Damascus Santoku Knives
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The damascus santoku knife is the Japanese-style knife for three uses: vegetables, meat and fish. Shorter and flatter than a chef knife, a santoku cuts with a forward motion. Our 7-inch (18 cm) santoku knives have a damascus steel blade with a 10Cr15CoMoV core, hardened to 60 HRC.
-25 %Dune · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
-25 %Olea · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
-27 %Obsidienne · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
-23 %Cosmos · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
-23 %Carmin · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
-23 %Cobalt · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
-23 %Iris · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
-28 %Marea · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
-21 %Azur · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
-21 %Magma · Damascus Santoku Knife 7"
Buying guide
Who is a santoku knife for?
A santoku knife suits cooks who prep lots of vegetables, people with smaller hands and anyone working on a narrow countertop. Its tall, flat 7-inch (18 cm) blade is easy to guide, and its dropped tip stays precise without being aggressive. A santoku is often the first Japanese-style knife people buy.
Santoku, chef knife or nakiri?
The santoku knife sits between the damascus chef knife, which is longer and more versatile, and the nakiri knife, a vegetable specialist with no tip. If you only own one knife and mostly cook vegetables, a santoku is an excellent choice.
How to use a santoku knife
A santoku knife works best when you push the blade forward and down, not when you rock it like a chef knife. For care: hand wash, dry immediately, store on a magnetic strip, and give it a few passes on a whetstone when the edge starts to dull.
Model comparison
| Model | Blade | Damascus steel | Handle | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magma · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 37 layers | Black G10, resin and copper mesh, decorative mosaic pin | 5.7 oz (162 g) |
| Azur · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 37 layers | Brown marbled resin, turquoise and white brass collar | 6.1 oz (174 g) |
| Marea · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 67 layers | Burl wood and blue resin, stainless steel bolster | - |
| Iris · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 67 layers | Abalone shell in resin, steel bolster, rivets and decorative mosaic pin | 8.0 oz (228 g) |
| Cobalt · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 67 layers | Burl wood and honeycomb midnight blue resin, stainless steel bolster | 7.0 oz (199 g) |
| Carmin · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 67 layers | Burl wood and red resin, stainless steel bolster | 7.0 oz (199 g) |
| Cosmos · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 67 layers | Blue marbled epoxy resin, steel bolster and end cap, decorative mosaic pin | 8.5 oz (242 g) |
| Obsidienne · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 129 layers | Black resin and carbon fiber, octagonal Japanese-style shape | - |
| Olea · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 67 layers | Olive wood, stainless steel bolster and end cap | 7.0 oz (199 g) |
| Dune · Damascus Santoku Knife 7" | 7" (18 cm) | 67 layers | Light pakkawood (resin-impregnated laminated wood), steel bolster and end cap, decorative mosaic pin | 7.0 oz (199 g) |
Questions
Before you buy
What does santoku mean?
Santoku means "three virtues" or "three uses" in Japanese: the santoku knife is made for meat, fish and vegetables.
What size santoku knife should I choose?
A 7-inch (18 cm) blade is the standard santoku knife size: long enough for a cabbage or a melon, short enough to stay easy to handle.
Can you chop herbs with a santoku knife?
Yes, a santoku knife can chop herbs with successive forward cuts. For very fine mincing by rocking the blade, a chef knife is more comfortable.
Do I need to oil my Damascus knife?
You only need to oil a Damascus knife regularly if the blade is carbon steel or the handle is unfinished wood. A thin coat of food-safe mineral oil or camellia oil protects against moisture. Stainless Damascus needs oil only now and then, for storage. Avoid WD-40 and cooking oils that turn sticky on a kitchen knife.
Can Damascus knives go in the dishwasher?
No, Damascus knives should never go in the dishwasher. Heat, long exposure to moisture and harsh detergents dull the pattern, encourage rust and damage the handle. The blade also knocks against dishes and loses its edge. Hand-washing with warm soapy water and drying immediately takes under a minute and keeps the knife in shape.
Can you sharpen a Damascus knife?
Yes, you can sharpen a Damascus knife like any kitchen knife, ideally on a whetstone. A medium grit around 1000 rebuilds the edge and a finer stone polishes it. Japanese-style blades are usually sharpened at a lower angle than Western knives. Skip pull-through sharpeners, which are too harsh for hard steel, and use a ceramic honing rod between sessions.
Which Japanese-style knife should I buy first?
The best first Japanese-style knife is a chef knife (gyuto) or a santoku. Both slice, dice and chop meat, fish and vegetables, so one blade covers most daily cooking. Pick a gyuto if you like a longer blade and rocking cuts, a santoku if you prefer a shorter, lighter knife. Add a nakiri later if you cook a lot of vegetables.