Collection: Takenami Nashiji

Takenami knives are made by a renowned blacksmith in the Japanese region of Sanjo. Unlike many other blades, the knives of this brand are not made by a single blacksmith, but rather by a collective of several highly experienced craftsmen. Each member of this team has their own task and has been able to perfect it over the years.

This manufacturing process guarantees a consistently high quality and a reasonable price , without having to forego the romantic designation " hand-forged ".

The Takenami Nashiji series has a perfect balance of high performance and easy maintenance . The Aogami #2 steel core (blue paper steel, not stainless ) is protected by 2 outer layers of stainless steel. This construction gives the knife the high sharpness and edge retention of a traditional carbon steel blade, while only the lower edge requires a little more attention when drying.

This type of blade construction is one of my favorites because it combines easy maintenance with the properties of carbon steel.

The finish on the blade is called " Nashiji ". Nashiji means pear in Japanese and if you look closely at the knife you can see that it is as rough as a pear's skin. The whole thing is rounded off with a handle made of Japanese Zelkova (a type of elm) and a red ferrule made of Padouk.