Milk Street Kitchin-tan™ Serrated Japanese-Style Utility Knife
The serrated Milk Street Kitchin-tan utility knife will be the most useful knife in your kitchen. It’s a pinch-hitting wonder that spans the gap between a chef’s knife and paring knife. It’s long enough for many big tasks, but small enough for detail work. We’ve taken the proven shape and functionality of the Kitchin-tan and added a maintenance-free serrated edge. The grippy razor teeth effortlessly slice though anything and everything: thick-skinned tomatoes and peppers, fibrous broccoli stems and asparagus stalks, rubbery citrus peels. You’ll be amazed at how often you use this knife.
Milk Street Kitchin-to™ and Serrated Kitchin-tan™ Set
These are the only two knives you’ll need in your kitchen. The utility-sized Serrated Kitchin-tan strikes the perfect balance between a paring knife and a chef’s knife. We were inspired by Japanese petty knives, which are commonly used as the go-to knife for smaller tasks around the kitchen, but we added many signature design touches as well, including a file pattern on the blade for a better grip and a safe rounded-tip knife blade of German 1.4116 Steel. Using this knife feels like cutting through butter—it makes cooking fun! It even makes a great sandwich knife.
And the Kitchin-to combines the thin blade of a Japanese vegetable knife and the satisfying heft of a Chinese cleaver. The goal was to design a knife that feels good in the hand, gives you total control of the blade from heel to tip—whether slicing garlic, chopping parsley or cutting through butternut squash like it were butter. We traveled to knife shows, scoured kitchen shops around the country, quizzed home cooks and studied how our cooking school students slice, dice, chop and mince. We then worked with knife-makers and an industrial designer to realize our design. We went through numerous iterations of blade shapes, thicknesses, grinds, weights and handles before reaching what we believe is the perfect knife for all-around kitchen use.
Milk Street Kitchin-to™ & Kitchin-kiji™ Set
A unique cross between a Japanese vegetable knife and a Chinese cleaver, the Kitchin-to™ will replace your chef’s knife. The knife's overall design borrows elements from our two favorite knives: the Japanese vegetable knife (nakiri) and the Chinese cleaver (cai dao). The 7-inch-long blade is nearly as tall as a cleaver—almost 2.5 inches at the butt—and 1.5 millimeters thick, much thinner than most Western-style knives and sharpened to an acute 15-17 degrees per side. The Kitchin-to™, made from German 1.4116 Steel, will hold an edge for ages without any maintenance, so it's able to mince, chop, slice and push-cut with ease. Plus, it's broad enough to use as a bench scraper for transferring chopped foods from the cutting board. And similar to a Japanese santoku, the gently arced blade design can be used for both Western- and Japanese-style cutting methods. Its blunt tip keeps fingers safe, and the butt of the bolsterless blade is curved inward to make it easy to grip for fine control. A filework pattern machined into the blade near the handle acts as a grippy, tactile point for the thumb and index finger to grasp securely.
Based on the Japanese kawamuki knife, a medium-sized all-purpose utility knife used for peeling and carving vegetables, the Milk Street Kitchin-kiji is the “in-between” utility knife that most home cooks are missing. At 3.5-inches long, its flat profile takes the design of a paring knife to a whole new level, perfect for handwork like peeling the papery skin off garlic cloves and shallots, trimming mushrooms or cutting fruit. The 1.4116 German steel blade is ideal for control and fine detail work; the broad blade tapers and curves quickly to a fine razor tip for tight detail work, like removing the eyes from potatoes, coring strawberries and trimming meats. Plus, we subtly angled the blade upwards from the handle to provide knuckle clearance (a major flaw in most smaller knives that have your fingers bumping up against your cutting board). Plus, the ergonomic lock-in handle, etched with our signature pattern for extra grippiness, is subtly oversized to fill the hand for a secure, confident grip that won’t turn and twist with use. It’s made from matte finish vintage black polymer that’s durable and comfortable over time.
