How to choose your perfect kitchen Nakiri knife

Every kitchen should have heavy artillery that will quickly and accurately perform the necessary manipulations. One of the accessories in this category is the kitchen Nakiri for chopping bones. It is he who will allow you not to exert extra effort to achieve the desired result, and the process itself will make it more comfortable.

The name “bone Nakiri ” should not mislead you that it is intended for only one purpose. This cleaver is great for all kinds of basic tasks in the kitchen: shredding, chopping, chopping, and dicing.

To choose your ideal kitchen Nakiri, you need to get to know him better.

This is a Japanese kitchen knife, usually, 180-240mm long.
It is made in Japan using a unique Japanese knife forging technique.
Typically characterized by a sharp and straight double beveled edge and a tall, large, rectangular blade.
This truly versatile knife is suitable for slicing, chopping, chopping, and shredding virtually any vegetable, fruit, herb, bone-in meat, and fish.

Typically, the Best Nakiri Knife blades can be found in a variety of thicknesses and weights, with blade size determining the best use of this utility knife.

Thinner and therefore lighter blades are best for chopping and thinly slicing soft meats, vegetables and fish; grinding smaller ingredients such as garlic, and for decorative cutting with sharp corners.
Thicker and therefore heavier blades are best suited for general kitchen use, including cutting the meat of medium difficulty: separating and shredding smaller bones of meat, poultry, and fish.
Medium blades are a compromise between the two previous sizes and can be used for general cutting of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and boneless meats or for cutting small fish and poultry bones.

How to choose your Nakiri?

If you decide to purchase a Nakiri for your gastronomic experiments, it can be difficult at first glance to determine which one is right for you, especially if you have not had the opportunity to personally try several models to find what size and style feel most balanced and stable in hand.

So, first of all, there are several factors to consider that will help you choose your Nakiri:

Type of steel
Size
Shape
Handle style
Your budget

STEEL

When purchasing a Nakiri, you will have a choice between high carbon steel, such as the Fuji Cutlery Special series (FA-70) Cai Dao knife, and stainless steel.

The type of steel you choose will determine how much a knife blade will hold, how easy it will be to sharpen, how resistant it will be to corrosion and rust, and how long it will last. First, you can evaluate which of these factors is most important to you and narrow down your favorites.

Carbon steel blades are easier to sharpen and their sharp edges last longer but require more care as they are prone to rust and corrosion. Over time, a dark coating forms on a carbon steel knife.
Stainless steel blades are generally cheaper, stronger, less prone to chipping, and more resistant to corrosion, but are harder to sharpen and dull faster.

SIZE

In general, chopping axes are one of the largest traditional Japanese knives with an average height of 100 mm and a blade length of 180 to 240 mm. Its weight also varies considerably, from a light 300g to a heavy 900g.

While the large size can be intimidating at first, the unique advantage of this type is the ability to combine the thinness of a traditional Japanese knife with the heaviness of a taller blade, resulting in it being able to make clean and precise cuts on rigid products.

SHAPE

Nakiri is characterized by a flat profile and a high, large, rectangular blade. The sharp, straight edge of the blade ensures full contact with the cutting board with every cut, helping you get the perfect cut every time.

And the wide blade makes it safe to use with your free hand while chopping and gives you enough room to easily scoop up ingredients and transfer them to your pot or pan.

Another feature of Nakiri is that they usually have a double-beveled blade with a sharp edge, as Japanese double-beveled knives are ground at a sharper angle than other styles of knives—usually 10-15 degrees.

HANDLE

Nakiri handles can be divided into two categories: the traditional Japanese “Wa-Handle” or the Western-style handle.

The most common handle shapes are D-shaped, oval, or octagonal. While some prefer an ergonomic D-shaped or octagonal handle, the choice of the handle comes down to personal preference.

Imagine that you have already become the owner of a Japanese Nakiri for cutting. Now your main question will be how to take care of him so that he stays with you as long as possible in excellent condition.

There is a basic rule of care:

Nakiri should be sharpened with water-based whetstones and always washed and dried by hand after use to prevent rust.

If you want your Nakiri to combine all the best qualities of kitchen craftsmanship, check out the Hatamoto Meat and Bone Cleaver (HN-HH190), which is made of wear-resistant SUS420J2 high-carbon stainless steel, with a blade length of 185 cm and a wooden handle. At Tojiro.ru you can get acquainted with all the options and choose your perfect Nakiri.