J.A. Henckels International Henckels Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife with Hollow Edge

by Henckels

• Single 7-inch Santoku knife for preparing meat, fish, and vegetables
• Fine-polished hollow razor edge, ideal for extra thin cutting
• Made of stain-resistant carbon steel that's hot drop forged for durability; full bolster for balance
• Triple riveted handle surrounds a full tang
• Handwash with mild cleanser; lifetime warranty; made in Spain

Product Details

• Item Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00068J2A0
• Item model number: 31170-181
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,760 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)
  • #10 in Kitchen & Dining > Kitchen Knives & Cutlery Accessories > Asian Knives > Santoku Knives
  • #40 in Kitchen & Dining > Kitchen Knives & Cutlery Accessories > Specialty Knives

Product Description

Classic 7-inch Santoku knife with hollow edge

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars sharp as a razor's edge March 25, 2005

By Eric

I'm a fan of the Spanish-made Henckel's Int'l Classic lines. I have the bread knife and the utility knife as well. I think the major budget concessions (as these are not the high-end German-made line) comes in the size. Classic blades, though full-tang and thrice-riveted, have less steel than comparable brands. This makes them slender and light in the hand. However, less steel is not lower-quality steel, and these blades are incredibly hard and reliable.

This santoku is still large enough to use as a spatula when cutting, delivering onions, mushrooms or other slices or mince to the pan while cooking speedily. It sharpens easily (I use a small stone under running water), and responds well to a steel every few uses. It's the sharpest blade in my collection, easily slicing up my sponges when I clean it. With care, it won't do the same to your skin, mostly because of the sturdiness of construction that breeds confident handling. It won't slide off most vegetables before slicing in, and can even cleave small poultry bones with slow and steady pressure downward (I wouldn't use it to hack as real cleavers do). This is a precision instrument, not a blunt tool.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good knife for the money November 28, 2005

By Roy A. Tracy

This was my first 'nice' knife when I was taken in by the Santoku craze, and it was certainly a decent choice. The knife is sharp out of the box, reasonably well balanced, and has pretty good fit/finish. For the type of person who only buys things like veggies and boneless/skinless chicken, etc., that are largely prepared, this knife will probably fit the bill and allow you finish up small amounts of prep work. The real drawback is the length. When you live in the South, you see vidalia onions that are 7" in diameter. This knife is a bit small to tackle the large veggies. And don't even think about getting it near hard melons or bone-in meats. Since I got this knife, I've expanded my collection quite a bit, even adding some real Japanese steel. But this little blade keeps a spot on my magnetic strip, where it comes out for small tasks or when my wife can't get me to relinquish the big blade. For most cooks, who need a real omni-tasker knife, I would look for a 9-10" chef's knife rather than this.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good quality inexpensive Santoku October 16, 2011

By Opti Mystic

If you are looking for an inexpensive Santoku, consider this one. It's a hybrid with European style handle and forged stainless blade, good value knife for the price. It's easy to adapt to if you are used to standard chef's knives. It's worth thinking about if you want to expand your food preparation skills. But you may also want to consider a real Japanese santoku someday.

As you know, santokus are originally a Japanese knife intended for chopping vegetables and boneless meat. In Japan, knives are often made from inexpensive high carbon steel -- steel that is very hard and keeps a very sharp edge but rusts easily. The blade edge is thinner and more acute edged, with a 15 degree bevel on both sides, instead of the western 20 degree bevel. Traditionally they have an unfinished wood handle.

Such a knife cuts well, but will rust quickly and the handle will split if washed in a dishwasher, or simply left wet. Knives that rust or are not dishwasher compatible don't appeal to typical American cooks, so many mass market Santokus use stainless steel, which is rust resistant but won't hold an edge as well as a high carbon steel blade.

I mention all this because this knife is far from a traditional Japanese Santoku. It has a heavier stainless blade and European style handle. Its blade bevel angle seems to be 20 degrees, not 15. Still, it is lighter and more agile than a long heavy chef's knife, the most common prep knife in US kitchens. So it gives you some of the advantages of a real santoku.

For quick veggie prep you may want to consider an even lighter, ultra sharp knife, like the true Santoku. You can find those here on Amazon in all price ranges. Be prepared to baby them. The high carbon steel will rust if left wet, and the bare wood handle will split if you put them in a dishwasher. But the blade -- wow. They are like razors and really cut veggies quickly with little effort. So, that's the tradeoff: easy maintenance versus efficient chopping. If you are disciplined about maintaining them, true santokus are wonderful tools.