Togashi's nakiri, forged in Sakai, brings the workshop's mastery of pure carbon steel to a rectangular-profile vegetable knife. The squared tip maintains full board contact on every cut, with no rocking and no lateral pressure. Built exclusively for vegetables, it handles julienne, brunoise, and dense root vegetables with equal ease. The generous blade height keeps fingers clear and makes transferring cut ingredients straightforward.
The sanmai construction places a Shirogami #2 (White Steel #2) core with iron-forged cladding on both sides. The concave bevel, hand-ground by Kenya Togashi, reduces drag through the cut. The kurouchi finish covers the blade body, leaving the bevel polished: a matte-and-bright contrast that is the visual signature of this construction. Forging and grinding happen under the same roof in Sakai, an integration that is uncommon in a city where these two crafts are traditionally practiced separately.
Shirogami #2 (White Steel #2) is a pure carbon steel with no chromium or tungsten. It responds quickly to a whetstone and reaches a very fine edge in relatively few passes. Hardness ranges from 60 to 63 HRC, providing solid edge retention without excessive brittleness. The trade-off is reactivity: this steel is sensitive to moisture and acidic foods. A patina develops quickly with use, which is expected and offers partial protection. Wipe the blade immediately after contact with wet or acidic ingredients.
Care
Wipe and dry the blade after every use. Apply a light coat of camellia oil for extended storage. Never put in the dishwasher. Avoid abrasives on the kurouchi-finished body of the blade.
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