knives, believing they are too advanced for them. This kind of geometry enables a half-size, much sharper angle, and consequently higher sharpness of the knife, which cuts more cleanly than double bevel knives. The main advantage in terms of function is that the blade pushes the slice of food that is being cut off away from the blade, causing it to fall away from the knife. The flat edge on the opposite side (uraoshi side) has a slight concave grind to it, which breaks the surface tension between the knife and the food. This allows the flat side of the knife to glide against the food with much less resistance. * Luka is the founder of SharpEdge. Get to know the team by clicking this link. |
While this knife may not be the star player of the food prep team, it is however the perfect love-child of the single-bevel knife shapes. Its wide profile, similar to that of an usuba or a deba, gives it all the makings of a chef's go-to knife for precise and complex techniques, like the julienne or the Japanese katsuramuki. Despite the age-old saying, (in the kitchen) size does in fact matter, and the knives listed above usually lack it. This is where the lengthy gyuto really shines - the 220 millimeter blade is perfect for longer, precise pulling motions used when slicing meat and filleting fish too.
To sum up: by joining a universal shape with a single bevel grind (giving the knife the width of a gyuto, with all the perks of a chisel ground knife) we managed to get the best of both worlds. Intrigued?
This sakimaru style single bevel gyuto is exclusive to SharpEdge and was created in collaboration with Sakai Tohji.
BLADE SHAPE:
This gyuto differs from others of its kind by two very distinct characteristics. The first one is the aforementioned grind of the blade, and the second is the blade’s unusual shape. The spine is straight and the belly tapers in a continuous curve, until making a sharp turn right before the point. This is where the name sakimaru comes from, it refers to the tanto tip.
The single bevel blade is suitable 🚨 for right-handed users only!
STEEL:
The blade was forged by the Sakai Tohji smithy. Its construction is called ni-mai, meaning it’s composed of a hard cutting edge (hagane) and a softer, external layer (jigane). The hard core is made out of Shirogami #1 steel while the surface of the jigane has a migaki finish (for more take a look at our Blade construction: Blade Finish article).
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Advantages of Shirogami #1 steel are a very fine, gentle sharpness - it is easy to sharpen, and remains sharp for a long time. The high carbon steel will develop some patina after time, so we recommend oiling the blade regularly. Learn more about knife maintenance here. |
→ Read our articles Blade construction: Geometry and/or Blade construction: Lamination.
HANDLE:
The blade is fitted with an oval traditional Japanese (wa) handle, made out of magnolia wood and finished off with a beautiful buffalo horn ferrule.
Blade shape: Gyuto
Steel type: Shirogami White #1
Blade construction: Ni-mai / migaki
Hardness (HRC scale): 61-62
Overall length: 374mm (14.7")
Blade length: 220mm (8.7")
Blade height: 55mm (2.2")
Spine thickness: 2.8mm (1.1")
Weight: 195g (6.9 oz)
Handle length: 137mm (5.4")
Handle type / wood: Japanese / Magnolia
Kanji on the blade:
Blacksmith: Sakai Tohji
Location of the smithy: SAKAI / Osaka Prefecture / Japan
☝️ Japanese kitchen knives in our store are handmade from natural materials. Slight variations in color, texture, weight and other dimensions are possible. We try to give a good photographic representation of our products, however computer screen resolution and colors do vary, so products might not look exactly as they are seen on screen.
☝️ THIS KNIFE MAY DEVELOP PATINA
Knives made of carbon steels can, due to their low chromium (Cr) content, discolor and develop patina. The knife is the most sensitive when it is still new and a patina had not developed yet, but later, patina will protect the blade. These types of knives require a touch more care:
✔ Wipe it regularly with a clean and dry cloth (you can also do this during use).
✔ After use, rinse it with lukewarm water and wipe it dry.
✔ Coat it regularly with knife maintenance oil or plain refined sunflower oil.
✔ Store the knife by wrapping it in paper which will absorb moisture and protect the blade.
A patina is a thin layer that forms on the surface of oxidized steel and protects it from further oxidation. The patina should not be confused with rust. Patina protects the blade, while rust causes corrosion and deterioration of material, so it should be removed (see Rust erasers).
→ For in-depth information about patina, read our dedicated post on patina.
GENERAL KNIFE CARE TIPS:
Blade wear depends on the quality of steel, usage and maintenance of the blade. Japanese knives are made of high-quality steels. Follow these tips to keep your Japanese knife in top-notch shape:
✔ Use a wooden, plastic or rubber cutting board.
✔ After use, wash the knives and wipe them dry.
✔ For storage, use a knife holder or a protective knife sheath (saya).
✔ A good cutting technique is your best bet to prolong sharpness.
✔ Use sharpening stones to sharpen the knife.
❗️Don’t leave the knife in the sink. Wash it by hand.
❗️Don’t wash the knife in the dishwasher.
❗️Don’t use the knife on glass, ceramics, marble or steel surfaces.
❗️Don’t scrape the food off the cutting board with the edge of the blade. Use the spine of the knife instead.
❗️Knife is a tool intended for specific use - cutting food. It is not a can opener, screwdriver, trowel, wire cutter, hammer etc.
→ For more details, read our guide
on Maintenance of Kitchen Knives.
🤙 Contact us if you need some help. We reply within 1 business day.
SHIPPING RATES:
- €10 - flat worldwide rate with DHL Express (express delivery, 2-5 business days).
- FREE - all orders over €300 (DHL Express).
EXCEPTIONS:
- United Kingdom - shipping to UK costs €15. All orders are shipped with UPS Express (2-3 business days). Free shipping on orders over €300.
- Russia (currently not available) - shipping to Russia costs €40. All orders are shipped with EMS postal service.
DUTIES AND IMPORT TAXES:
We ship all orders DDP (duties & taxes paid). This means you will not be charged for any import fees and taxes (including VAT). All our prices are final. The price you see at checkout is the final price, no hidden costs.
DELIVERY TIME:
- Europe: 1-2 business days
- US & Canada: 2-4 business days
- Rest of the World: 3-5 business days
RETURNS:
Our return policy lasts 30 days. If more than 30 days have gone by since the day you received your order, unfortunately we can’t offer you a refund or exchange.
→ Read our SHIPPING & RETURNS policy for more info. We strive to solve any issues fast and with as little hassle for you. If you have some additional questions, please contact us.
Each knife comes with:
✔️ Instructions and knife care leaflet.
✔️ A preventive Band-Aid – the knives are very sharp! 😉
✔️ Original box from the blacksmith, which we wrap in an old Japanese newspaper sheet – so every knife is ready to be passed on as a gift as soon as it hits your doorstep!
✔️ We also offer a special gift wrapping option with the traditional Japanese washi paper.
Quiz
Still doubting which type of Japanese knife should best fit your needs?
We created a 5-steps quiz to help you find the perfect knife based on your cooking skills and the type of food you prepare.
