Masutani Hamono V1 Santoku

Performance

Out of the box, the knife benefits from Masutani-san's 30+ years of skill and experience as a sharpener and although you could get them sharper with a quick hone or pass over a whetstone we think for the excellent price point they're plenty sharp already and would be great in any kitchen. 

Beauty

The hammer finish combined with the half-tang Western style handle mix Japanese blade style with the Western handle nicely and would look great on your knife rack and in the kitchen.

Each knife has a unique pattern so there's plenty of variety and you'll know nobody else has one quite the same as yours! 

Comfort

There's some crossover between East and West with the handles on the Masutani knives - they feature a Western shape and style handle but instead of a more typical full tang and three rivets, they're designed to use a more typically Japanese half tang and only two rivets which helps to lower the weight of the knife and make it more responsive with a balance point further along the blade. 

The fit and shape of the handle is very comfortable and smoothly polished so it feels great in hand. 

Durability

You definitely won't have any issues with durability, the V1 is a solidly constructed and finished knife and the use of stainless cladding around the VG1 core means it will be easy to maintain and hone as you use it.

This knife will be a true workhorse in your kitchen for years to come. 

Ease of care

Quick rinse and dry and then store it either on your knife rack or in your drawer with a saya or blade guard (or even in the presentation box if you wish) and this knife will last you a lifetime.

Value for money

Absolutely incredible value for money.

At this price, you're getting a lot of skill and experience going into the making of the knife and the fit and finish are good. Out of the box it's already sharp but if you like, you could hone it further and you'd have a great knife for your collection or as a great present for a keen chef. 

We're already wondering why you've not added this to your basket!