Milk Street Kitchin-To™ & Kitchin-Tan™ Charcoal Set
These are the only two knives you’ll need in your kitchen. The utility-sized Kitchin-tan strikes the perfect balance between a paring knife and a chef’s knife. We were inspired by Japanese petty knives, which are commonly used as the go-to knife for smaller tasks around the kitchen, but we added many signature design touches as well, including a file pattern on the blade for a better grip, a unique “lock-in” handle made of micarta (a linen/resin mixture that is grippy even when wet) and a safe rounded-tip knife blade of German 1.4116 steel, a high-quality alloy that holds an edge, resists corrosion and is easily sharpened. Using this knife feels like cutting through butter—it makes cooking fun! It even makes a great sandwich knife.
And the Kitchin-to combines the thin blade of a Japanese vegetable knife and the satisfying heft of a Chinese cleaver. The goal was to design a knife that feels good in the hand, gives you total control of the blade from heel to tip—whether slicing garlic, chopping parsley or cutting through butternut squash like it were butter. We traveled to knife shows, scoured kitchen shops around the country, quizzed home cooks and studied how our cooking school students slice, dice, chop and mince. We then worked with knife-makers and an industrial designer to realize our design. We went through numerous iterations of blade shapes, thicknesses, grinds, weights and handles before reaching what we believe is the perfect knife for all-around kitchen use.
Dao Vua Leaf Spring Honesuki Knife
Honesuki knives are a Japanese blade style designed for butchering poultry. Their fine tip, acutely angled triangular blade and medium length are perfectly designed for breaking down chickens. Dao Vua’s inspired version adds a touch of curve to the belly to make it much more versatile. Beyond butchering, it’s good for prepping veggies, slicing garlic, trimming meat and slicing sandwiches. The relatively long handle offers added leverage for cutting through denser veggies like sweet potatoes, too. If you’re looking for a do-everything knife for the smaller jobs, we highly recommend this one.
NOTE: Because of the handmade nature of the knives, expect imperfections and texture on each blade’s surface. We think it enhances the character and uniqueness of each knife. The exposed portion of the cutting surface is susceptible to moisture and acid and will develop a patina over time. The knives should not be left wet and should be wiped down after slicing acidic foods. To minimize coloring, they can be treated with camellia oil and cleaned with a rust eraser.
We strongly recommend buying the camellia oil with this knife.
Dao Vua Leaf Spring Bunka Knife
Bunka knives are a catch-all category of multipurpose utility knives that are adept at most any kitchen task. They are the precursor to the more commonly known santoku knife and a fantastic do-it-all tool for virtually any kitchen task. Dao Vua’s version is a featherweight interpretation designed with an acute kiritsuke-style tip for detail work (That also happens to look really cool—it’s our favorite Japanese knife style). The 7-inch length is a great compromise for an all-purpose knife, adept at small prep tasks, like chopping onions and garlic, as well as bigger jobs like breaking down large cuts of meat for stews or braises. It’s even small enough to use for close handwork. The blade is curved, too, to facilitate rock chopping and mincing a fluffy pile of herbs.
NOTE: Because of the handmade nature of the knives, expect imperfections and texture on each blade’s surface. We think it enhances the character and uniqueness of each knife. The exposed portion of the cutting surface is susceptible to moisture and acid and will develop a patina over time. The knives should not be left wet and should be wiped down after slicing acidic foods. To minimize coloring, they can be treated with camellia oil and cleaned with a rust eraser.
We strongly recommend buying the camellia oil with this knife.
Tojiro Stainless Steel Chinese-Style Cleaver
Every kitchen should have a Chinese-style cleaver, whose tall, heavy-duty blade and forward-heavy balance do most of the work for you when chopping big batches of vegetables and mincing meats or herbs. We found an excellent model from Japanese producer Toryumon that, unlike most flat-bellied cleavers, has a slightly curved edge similar to a European-style chef’s knife, so American home cooks will find it easier to use. Roughly 7 inches long and 3.5 inches tall, the blade is smaller and more approachable than other models and ideal for those with smaller hands.
