Daisuke Nishida White #1 Ko-Bocho Polished 120mm
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Like a cross between a small Santoku and a Petty knife, the Ko-Bocho is ideally suited to a range of intricate roles primarily working with vegetables and foods that, as a general guide, you can hold in your hand while working.
Completely hand-made in white#1 steel this ko-bocho has a highly polished finish with a soft-iron cladding. This means the knife is reactive and will produce a lovely patina over time.
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Our Price Match PromiseAbout this range
First Impressions
White #1 steel is known for its ability to achieve an incredibly fine edge, it's the steel of choice for sushi knives and out of the box, these are impressively sharp and will hold that edge well.
Beauty
There is a raw beauty about these knives, you can really tell that they've been created with a great deal of pride and skill.
They're made entirely by hand although across the range the consistency of the finishing is good but be prepared to see the occasional scuff or impefection.
In Hand
The knives across this range do have a noticeable weight to them when using them and so they've got a reassuring feel in hand.
It's worth noting that the fit of the black ferrule on the handle isn't snug with the handle which some aren't a fan of but it simply reflects the choice of Nishida san preferring to spend more time and effort on the blade and pairing it with a relatively cheap handle.
Durability
White #1 takes and retains an edge very well and this range is forged in a traditional style which adds some weight and thickness to the blade and so while it's not a heavy duty knife, it's got a reassuring feel in hand and the 62-63HRC of the steel will certainly keep performance levels high for a long time.
Ease of Care
This is a fully reactive steel on both the cutting edge and in the cladding so will develop a patina all over the blade as you use it but it's still fairly easy to care for as long as you follow the normal rules - no dishwashers, rinse and dry after use and enjoy the patina as it develops.
Care Tip – Reactive Carbon Steel
The core (and on some ranges, the cladding steel too) of this knife is made using a carbon steel which can react with moisture and acids in your food and so is not stainless or rust-proof.
Our Verdict
As a full carbon knife made completely from scratch rather than utilising pressed steel you get a blade that takes and retains an edge very well and overall a nice knife for your money.
Nishida san makes all his blades by hand in small batches in his workshop and it's not unusual to see lead times of 9-12 months for his knives so if one is on your wishlist we'd definitely say grab one while they're in stock. If this range is out of stock, you might want to check out the knives from his former apprentice Yukihiro Sakai who makes them in the same way.
The only thing we'd perhaps consider is replacing the handle over time for one that closer matches the quality of the steel but the cheaper traditional style cherry wood handle allows for Nishida san to focus all his efforts on the blade which is exactly how it should be.
Knife Measurements - Daisuke Nishida White #1 Ko-Bocho Polished 120mm
- Blade Length: 121mm (Measurement of the cutting edge)
- Total Length: 240mm (Blade tip to handle end)
- Blade Height: 39mm (Heel to spine)
- Blade Thickness: 4mm (Spine width above the heel)
- Total Weight: 89 grams
Range Specifications
- Core Steel: White #1
- Cladding Steel: Soft Iron
- Hardness: 62-63 (HRC)
- Handle Style: Japanese
- Handle Material: Oval cherry wood with a black plastic bolster
- Left or Right handed: Either (Double Bevel)
Our aim is to measure and photograph our products as accurately as possible but due to many items being handmade, finished or using natural materials, there can be minor variance in measurements and things such as blade or wood finishes can vary. We will always endeavour to provide the most accurate measurements, photos and descriptions of our products.
Some measurements such as HRC are provided by manufacturers and should therefore be used as a guide.
Meet the maker
Daisuke Nishida
Based in Kumamoto, Nishida San became a disciple to another blacksmith when he was 19. After 9 years training, in 2006, he went his own way and opened his own workshop. He works with White #1 steel in the traditional hand-made way.
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