Yoshihiro NSW Nakiri Knife Review

Any good chef understands just how important each of his knives is.

And if you’re looking for something long-lasting, there’s no doubt that Japanese knives come to mind.

This Yoshihiro Nakiri knife review will introduce to you the brand’s NSW 6.3-inch Nakiri knife.

It is a special knife used in Japanese cuisine for cutting vegetables.

Basically, it is a purpose-specific knife suited for use in professional and home kitchens that use a lot of veggies.

Yoshihiro NSW Nakiri Knife

Yoshihiro is a Japanese company that specializes in cutlery, producing high-quality Japanese knives that both pros and home cooks love.

You can find all sorts of traditional and modern Japanese knives from the brand, including the Nakiri knife for cutting vegetables.

With its 6.3-inch-long blade, you will find that this particular model is a bigger version of the Nakiri.

Who Is This Product For?

Nakiri knives are, by their very essence, designed for a restaurant kitchen, especially a busy one that caters to a lot of guests.

This Yoshihiro Nakiri knife is no different, as it is best suited for the needs of a professional kitchen.

Using this kind of knife can reduce the time it takes to slice or chop up vegetables, just like a meat grinder or a food processor.

It would be a great help, especially in a vegan kitchen that sees a whole lot more veggies than other cuisines.

That said, even if you don’t work in a professional kitchen but want a beautiful Japanese Nakiri knife, you can definitely get one for yourself.

So, really, it is for anyone looking for a premier quality Nakiri knife.

Nakiri knives can be expensive, though, so you’ll have to carefully choose which model you pick and whether it suits your needs.

What’s Included?

This Yoshihiro Nakiri knife comes with a beautiful saya (cover or sheath) made of natural magnolia.

Saya is the Japanese word for the cover or sheath that goes over the knife’s blade.

It helps keep the knife protected when not in use.

Overview of the Features

As discussed, the Yoshihiro NSW Nakiri knife is bigger than most other knives.

Normally, Nakiri knives go up to seven inches, so this is closer to that at 6.3 inches.

In terms of looks, it is comparatively simpler.

Even more so when you consider that, in general, Japanese knives nowadays have many design elements.

Still, at the end of the day, it’s not really the looks that chop your onions or julienne your beets; it’s the blade.

• Blade

The Yoshihiro NSW Nakiri knife uses NSW Damascus steel (VG-10, a whopping 46 layers of it.

Since it’s handcrafted in Japan, it is safe to assume that the steel also originates from the country and, therefore, is high quality.

It has a pretty sleek, straight blade that cuts through vegetables effortlessly.

The Damascus lines are very visible above the edge of the blade.

As is common with Nakiri knives, you just have to make an up-and-down motion as you move, and the blade slides in smoothly.

Either face of the blade has a hammered texture, which is done by hand using intricate hammering techniques.

Aside from the visual aesthetic, the benefit of this texture is that it doesn’t let food particles stick to the knife.

As a result, the vegetable stays on the board when you pick up the blade.

You will also find that the stainless-steel finish looks great and cleans very easily.

• Handle

The handle on this Yoshihiro knife is pretty simple in silhouette and is made of Rosewood.

It is secured with double Mahogany bolsters, securely attaching the handle to the blade.

The dark texture and color of the wood go well with the stainless-steel construction of the blade.

Also, it has a traditional octagonal shape with smoothed-out vertices, so holding the knife is comfortable.

It makes it a more traditional-looking Nakiri knife, as it doesn’t have those modern ergonomic handles with contours and grooves.

Nevertheless, the wood feels natural.

Interestingly enough, that has been the handle of choice for these knives for centuries.

How To Get the Most Out of This Nakiri Knife

Obviously, if you are buying a Nakiri knife for your kitchen, you ought to know how to use it too.

This quick tutorial shows you exactly how to hold a Nakiri knife and use it to chop vegetables.

You will learn more as you use it with different vegetables and achieve different cuts, but it’s not that complicated.

Using a paring knife is much more difficult than a Nakiri, which calls for an up-and-down cutting movement instead of a rocking motion.

Alternative

As this Yoshihiro Nakiri knife review indicates, this particular model may not be for everyone.

If you’d like to know more about a good-enough alternative, check out the Shun Premium Nakiri Knife.

Shun is another popular Japanese cutlery brand, and this Nakiri knife shows why it’s famous.

This knife has a proprietary VG-10 steel core construction with traditional Damascus steel layering on top (over 70).

The handle is Pakkawood, which is soft and makes it relatively lightweight.

You will notice that the handle has a contoured shape to make it slightly more ergonomic.

The same hand-done hammering texture is also on this Nakiri knife, helping reduce friction when cutting vegetables.

Overall, the performance of this knife will live up to the Shun name.

One other additional touch is that you can get your knives sharpened by the company itself.

Not like you’ll have to do that any time soon, though, as this masterfully crafted knife is very sharp.

Conclusion

Yes, the price of the Yoshihiro Nakiri knife is quite high, but it does offer quality construction.

The blade is hands down one of the best there is, making every penny worth it.

Even the rosewood handle is nice, albeit a bit rather conventional and simple. It does get the job done and will likely last a lifetime.

If you’re looking for something conservative that cuts vegetables well, this very well could be the one.

Now, the decision is up to you. After reading this Yoshihiro Nakiri knife review, do you think this knife is an apt choice for your kitchen?