Milk Street: Kitchin-kiji
Milk Street: Nakiri
What if we told you there is a Japanese knife specifically designed for vegetable prep that will make your cooking safer, easier and faster? It is vastly better than the all-purpose European chef’s knife, which is clunky, heavy and too thick to precisely slice and dice onions, cut carrots into perfect coins or reduce chard into feathery ribbons. The solution is the Milk Street Nakiri. It’s light, thin and sharp, with a design that resembles a mini cleaver—2 inches deep with a squared-off tip. A very thin blade, just 1.6 millimeters at the top, tapers down even thinner toward the end so it slices through even tough ingredients effortlessly without bending. The broad blade shields your fingers when you chop and works as a bench scraper to transfer chopped veggies to the simmering pot. With the help of veteran industrial designer David Lewin, we added a few special touches. The blade is embossed with a nonstick file pattern that replicates the kourochi (blacksmith) or tshuchime (pear skin) finish to traditional nakiris, so sliced ingredients fall right off. A gentle curve accommodates fingers when choking up tight for control, and the handle has been designed to provide a nonslip grip.
Milk Street: Santoku
A safer and more effective all-purpose kitchen knife than the triangular European-style chef’s knife, the Japanese santoku is the ultimate kitchen tool for the home cook. Our exclusive Milk Street-designed santoku (which translates as “3 virtues”) features a 7-inch blade that is tall at the heel and retains a nearly continuous height to the tip thanks to the rounded sheepsfoot tip. That means there’s plenty of blade steel to protect your fingers when chopping, and it also works well for scooping up chopped vegetables to transfer to the skillet or mixing bowl.
The blade features a pronounced curve to the belly for easy rock chopping and mincing, while the pointed tip makes it all-purpose enough for prepping meats or mincing onions, garlic and shallots.
The comfortable “lock in” ergonomic handle, fashioned from durable matte-finished polymer, is broad at the top and narrows to the bottom for a palm-filling grip. It doesn’t twist or turn during heavy-duty use. The handle tapers towards the blade for a comfortable transition between handle and blade—a benefit that few knives take into account.
The heel of the bolsterless blade is scalloped, which makes the knife comfortable to choke up on for a controlled, confident pinch grip. And a patch of file pattern embossed into the blade adds even more grip between the thumb and pointer finger.
Milk Street: Kitchin-tan™ Japanese-Style Utility Knife
THE MILK STREET KITCHIN-TAN WILL SHIP in 2-3 Business Days.
When a chef’s knife is too big, and a paring knife is too small, the Milk Street Kitchin-tan is the perfect pinch hitter. We borrowed elements from our favorite Western- and Japanese-style knives to create this all-purpose utility knife. From making sandwiches to chopping herbs, dicing shallots and cutting fruit, this 5½-inch blade will become the go-to knife for all of your between jobs. It has a comfortable grip, cuts like a dream and has a curved sheepsfoot tip, which makes the knife safer to use.
Milk Street: Kitchin-tan™ Serrated Japanese-Style Utility Knife
The serrated Milk Street Kitchin-tan utility knife will be the most useful knife in your kitchen. It’s a pinch-hitting wonder that spans the gap between a chef’s knife and paring knife. It’s long enough for many big tasks, but small enough for detail work. We’ve taken the proven shape and functionality of the Kitchin-tan and added a maintenance-free serrated edge. The grippy razor teeth effortlessly slice though anything and everything: thick-skinned tomatoes and peppers, fibrous broccoli stems and asparagus stalks, rubbery citrus peels. You’ll be amazed at how often you use this knife.
Suncraft Nakiri Knife
Suncraft’s modernized 7-inch nakiri takes the classic Japanese blade’s typical rectangular shape and adds a soft, pointed tip for a uniquely useful knife. The blade’s geometry is more arced than a traditional nakiri, which makes it adept at mincing and rock chopping. Despite the curving blade, it retains a nearly consistent broad blade to the tip for finger safety and the ability to scoop chopped foods up to transfer to the mixing bowl or hot skillet. Suncraft’s classically styled “Senzo” line of knives feature AUS-10 steel blade, a tried-and-true knife steel that holds an edge well, is easy to tune up and is highly resistant to corrosion (though as with any knife, should be dried after use). The western-style handles are fashioned from pakkawood, a traditional handle material of wood stabilized with resins, which makes them impervious to water.
