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Product Description
Before anything, a quick language lesson. 'Take' (竹, pronounced ta-ke) is bamboo in Japanese. 'Ko' in this case means child. Ta-ke-no-ko is - you guessed it - child of bamboo or in the real world, bamboo shoots. Think giant bamboo - the thirty-metre / 100 foot high variety. Those kids are big.
So when harvesting and processing them you need a big knife. Oh look, here's one.
Fresh takenoko are very firm, quite grippy and somewhat splitty. When cutting a bunch of them you do not want an ordinary knife. This is no ordinary knife.
Pick up Okubo san's takenoko nakiri and the world and everything in it seems to shrink. There will never be a bamboo shoot, beet or watermelon that this nakiri cannot conquer.
Just bear in mind, it is rather big. Bigger than you think. And this is the small one.
| Blade steel: | Aogami #2 |
| Bevel: | Ryōba double bevel |
| Blade construction: | Warikomi |
| Left-handed available: | Handle and blade suit both hands |
| Handle: | Hounoki (Magnolia) |
| Blade length: | 210mm |
| Overall Length: | 375mm |
| Blade height: | 90mm |
| Blade spine above choil: | 5mm |
| Handle length: | 155mm |
| Handle width: | 33x26mm |
| Weight in hand: | 420g |
A final note, and an important one for would-be buyers to consider. While forged by a master blacksmith this is fundamentally an agricultural tool. We're not kidding when we tell you its reason for being is to process giant bamboo shoots. In sheds, probably.
A recent buyer (a satisfied purchaser, we hasten to add) recommended we point out that there may be minor inconsistencies - high and low spots - on the edge. In M's case he found these inconsistencies didn't affect performance but he did suggest we highlight that this is not a 'factory' blade, in order to temper expectations in excited buyers. He further commented that with some small time on the stones the bevels and edge can be refined to improve performance.
So if you have perfectionist inclinations, please consider these insights. With gravity on its side the takenoko nakiri will perform its intended function and much more besides, but a refined jewel it is not. More like a soundly forged tool. We like to think our product photos tell the story. Your story may see minor variations.
Final final note. Okubo san delivered our latest takenoko nakiri with a very robust pin in the handle. If you plan to swap out the handle then consider the ordering your takenoko nakiri with the pinless handle, or blade only. The pinned handle looked like it would require some violence to remove.
Product Videos
勝浦町 大久保鍛冶屋 2014.09.12 OA http://www.shokokai.or.jp/36/3630110026/index.htm
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ザ・職人#11「大久保鍛冶屋」勝浦町 大久保鍛冶屋 2014.09.12 OA http://www.shokokai.or.jp/36/36301100...
Product Videos
Product Reviews
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Magical grind
Posted by Jens on 26th Feb 2025
If you take Okubo-san’s takenoko out of the box and look at the choil, you’ll probably wonder if this thing is really going to hold up as a kitchen knife. It’s thick and chonky and the fit and finish is… a bit rough. It really seems purely like an agricultural tool.
When you put it to the test you’ll know you’ve been deceived though. Okubo-san’s convex grind cuts way smoother than it should. Be it cabbage, celeriac, carrots, potatoes or vennel: the takenoko has no issues with dense produce. Then there’s that magical food release that Okubo get’s praised for as well. The takenoko is a great cutter and it’s also a lot of fun to use.
Now, there’s some high/low spots on the blade. Nothing too bad but out of the box it’s not the best knife for scallions or chives. A few sharpening sessions and you’ll be fine though.
The knife is also not the most comfortable to wield, it could benefit from a bit of sanding here and there and is also a bit heavy (although mine is not as heavy as the specs on the website). Not a knife I would use for a long prep session in a pro kitchen. It is perfect for a home cook that needs to slay some cabbage though. It’s probably the most fun I’ve had with a new knife in a while.
Specs
- 215mm x 95mm (ordered 210x90 but got lucky
- 446.2 gram
- spine above choil about 3-4 mm
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amazing knife
Posted by mark on 8th Feb 2024
Hi
I have had this model for some time now and have not written a review but feel the need to say how great this knife is. When I first received it I spent a little time on the stones refining the profile to make it to my liking but nothing major just a subtle thinning. It is a well made tool with good fundamentals but definitely not a show pony. This is a knife that wants to be used and used a lot. It takes a superb edge and holds it very well. This is not a thin cleaver like a CCK for example. It has some substance to it and this appeals to me. It glides through soft and hard produce and has excellent food release unlike some cleavers. I find the 210 to feel very intuitive in the hand and not overly big. For the price I highly recommend this knife. I find that when I am using this knife I very rarely reach for another (I have too many) which says all that needs to be said.
