We always try out new knives for everyday use and work. Recently, we got a chance to try one of the best Nakiri knives available. Nakiri knives from Japan are a bit taller than some others, making them great for various tasks in the kitchen. After testing, we found that the Tojiro 165mm F-502 is our favorite Nakiri knife. It’s the top choice for us!
General Information – Tojiro 165mm F-502 Nakiri knife
| Company | Tojiro – 藤次郎 |
| Price | $70-$75 |
| Built-up Country | Japan |
| Total Knife Size | 12/29.46 (In/cm) |
| Knife Weight | 6.35/180.02 (Oz/Gr) |
Tojiro knives are renowned in Japan and adjacent areas because they are actually good and can be practiced for lots of different recipes. This knife is chiefly for slicing vegetables, but it’s so sharp and well-made that you can practice it for slicing other stuff like cheese and also beef. It’s not too weighty or lengthy, so it won’t make your arm or hand exhausted when you practice it. That’s why chefs of any gender or hand strength like using it.
Tojiro 165mm F-502 Nakiri knife Unboxing
It’s great when a lot of care is taken to make a knife look nice in its package. Buying a chef knife should be special because you’ll probably use it a lot in the kitchen. The Tojiro knife comes in a cool box with Japanese writing on it, and the knife is kept safe in a cover.
When you take out the knife from the shield, you can see how attractively the blade is prepared. It’s polished and has a great sharp edge, although the knife is large.
The Blade of the Tojiro 165mm F-502 Nakiri knife
| Stamped or forged | Forged |
| Material | Stainless Steel |
| Elasticity | Not Elastic |
| Edge | Dual Bevel |
| Serrated or straight | Straight |
| angle | 9-12° |
| Stability | Well Stable |
| Blade size | 6.5 (Inches) |
| Blade Elevation | 2.7 (Inches) |
The knife is strong and tough because it has a hardness of 60 HRC. It’s almost 7 inches lengthy, which is good for slicing big vegetables, but not too lengthy for other ingredients. The sharp part of the knife edge has an angle between 9 and 12 degrees, making it severe as compared to other knives of equal size.
This Nakiri knife has a distinct feature that makes it outlook. Contrasting to other knives with a pointy tip, the Tojiro knife has a round tip. This makes it much easier to rock back and forth while you’re cutting ingredients during prep. Not many Nakiri knives have this feature.
Generally, there aren’t many glitches with this knife. We did notice a minor shunt on the end of the blade that required it to be smoothed out, but after that was done, holding the knife nearby to the knife-edge felt comfy.
The Handle of the Tojiro 165mm F-502 Nakiri knife
| Handlebar Size | 4.9 (Inches) |
| Handlebar Texture | Comfy, Ergonomic |
| Tang | Full Tang |
| Handlebar Material | Armor-plated Coated |
| Handlebar Color | Black |
This knife is really well-balanced. It has a strong, full tang that goes through the handle, making it easy to use and keeping it well-balanced. The handle is comfortable, similar to Western handles, and different from other Nakiri Knives that usually have flatter handles. This Japanese knife also has a bolster at the end, marking the limit of your grip.
Uses of the Tojiro 165mm F-502 Nakiri knife
It’s crucial to keep in mind that this knife isn’t bendy or flexible. So, don’t try to use it for cutting fish or around bones. It’s made to be a handy kitchen knife for preparing various foods, and that’s the best way to use it.
Here are some tasks that work well with this knife:
- The knife has a rounded tip that makes cutting and chopping vegetables very simple. In Japanese cooking, they use a lot of fresh ingredients, and the design of this blade makes it clear why.
- When chopping herbs, your wrist won’t get tired because the blade is very sharp. You don’t need to keep going back over piles of herbs again and again.
- Cutting garlic is easy with a strong and durable blade that has the right height and thickness. The HRC rating means you can use a bit of force with this knife without any concerns.
Maintenance and Cleaning
Tojiro suggests these simple steps to keep your amazing chef knife in good shape:
- Clean it after each use with a soft sponge and mild soap. Make sure it’s completely dry before putting it away to prevent any stains.
- Remove any leftover bits after cutting acidic foods like citrus or pickles.
- Sharpen the knife once or twice a month using honing steel.
- Never leave your knife soaking in water.
Conclusion
Overall, I had a really nice time trying out the Tojiro 165mm F-502 Nakiri knife. It’s a versatile tool that lives up to its promise of making Japanese cooking easier. The knife has a smoothed tip and a reinforced barrier at the back of the handle, which makes it easy-going to different preferences, comprising those of Western food. If you’re considering boosting your cooking utensils, this blade is a great pick.