Dao Vua Leaf Spring Small Cleaver
It’s no secret we love cleavers in all their many forms. The tall blade and bit of weight behind the blade makes chopping most anything easy, and its height means it’s perfect for scooping up prepped foods to transfer to the skillet or mixing bowl. And cleavers are safer than a European-style chef’s knife: fingers remain shielded behind all that steel. At 200mm (roughly 7.8 inches), the Dao Vua is slightly smaller and lighter than a typical Chinese cleaver, though it packs some weight to enhance the chopping experience. It’s excellent for working through piles of vegetables for soups and stews, or chopping up chicken for a stir-fry. It’s a sturdy blade for taking on most anything. We love the rustic charm of Dao Vua’s handles and finish work. These aren’t perfect, showing the marks of the blacksmith on the blade. The darkened finish is a traditional approach to protecting the steel from oxidation. And its subtly nonstick too, meaning foods won’t cling once sliced.
NOTE: Because of the handmade nature of the knives, expect imperfections and texture on each blade’s surface. We think it enhances the character and uniqueness of each knife. The exposed portion of the cutting surface is susceptible to moisture and acid and will develop a patina over time. The knives should not be left wet and should be wiped down after slicing acidic foods. To minimize coloring, they can be treated with camellia oil and cleaned with a rust eraser.
We strongly recommend buying the camellia oil with this knife.
Milk Street: Funayuki All-Purpose Prep Knife
Once an essential tool of Japanese fisherman, the funayuki (literally “boat-going knife”), is designed as the original do-it-all knife for fish, meats and vegetables. The 6½-inch long, leaf-shaped blade is tall enough to safely chop through large amounts of ingredients at one time like a cleaver, yet it tapers quickly to a fine tip for precision tasks. The strongly arced blade and forward stance excels at cutting meats, though it minces and rock chops vegetables equally well. The curve extends the blade length for cleaner slicing in a compact package.
Fuji Cutlery FA-70 Chinese-Style Cleaver
Every kitchen should have a Chinese-style cleaver, whose tall, heavy-duty blade and forward-heavy balance do most of the work for you when chopping big batches of vegetables and mincing meats or herbs. We found an excellent model from Japan that, unlike most flat-bellied cleavers, has a slightly curved edge similar to a European-style chef’s knife, so American home cooks will find it easier to use. Plus, the barrel-shaped handle can you more control than a standard shape.
Milk Street: Limited Edition Premium Kitchin-kiji — Cocobolo Wood
The one kind of knife missing from most Western kitchens is one of the most used in Japan—a midsized, multipurpose utility knife bigger and stronger than a paring knife but smaller and more manageable than a chef’s knife. Why Western cooks typically don’t have such a knife is beyond us, so we took months to design our own. The result is the Kitchin-kiji—the ultimate all-purpose utility knife that will speed up your prep. It’s perfect for all the “in-between” jobs, small enough for detailed handwork like slicing garlic and shallots, trimming mushrooms or cutting fruit. Plus, we designed it with a broad, stiff blade to be large enough that it won’t twist, and the larger handle fills the hand for a confident grip.
This is a Limited edition, premium run of our tried-and-true Milk Street Kitchin-kiji knife. It features a high-end Japanese AUS 8 steel blade specially forged with a non-stick “Tsuchime” hammered surface and a gorgeously grained, ultra-durable cocobolo wood handle. And it comes with a custom saya, or knife guard, to keep your blade keen and protect it in storage. Consider it an heirloom-quality tool to use and pass on to the next generation of cooks in your family.
Suncraft Senzo Bunka Knife
Suncraft’s Senzo Pro bunka, made in Seki City, Japan, not only looks gorgeous but is a joy to use. At 6.5 inches long, the compact, nimble blade is hand-forged from laminated high-carbon SG2 steel—an alloy forged from a powdered base blend of ingredients balanced for durability, corrosion resistance and edge retention—which means an ultra-durable blade that needs minimal honing and maintenance. The blade edge is subtly curved tip to butt for intuitive, comfortable slicing and the tip makes quick work of mincing onions, shallots and garlic. It’s small enough to use for prep work, like peeling garlic or trimming mushrooms, but is long enough for slicing proteins and dicing big onions or thick carrots. And a finely pointed tip is just right for trimming meats and skinning fruit. The blade is finished with an oversized Pakka wood handle for a secure grip, as well as a mosaic pin—a tell-tale marker of a handmade, premium knife.