TOJIRO BASIC DAMASCUS

The TOJIRO BASIC range of knives has quickly gained a following. This comes as no surprise. They offer excellent value for money and are therefore the ideal gateway into the world of Japanese laminated knives. At the same time, they have created a suitable platform for a higher tier of these hybrid knives. The term ‘hybrid’ refers to the combination of a European full-tang construction with a Japanese blade. Such knives are particularly sought after by chefs who are accustomed to European ergonomics but require high cutting performance. 

As the name itself suggests, the main difference between the BASIC and BASIC DAMASCUS ranges lies in the blade construction. The original San Mai has been replaced by the more striking Damascus steel. It consists of 37 layers of corrosion-resistant material. The alternation of soft and harder steel creates an interesting pattern across the layers. The core is made of tried-and-tested cobalt VG10 steel with a hardness of 61 HRC. This keeps the symmetrical ‘V’-shaped cutting edge in excellent condition. 

The difference can also be seen in the handles, although not at first glance. Pakkawood has been replaced by highly durable Micarta. What remains unchanged are the perfectly countersunk rivets. This detail is truly one of TOJIRO’s strengths. Once again, there is no steel boster, which results in significantly lower production costs.

Our verdict: For a more than fair price, you’ll get an original Japanese Damascus knife that performs exceptionally well.

©2026 Copyright Roman Ulík, Nippon Knives, www.japonskenoze.sk

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