Fujiwara Denka no Hoto (Wa handle) 165mm Santoku

Simply sensational. The hardness of the steel creates and edge that remains true and sharp for a long time even by Japanese knife standards.

The knife glides through everything put in its path with a very smooth feel - you'll want to make more food than you need!

The Fujiwara Denka is an iconic Japanese knife and quite unique in that the appearance of the knife can sometimes be described as a little "rustic" and perhaps not what you'd expect from something at this price point. 

Perfection in the looks department is not why you buy a Denka but there's undoubtedly a charm to the wabi-sabi looks and finishing. 

The wa handle version gives a comfortable and easy feel and the finger groove on the blade of the bigger knives creates an additional balance point that helps guide the knife through food.

The Western yo handle version is a little heavier due to the handle and full tang construction, we didn't feel this hindered comfort in any way thanks to the balance and poise of the knife.

The 65-66 HRC edge will retain its sharpness an incredibly long time, you'll be able to go longer periods without the edge dulling.

You will of course need to maintain the edge with a normal sharpening and honing regime as with all knives but you'll find the amount of edge maintenance is significantly is less than many other knives.

Easy enough to care for if you follow our carbon steel care tips. It does have a super blue carbon core so experience rusting as your patina develops over time.

The Denka is very thin and hard along the edge which leads to its legendary cutting performance and edge retention so you do need to be considered with your cutting technique while using and sharpening it but this is a knife that's going to last you a lifetime.